Jackson weather in May

In May, Jackson sees average daytime highs of 68°F and overnight lows near 50°F, with 4.0 in of rain across 12.8 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 24% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Jackson's 6th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Jackson's year-round climate.

Daytime high
68°
5th warmest
Overnight low
50°
8th coldest
Rainfall
4.0 in
12.8 wet days
Daylight
14 h 24 min
5:22 AM – 7:46 PM
Cloud cover
66%
6th clearest
Wind
8 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.72 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

Jackson is seat of Jackson County, Michigan, United States.

Density
1,165/km²
people per km²
Founded
1829

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 Jackson reaches about 68°F in the afternoon and slips back to 50°F overnight — a 18°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 10°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16345
26345
36446
46446
56546
66547
76547
86547
96648
106648
116748
126749
136749
146749
156849
166850
176950
186950
196951
207051
217051
227052
237152
247153
257153
267253
277254
287354
297355
307355
317355

How May really feels in Jackson

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.

Jackson 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° / 18°2.510.37.99.30.0
Feb34° / 20°2.08.15.910.30.0
Mar45° / 28°2.5103.611.61.0
Apr57° / 39°3.611.81.413.13.9
May68° / 50°4.012.8014.45.8
Jun78° / 60°3.711.60156.4
Jul81° / 64°3.410.6014.86.4
Aug79° / 62°3.410.4013.76.6
Sep72° / 54°2.89012.36.9
Oct60° / 43°2.99.70.210.84.7
Nov46° / 33°2.69.32.59.61.3
Dec35° / 24°2.29.66.190.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 61%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13565
23466
33565
43565
53565
63565
73664
83664
93664
103763
113763
123862
133862
143862
153961
164060
174060
184060
194060
204060
214159
224159
234159
244159
254159
264159
274258
284357
294357
304258
314258

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Jackson gets around 4.0 in of rain over 12.8 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 41% and peaks near 42% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
141
241
341
442
542
642
742
842
942
1042
1142
1242
1342
1442
1542
1642
1742
1841
1941
2041
2141
2240
2340
2440
2540
2640
2740
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 78% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
192620
292620
391630
491630
589740
689740
788750
886851
985861
1084961
1184961
12821071
13821071
14811171
15801181
16801181
17771292
18771292
19771292
207413103
217413103
227114114
237114114
246914125
256715126
266715126
276616126
286416137
296317137
306218137
316118138

Wind in May

Winds average 8 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 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
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
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
317light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 48 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 5:40 AM to 5:10 AM, and sunset from 7:29 PM to 8:00 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.85:407:29
213.95:397:30
313.95:387:31
413.95:367:33
514.05:357:34
614.05:347:35
714.15:327:36
814.15:317:37
914.15:307:38
1014.25:297:39
1114.25:287:40
1214.25:267:41
1314.35:257:42
1414.35:247:43
1514.45:237:45
1614.45:227:46
1714.45:217:47
1814.55:207:48
1914.55:197:49
2014.55:187:50
2114.65:177:51
2214.65:177:52
2314.65:167:53
2414.65:157:54
2514.75:147:54
2614.75:137:55
2714.75:137:56
2814.85:127:57
2914.85:117:58
3014.85:117:59
3114.85:108:00

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.72 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.42 kWh/m² to a high of 6.29 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.72 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.6Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.9Bright
225.9Bright
235.9Bright
245.9Bright
256.0Bright
266.0Bright
276.0Bright
286.0Intense
296.0Intense
306.0Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Jackson?

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

5.8
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
3.2
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Jackson for sightseeing.

What to pack for Jackson in May

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

In May, Jackson sees daytime highs around 68°F and nights near 50°F. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

UV index in Jackson 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 Jackson 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
Apr6High
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Jackson 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 Jackson is worst in July — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1315 µg/m³Oct 228 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb12Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Jackson?

Jackson sits at 42.2°N, 84.4°W, 932 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Holt, 28 mi away.

Topography around Jackson

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Jackson has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 194 ft around an average of 974 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 331 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 761 ft.

The land around Jackson is covered by trees (51%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 2 miles, trees (56%) within 10 miles, and cropland (44%) and trees (40%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
194 ft
10 miles
331 ft
50 miles
761 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Holt 28 mi · Adrian 30 mi · Okemos 33 mi · Ann Arbor 34 mi · East Lansing 34 mi · Lansing 35 mi · Haslett 35 mi · Waverly 36 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 Jackson (42.2459°, -84.4013°, elevation 932 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).