Idaho Falls weather in May

In May, Idaho Falls sees average daytime highs of 66°F and overnight lows near 42°F, with 2.1 in of precipitation across 9.6 wet days and about 14.5 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 62°F in the first days to 70°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% 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 15 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Idaho Falls's 7th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Idaho Falls's year-round climate.

Daytime high
66°
5th warmest
Overnight low
42°
8th coldest
Precipitation
2.1 in
9.6 wet days
Daylight
14 h 30 min
5:09 AM – 7:39 PM
Cloud cover
61%
7th clearest
Wind
7 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
6.88 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.1
out of 10

Idaho Falls is city in and county seat of Bonneville County, Idaho, United States.

Density
988/km²
people per km²
Founded
1864

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 62°F in the first days to 70°F by the end.

A typical May day in Idaho Falls reaches about 66°F in the afternoon and slips back to 42°F overnight — a 24°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 54°F and 80°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 10°F warmer than April and about 10°F cooler than June.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16138
26238
36238
46238
56339
66339
76439
86440
96440
106540
116541
126541
136641
146642
156642
166742
176742
186743
196743
206843
216844
226844
236944
246944
256945
266945
277045
287045
297146
307146
317146

How May really feels in Idaho Falls

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.

Idaho Falls 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
Jan31° / 17°1.49.410.39.10.0
Feb36° / 21°1.17.87.310.20.0
Mar47° / 29°1.49.24.611.61.6
Apr56° / 34°1.811.2313.23.7
May66° / 42°2.19.60.814.56.1
Jun76° / 50°1.260.115.27.5
Jul87° / 57°0.53.3014.95.9
Aug85° / 55°0.53.5013.86.5
Sep74° / 47°1.04.20.112.38.0
Oct58° / 36°1.36.51.210.85.0
Nov43° / 26°1.27.45.59.50.7
Dec31° / 18°1.59.49.78.80.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 54%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14357
24357
34456
44456
54456
64456
74456
84456
94555
104555
114555
124456
134456
144456
154456
164555
174555
184456
194555
204555
214555
224555
234753
244753
254753
264951
274951
285050
294951
305050
315149

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Idaho Falls gets around 2.1 in of rain and snow over 9.6 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 precipitation averages around 31% and peaks near 33% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1336
2336
3325
4325
5315
6315
7304
8304
9294
10293
11303
12303
13303
14303
15312
16312
17312
18322
19322
20322
21322
22332
23332
24321
25321
26321
27311
28301
29301
30291
31291

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 6 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
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 15 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 66 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:29 AM to 4:57 AM, and sunset from 7:22 PM to 7:54 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.95:297:22
213.95:277:23
314.05:267:24
414.05:247:26
514.15:237:27
614.15:227:28
714.15:207:29
814.25:197:30
914.25:187:31
1014.35:167:33
1114.35:157:34
1214.35:147:35
1314.45:137:36
1414.45:127:37
1514.55:117:38
1614.55:097:39
1714.55:087:40
1814.65:077:42
1914.65:067:43
2014.65:057:44
2114.75:047:45
2214.75:047:46
2314.75:037:47
2414.85:027:48
2514.85:017:49
2614.85:007:50
2714.94:597:51
2814.94:597:52
2914.94:587:52
3014.94:577:53
3115.04:577:54

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.88 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.7 kWh/m² to a high of 7.94 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 6.88 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.5Intense
26.5Intense
36.5Intense
46.6Intense
56.6Intense
66.7Intense
76.7Intense
86.7Intense
96.7Intense
106.8Intense
116.8Intense
126.8Intense
136.8Intense
146.8Intense
156.9Intense
166.9Intense
176.9Intense
186.9Intense
196.9Intense
207.0Intense
217.0Intense
227.0Intense
237.0Intense
247.0Intense
257.1Intense
267.1Intense
277.1Intense
287.1Intense
297.2Intense
307.2Intense
317.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Idaho Falls?

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

6.1
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
2.7
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Idaho Falls for sightseeing.

What to pack for Idaho Falls in May

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

In May, Idaho Falls sees daytime highs around 66°F and nights near 42°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: a warm layer and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

sun protectiona warm layerrain gear

UV index in Idaho Falls in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Idaho Falls peaks around July 12 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateVery highHighModerateLowJul 12UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec2Low

Air quality in Idaho Falls 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 Idaho Falls is worst in August — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.1× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1420 µg/m³Dec 197 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar10Good
Apr10Good
May10Good
Jun9Good
Jul17Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov9Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Idaho Falls?

Idaho Falls sits at 43.5°N, 112.0°W, 4,705 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Rexburg, 28 mi away.

Topography around Idaho Falls

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Idaho Falls has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 95 ft around an average of 4,698 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,693 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,561 ft.

The land around Idaho Falls is covered by artificial surfaces (33%) and trees (22%) within 2 miles, cropland (45%) and grassland (38%) within 10 miles, and grassland (54%) and cropland (22%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
95 ft
10 miles
1,693 ft
50 miles
5,561 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Rexburg 28 mi · Pocatello 46 mi · Conda 57 mi · Logan 120 mi · Brigham City 135 mi · Twin Falls 137 mi · North Ogden 149 mi · Ogden 155 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 Idaho Falls (43.4666°, -112.0341°, elevation 4,705 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).