Gainesville weather in May

In May, Gainesville sees average daytime highs of 81°F and overnight lows near 63°F, with 5.3 in of rain across 11.4 wet days and about 13.7 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 77°F in the first days to 85°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in May, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Gainesville's 12th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gainesville's year-round climate.

Daytime high
81°
5th warmest
Overnight low
63°
8th coldest
Rainfall
5.3 in
11.4 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:33 AM – 7:17 PM
Cloud cover
54%
12th clearest
Wind
8 mph
3rd windiest
Solar energy
5.87 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
out of 10

Gainesville is city in Texas, United States.

Density
330/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 77°F in the first days to 85°F by the end.

A typical May day in Gainesville reaches about 81°F in the afternoon and slips back to 63°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 72°F and 89°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 8°F warmer than April and about 8°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17758
27758
37758
47859
57859
67860
77860
87960
97961
107961
118061
128062
138062
148062
158163
168163
178164
188264
198264
208265
218265
228365
238365
248366
258366
268466
278467
288467
298567
308567
318568

How May really feels in Gainesville

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.

Gainesville 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
Jan54° / 35°2.35.80.8103.6
Feb58° / 39°2.56.80.710.84.7
Mar66° / 46°3.78.30.311.76.4
Apr73° / 54°3.98.1012.87.2
May81° / 63°5.311.4013.76.2
Jun89° / 71°3.78.3014.24.5
Jul93° / 75°2.05.90143.4
Aug93° / 74°2.06.2013.23.5
Sep86° / 67°3.36.8012.25.7
Oct75° / 55°4.07.8011.27.5
Nov64° / 45°2.76.40.210.36.4
Dec55° / 37°2.76.10.59.83.9

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in May, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 48%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25446
35347
45248
55248
65248
75149
85050
95050
105149
115149
125050
135149
145149
155149
165149
175149
185149
195149
205149
215248
225248
235347
245347
255347
265446
275446
285545
295545
305644
315743

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Gainesville gets around 5.3 in of rain over 11.4 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 36% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
133
233
334
434
535
635
736
836
936
1036
1136
1236
1336
1436
1536
1636
1736
1836
1936
2036
2136
2237
2337
2437
2537
2636
2736
2836
2936
3036
3135

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the muggy band about 32% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 36% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1481621131
2461722141
3441723151
4421724161
5401724171
6381725182
7361726202
8341726212
9321727222
10301727232
11291727243
12271728253
13261728263
14251728273
15241728293
16221628304
17211627324
18201527334
19181527355
20171527375
21151426395
22141426405
23121426426
24111426446
25101325457
2681325467
2771225478
2861225489
29511244910
30511245011
31411235012

Wind in May

Winds average 8 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
49light breeze
59light breeze
69light breeze
79light breeze
89light breeze
99light breeze
109light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:46 AM to 5:25 AM, and sunset from 7:05 PM to 7:27 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.35:467:05
213.45:457:06
313.45:447:07
413.45:437:08
513.45:427:08
613.55:417:09
713.55:407:10
813.55:397:11
913.65:387:12
1013.65:377:12
1113.65:377:13
1213.65:367:14
1313.75:357:15
1413.75:347:15
1513.75:337:16
1613.75:337:17
1713.85:327:18
1813.85:317:18
1913.85:317:19
2013.85:307:20
2113.95:297:21
2213.95:297:21
2313.95:287:22
2413.95:287:23
2513.95:277:23
2614.05:277:24
2714.05:267:25
2814.05:267:25
2914.05:257:26
3014.05:257:27
3114.05:257:27

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.87 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.57 kWh/m² to a high of 6.86 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 5.87 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.8Bright
75.8Bright
85.8Bright
95.8Bright
105.8Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.9Bright
155.9Bright
165.9Bright
175.9Bright
185.9Bright
195.9Bright
205.9Bright
216.0Bright
226.0Bright
236.0Bright
246.0Intense
256.0Intense
266.1Intense
276.1Intense
286.1Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Gainesville?

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

6.2
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
6.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Gainesville for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Gainesville in May

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

In May, Gainesville sees daytime highs around 81°F and nights near 63°F. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 11 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Gainesville in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Gainesville peaks around June 23 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 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 10Dec 22UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar6High
Apr9Very high
May9Very high
Jun10Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Gainesville 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 Gainesville is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.1× the cleanest month (November, 5 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1616 µg/m³Nov 235 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar9Good
Apr9Good
May12Good
Jun14Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep9Good
Oct6Good
Nov5Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Gainesville?

Gainesville sits at 33.6°N, 97.1°W, 751 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Denton, 29 mi away.

Topography around Gainesville

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Gainesville has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 161 ft around an average of 751 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 384 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 896 ft.

The land around Gainesville is covered by trees (38%) and grassland (38%) within 2 miles, grassland (57%) and trees (30%) within 10 miles, and grassland (53%) and trees (30%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
161 ft
10 miles
384 ft
50 miles
896 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Denton 29 mi · Celina 29 mi · Sherman 30 mi · Corinth 33 mi · Prosper 33 mi · Little Elm 34 mi · Denison 35 mi · The Trails of Frisco 35 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 Gainesville (33.6259°, -97.1333°, elevation 751 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).