Flagstaff weather in May

In May, Flagstaff sees average daytime highs of 67°F and overnight lows near 42°F, with 1.3 in of precipitation across 5.7 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 63°F in the first days to 72°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 54% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Flagstaff's 5th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Flagstaff's year-round climate.

Daytime high
67°
5th warmest
Overnight low
42°
8th coldest
Precipitation
1.3 in
5.7 wet days
Daylight
13 h 48 min
5:28 AM – 7:18 PM
Cloud cover
38%
5th clearest
Wind
7 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
7.96 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.2
out of 10

Flagstaff is city in and county seat of Coconino County, Arizona, United States.

Density
425/km²
people per km²
Founded
1876

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 63°F in the first days to 72°F by the end.

A typical May day in Flagstaff reaches about 67°F in the afternoon and slips back to 42°F overnight — a 25°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 56°F and 78°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 10°F warmer than April and about 11°F cooler than June.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16338
26338
36338
46439
56439
66439
76540
86540
96540
106540
116641
126641
136641
146742
156742
166742
176742
186842
196843
206843
216943
226944
236944
247044
257044
267145
277145
287245
297246
307346
317346

How May really feels in Flagstaff

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Flagstaff weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan41° / 22°1.86.35.69.90.1
Feb44° / 24°2.06.96.110.70.8
Mar50° / 28°1.97.35.111.72.6
Apr58° / 33°1.25.6312.94.9
May67° / 42°1.35.70.813.87.2
Jun78° / 51°0.43014.38.3
Jul80° / 57°4.514.8014.16.0
Aug77° / 55°5.016.4013.36.0
Sep72° / 50°2.38.8012.27.3
Oct62° / 40°1.35.20.911.16.4
Nov50° / 29°1.34.1310.12.9
Dec41° / 22°1.65.85.69.70.2

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 54% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 29%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17030
27030
37030
47030
57129
67030
77030
87030
97030
107030
117030
127030
136931
146931
156931
167030
177030
187030
197030
207030
217129
227129
237228
247228
257327
267426
277525
287525
297624
307723
317822

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Flagstaff gets around 1.3 in of rain and snow over 5.7 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 18% and peaks near 20% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1206
2206
3205
4205
5204
6204
7204
8203
9203
10203
11203
12203
13202
14202
15202
16192
17192
18192
19192
20182
21182
22172
23172
24162
25162
26151
27141
28141
29131
30131
31121

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in May

Winds average 7 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:42 AM to 5:19 AM, and sunset from 7:06 PM to 7:29 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:427:06
213.45:417:07
313.55:407:08
413.55:397:08
513.55:377:09
613.65:367:10
713.65:357:11
813.65:347:12
913.65:347:12
1013.75:337:13
1113.75:327:14
1213.75:317:15
1313.85:307:16
1413.85:297:17
1513.85:287:17
1613.85:287:18
1713.95:277:19
1813.95:267:20
1913.95:257:21
2013.95:257:21
2114.05:247:22
2214.05:237:23
2314.05:237:24
2414.05:227:24
2514.15:227:25
2614.15:217:26
2714.15:217:26
2814.15:207:27
2914.15:207:28
3014.25:197:29
3114.25:197:29

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.96 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.08 kWh/m² to a high of 8.41 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 7.96 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.7Intense
27.7Intense
37.8Intense
47.8Intense
57.8Intense
67.8Intense
77.8Intense
87.8Intense
97.8Intense
107.9Intense
117.9Intense
127.9Intense
137.9Intense
147.9Intense
157.9Intense
168.0Intense
178.0Intense
188.0Intense
198.0Intense
208.0Intense
218.0Intense
228.1Intense
238.1Intense
248.1Intense
258.1Intense
268.1Intense
278.2Intense
288.2Intense
298.2Intense
308.3Intense
318.3Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Flagstaff

In seasonPeak

None of Flagstaff's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Flagstaff's rainy season runs July–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Flagstaff?

Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

7.2
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
3.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Flagstaff for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Flagstaff in May

From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In May, Flagstaff sees daytime highs around 67°F and nights near 42°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: a warm layer. About 6 days see rain.

sun protectiona warm layer

UV index in Flagstaff in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Flagstaff peaks around June 23 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 12Dec 17UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb6High
Mar7High
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep9Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Flagstaff in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Flagstaff is worst in June — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.2× the cleanest month (December, 5 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodJun 1621 µg/m³Dec 216 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb6Good
Mar7Good
Apr10Good
May11Good
Jun23Moderate
Jul10Good
Aug8Good
Sep13Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov12Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Flagstaff?

Flagstaff sits at 35.2°N, 111.7°W, 6,903 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Sedona, 24 mi away.

Topography around Flagstaff

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Flagstaff.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Flagstaff has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 643 ft around an average of 7,014 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 6,017 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 9,577 ft.

The land around Flagstaff is covered by trees (56%) and artificial surfaces (33%) within 2 miles, trees (76%) within 10 miles, and grassland (38%) and trees (36%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
643 ft
10 miles
6,017 ft
50 miles
9,577 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrain
May weather nearby: Sedona 24 mi · Prescott Valley 55 mi · Prescott 65 mi · Grand Canyon 65 mi · Payson 70 mi · Anthem 96 mi · Deer Valley 108 mi · Fountain Hills 110 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Flagstaff (35.1981°, -111.6513°, elevation 6,903 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).