Kalamazoo weather in May

In May, Kalamazoo sees average daytime highs of 68°F and overnight lows near 49°F, with 4.4 in of rain across 13.1 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 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 Kalamazoo's 6th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kalamazoo's year-round climate.

Daytime high
68°
5th warmest
Overnight low
49°
8th coldest
Rainfall
4.4 in
13.1 wet days
Daylight
14 h 24 min
5:27 AM – 7:50 PM
Cloud cover
64%
6th clearest
Wind
8 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.78 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

Kalamazoo is county seat of Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States.

Density
1,170/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 Kalamazoo 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 10°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16344
26345
36445
46446
56446
66546
76547
86547
96647
106647
116648
126748
136748
146749
156849
166849
176849
186950
196950
207051
217051
227051
237152
247152
257153
267253
277253
287354
297354
307354
317455

How May really feels in Kalamazoo

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.

Kalamazoo 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° / 19°2.811.310.49.30.0
Feb34° / 20°2.28.36.610.30.0
Mar45° / 28°2.710.24.411.61.0
Apr57° / 39°3.912.71.413.13.8
May68° / 49°4.413.1014.45.8
Jun78° / 59°4.311.70156.4
Jul81° / 63°4.011.4014.86.3
Aug79° / 61°3.811.1013.76.6
Sep73° / 54°3.19.7012.36.8
Oct60° / 43°3.4110.210.84.6
Nov46° / 33°2.810.139.61.3
Dec36° / 25°2.5117.990.0

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 59%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13862
23862
33862
43961
53961
63961
73961
83961
94060
104159
114159
124258
134258
144357
154357
164357
174357
184357
194357
204357
214357
224258
234258
244258
254258
264258
274258
284258
294258
304258
314258

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Kalamazoo gets around 4.4 in of rain over 13.1 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 42% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
143
243
343
443
543
643
743
843
943
1043
1143
1243
1343
1443
1543
1643
1742
1842
1942
2042
2142
2241
2341
2441
2541
2640
2740
2840
2940
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 75% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
190730
289830
388840
487940
587940
685951
7841051
8831061
9821161
10821161
11821161
12801271
13791272
14781372
15781372
16761473
17751483
18741484
19731584
20721585
21701695
22691696
23681697
246617107
256517108
266418108
276218119
286218119
296019129
306019129
315820139

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
227light breeze
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

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 5:45 AM to 5:15 AM, and sunset from 7:34 PM to 8:05 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.85:457:34
213.95:447:35
313.95:427:36
413.95:417:37
514.05:407:38
614.05:387:40
714.15:377:41
814.15:367:42
914.15:357:43
1014.25:337:44
1114.25:327:45
1214.35:317:46
1314.35:307:47
1414.35:297:48
1514.45:287:49
1614.45:277:50
1714.45:267:51
1814.55:257:52
1914.55:247:54
2014.55:237:55
2114.65:227:56
2214.65:217:56
2314.65:207:57
2414.65:207:58
2514.75:197:59
2614.75:188:00
2714.75:178:01
2814.85:178:02
2914.85:168:03
3014.85:158:04
3114.85:158:05

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.78 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.4 kWh/m² to a high of 6.36 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.78 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
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 Kalamazoo?

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 Kalamazoo for sightseeing.

What to pack for Kalamazoo in May

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

In May, Kalamazoo sees daytime highs around 68°F and nights near 49°F. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Kalamazoo in May

The nearest coast averages about 45°F in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 40 mi away) is warmest in August at about 72°F and coldest in March near 36°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 14 to Sep 13 — about 2 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan39Bracing
Feb37Bracing
Mar36Bracing
Apr39Bracing
May45Bracing
Jun58Bracing
Jul69Refreshing
Aug72Refreshing
Sep68Cool
Oct59Bracing
Nov49Bracing
Dec43Bracing

UV index in Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo peaks around June 22 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 22UV 9Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1515 µg/m³Oct 228 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb12Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr12Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kalamazoo?

Kalamazoo sits at 42.3°N, 85.6°W, 784 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Portage, 6.2 mi away.

Topography around Kalamazoo

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Kalamazoo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 236 ft around an average of 830 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 397 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 617 ft.

The land around Kalamazoo is covered by trees (50%) and artificial surfaces (36%) within 2 miles, trees (57%) within 10 miles, and trees (42%) and cropland (35%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
236 ft
10 miles
397 ft
50 miles
617 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Portage 6.2 mi · Battle Creek 21 mi · Kentwood 40 mi · Holland 43 mi · Wyoming 43 mi · Grandville 43 mi · Jenison 43 mi · Granger 46 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 Kalamazoo (42.2917°, -85.5872°, elevation 784 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).