Joplin weather in May

In May, Joplin sees average daytime highs of 76°F and overnight lows near 58°F, with 6.2 in of precipitation across 13 wet days and about 14 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 72°F in the first days to 80°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 30 min at the start of May to 14 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Joplin's 11th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Joplin's year-round climate.

Daytime high
76°
5th warmest
Overnight low
58°
8th coldest
Precipitation
6.2 in
13 wet days
Daylight
14 hours
5:15 AM – 7:14 PM
Cloud cover
59%
11th clearest
Wind
7 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.79 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.3
out of 10

Joplin is city in southern Jasper County and northern Newton County, Missouri, USA.

Density
542/km²
people per km²
Founded
1873

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 72°F in the first days to 80°F by the end.

A typical May day in Joplin reaches about 76°F in the afternoon and slips back to 58°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 65°F and 86°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 8°F warmer than April and about 9°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17253
27253
37254
47354
57354
67355
77355
87455
97456
107456
117556
127557
137557
147657
157658
167658
177658
187759
197759
207759
217860
227860
237860
247861
257961
267961
277962
288062
298062
308063
318163

How May really feels in Joplin

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.

Joplin 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
Jan45° / 28°2.37.129.71.0
Feb50° / 31°2.271.610.62.3
Mar59° / 40°3.910.30.911.74.6
Apr68° / 48°5.111.50.112.96.1
May76° / 58°6.2130.1146.3
Jun85° / 67°4.310.8014.55.3
Jul90° / 71°3.29.2014.34.2
Aug89° / 69°2.98.3013.44.5
Sep81° / 61°3.97.9012.36.7
Oct70° / 50°3.98.40.1117.0
Nov57° / 39°2.97.60.6104.5
Dec47° / 30°2.57.11.79.51.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 55%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14555
24555
34456
44456
54456
64456
74456
84555
94456
104456
114555
124555
134555
144555
154555
164555
174555
184555
194456
204555
214555
224654
234555
244654
254654
264654
274654
284654
294654
304654
314852

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Joplin gets around 6.2 in of rain and snow over 13 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 42% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
142
242
342
442
542
643
743
843
943
1043
1143
1243
1343
1443
1543
1643
1743
1843
1943
2043
2143
2242
2342
2442
2542
2642
2741
2841
2941
3040
3140

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 37% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 20% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
163181540
259191750
357191860
456191960
553202070
651202180
749202280
847202390
9452024100
10442025100
11422026110
12412027120
13402027130
14392027140
15381927150
16371927160
17361927180
18341827200
19331827220
20321827230
21301826251
22281826271
23271826281
24251826301
25231826321
26211925332
27201925352
28181925362
29171924373
30161924393
31151924394

Wind in May

Winds average 7 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.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
117light breeze
127light breeze
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 30 min at the start of May to 14 h 18 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 5:30 AM to 5:05 AM, and sunset from 7:00 PM to 7:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.55:307:00
213.55:297:01
313.65:287:02
413.65:277:03
513.65:267:04
613.75:257:05
713.75:237:06
813.75:227:07
913.85:217:08
1013.85:207:08
1113.85:197:09
1213.95:187:10
1313.95:187:11
1413.95:177:12
1514.05:167:13
1614.05:157:14
1714.05:147:15
1814.05:137:15
1914.15:137:16
2014.15:127:17
2114.15:117:18
2214.15:107:19
2314.25:107:19
2414.25:097:20
2514.25:087:21
2614.25:087:22
2714.35:077:23
2814.35:077:23
2914.35:067:24
3014.35:067:25
3114.35:057:25

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.79 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.18 kWh/m² to a high of 6.6 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 5.79 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.7Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.9Bright
185.9Bright
195.9Bright
205.9Bright
215.9Bright
226.0Bright
236.0Bright
246.0Bright
256.0Intense
266.0Intense
276.0Intense
286.1Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Joplin?

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

6.3
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
5.5
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Joplin for sightseeing.

What to pack for Joplin in May

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

In May, Joplin sees daytime highs around 76°F and nights near 58°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Joplin 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 Joplin peaks around June 21 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 21UV 10Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr8Very high
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Joplin 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 Joplin is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.0× the cleanest month (November, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1516 µg/m³Nov 196 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar12Good
Apr10Good
May12Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct6Good
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Joplin?

Joplin sits at 37.1°N, 94.5°W, 1,004 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Pittsburg, 25 mi away.

Topography around Joplin

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Joplin has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 177 ft around an average of 1,017 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 423 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,017 ft.

The land around Joplin is covered by artificial surfaces (40%), trees (38%) and grassland (21%) within 2 miles, trees (48%) and grassland (36%) within 10 miles, and grassland (43%), trees (31%) and cropland (23%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
177 ft
10 miles
423 ft
50 miles
1,017 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Pittsburg 25 mi · Bella Vista 43 mi · Bentonville 52 mi · Rogers 57 mi · Republic 57 mi · Siloam Springs 62 mi · Springdale 66 mi · Nixa 67 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 Joplin (37.0842°, -94.5133°, elevation 1,004 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).