Forest Hills weather in May

In May, Forest Hills sees average daytime highs of 68°F and overnight lows near 49°F, with 4.2 in of rain across 11.9 wet days and about 14.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 64°F in the first days to 73°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 14 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Forest Hills's 5th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Forest Hills's year-round climate.

Daytime high
68°
5th warmest
Overnight low
49°
8th coldest
Rainfall
4.2 in
11.9 wet days
Daylight
14 h 30 min
5:25 AM – 7:52 PM
Cloud cover
63%
5th clearest
Wind
8 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.82 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.0
out of 10

Forest Hills is unincorporated community in Kent County, Michigan, United States.

Density
197/km²
people per km²

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 64°F in the first days to 73°F by the end.

A typical May day in Forest Hills reaches about 68°F in the afternoon and slips back to 49°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 56°F and 81°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 11°F warmer than April and about 9°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16344
26344
36444
46445
56445
66546
76546
86546
96647
106647
116647
126747
136748
146748
156848
166849
176849
186949
196949
206950
217050
227051
237151
247151
257152
267252
277253
287253
297353
307354
317354

How May really feels in Forest Hills

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.

Forest Hills weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 18°2.410.19.59.20.0
Feb33° / 18°2.07.86.410.20.0
Mar44° / 27°2.59.34.111.60.9
Apr57° / 38°4.0121.913.13.8
May68° / 49°4.211.9014.46.0
Jun78° / 59°3.911.5015.16.5
Jul81° / 63°3.611.1014.86.4
Aug79° / 61°3.610.6013.86.7
Sep72° / 53°3.19.5012.36.8
Oct59° / 42°3.310.90.310.84.5
Nov46° / 33°2.69.72.59.51.2
Dec35° / 24°2.310.27.88.90.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14060
24060
34060
44060
54060
64060
74060
84060
94060
104060
114159
124159
134159
144159
154159
164258
174258
184357
194258
204258
214258
224456
234456
244456
254555
264456
274456
284456
294654
304654
314654

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Forest Hills gets around 4.2 in of rain over 11.9 wet days in May, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 38% and peaks near 39% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
139
239
339
439
539
638
738
838
938
1038
1138
1238
1338
1438
1538
1638
1738
1838
1938
2038
2138
2238
2338
2438
2538
2639
2739
2839
2939
3039
3139

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 81% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
193610
293610
391720
491720
591720
689821
788831
888831
987931
1087931
11851041
12851041
13851041
14831151
15831151
16821161
17821161
18791272
19791272
20771283
21771283
22741394
23741394
247213105
257213105
267114105
276914116
286914116
296815116
306616117
316516127

Wind in May

Winds average 8 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
267light breeze
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 14 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 60 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:43 AM to 5:12 AM, and sunset from 7:35 PM to 8:06 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.95:437:35
213.95:427:36
313.95:417:37
414.05:397:38
514.05:387:40
614.15:377:41
714.15:357:42
814.25:347:43
914.25:337:44
1014.25:317:45
1114.35:307:46
1214.35:297:47
1314.35:287:49
1414.45:277:50
1514.45:267:51
1614.55:257:52
1714.55:247:53
1814.55:237:54
1914.65:227:55
2014.65:217:56
2114.65:207:57
2214.75:197:58
2314.75:187:59
2414.75:178:00
2514.75:168:01
2614.85:168:02
2714.85:158:03
2814.85:148:04
2914.95:148:05
3014.95:138:06
3114.95:128:06

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.82 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.31 kWh/m² to a high of 6.35 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.82 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.9Bright
195.9Bright
205.9Bright
216.0Bright
226.0Bright
236.0Intense
246.0Intense
256.0Intense
266.1Intense
276.1Intense
286.1Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Forest Hills?

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

6.0
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
3.2
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Forest Hills for sightseeing.

What to pack for Forest Hills in May

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

In May, Forest Hills sees daytime highs around 68°F and nights near 49°F. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

UV index in Forest Hills in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Forest Hills peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 20UV 9Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Forest Hills?

Forest Hills sits at 43.0°N, 85.5°W, 630 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Grand Rapids, 9.3 mi away.

Topography around Forest Hills

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Forest Hills has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 279 ft around an average of 725 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 433 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 810 ft.

The land around Forest Hills is covered by trees (75%) within 2 miles, trees (58%) within 10 miles, and trees (48%) and cropland (29%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
279 ft
10 miles
433 ft
50 miles
810 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Grand Rapids 9.3 mi · Kentwood 9.9 mi · Wyoming 11 mi · Grandville 14 mi · Walker 14 mi · Jenison 16 mi · Allendale 24 mi · Holland 34 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 Forest Hills (42.9595°, -85.4898°, elevation 630 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).