Kalispell weather in May

In May, Kalispell sees average daytime highs of 60°F and overnight lows near 38°F, with 3.0 in of precipitation across 13.7 wet days and about 14.9 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 56°F in the first days to 64°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 12 min at the start of May to 15 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Kalispell's 6th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kalispell's year-round climate.

Daytime high
60°
5th warmest
Overnight low
38°
8th coldest
Precipitation
3.0 in
13.7 wet days
Daylight
15 hours
5:04 AM – 8:03 PM
Cloud cover
65%
6th clearest
Wind
4 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
6.17 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.5
out of 10

Kalispell is seat of Flathead County, Montana, United States.

Density
726/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 56°F in the first days to 64°F by the end.

A typical May day in Kalispell reaches about 60°F in the afternoon and slips back to 38°F overnight — a 22°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 49°F and 74°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 10°F warmer than April and about 7°F cooler than June.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15634
25634
35634
45735
55735
65735
75836
85836
95936
105937
115937
126037
136038
146038
156138
166138
176139
186239
196239
206240
216240
226240
236340
246341
256341
266341
276442
286442
296442
306442
316442

How May really feels in Kalispell

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 6 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
6
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Kalispell weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 17°2.71414.38.60.0
Feb33° / 18°2.111.211.49.90.0
Mar40° / 23°2.614.210.111.60.2
Apr50° / 30°2.714.15.313.42.1
May60° / 38°3.013.71.214.94.5
Jun67° / 45°3.512.10.415.85.9
Jul77° / 50°1.25.7015.57.8
Aug78° / 50°1.250.114.17.9
Sep66° / 43°1.87.10.112.46.6
Oct51° / 34°2.611.92.810.62.6
Nov38° / 26°3.014.110.690.0
Dec30° / 19°2.713.414.18.20.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 63%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13664
23664
33565
43763
53763
63763
73961
83961
93961
104060
113961
123961
133961
143961
153862
163961
173862
183862
193862
203763
213664
223664
233664
243664
253664
263763
273664
283664
293664
303763
313664

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Kalispell gets around 3.0 in of rain and snow over 13.7 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 43% and peaks near 46% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1438
2438
3438
4438
5437
6427
7427
8426
9426
10425
11425
12415
13414
14414
15414
16424
17423
18433
19433
20443
21452
22452
23462
24462
25462
26462
27462
28462
29462
30452
31452

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 4 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 4 mph on the calmest days to 4 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 12 min at the start of May to 15 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 78 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:27 AM to 4:49 AM, and sunset from 7:42 PM to 8:20 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.25:277:42
214.35:257:43
314.35:247:45
414.45:227:46
514.45:217:47
614.55:197:49
714.55:177:50
814.65:167:52
914.65:147:53
1014.75:137:54
1114.75:117:56
1214.85:107:57
1314.85:087:59
1414.95:078:00
1514.95:068:01
1615.05:048:03
1715.05:038:04
1815.15:028:05
1915.15:018:06
2015.14:598:08
2115.24:588:09
2215.24:578:10
2315.34:568:11
2415.34:558:13
2515.34:548:14
2615.44:538:15
2715.44:528:16
2815.44:518:17
2915.54:508:18
3015.54:508:19
3115.54:498:20

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.17 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.01 kWh/m² to a high of 7.27 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 6.17 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.9Bright
35.9Bright
45.9Bright
56.0Bright
66.0Intense
76.0Intense
86.0Intense
96.1Intense
106.1Intense
116.1Intense
126.1Intense
136.2Intense
146.2Intense
156.2Intense
166.2Intense
176.2Intense
186.2Intense
196.2Intense
206.2Intense
216.2Intense
226.2Intense
236.2Intense
246.2Intense
256.2Intense
266.3Intense
276.3Intense
286.3Intense
296.3Intense
306.3Intense
316.3Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Kalispell?

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

4.5
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
0.7
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Kalispell for sightseeing.

What to pack for Kalispell in May

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

In May, Kalispell sees daytime highs around 60°F and nights near 38°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: a warm layer and rain gear. About 14 days see rain.

sun protectiona warm layerrain gear

UV index in Kalispell 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 Kalispell peaks around July 18 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 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 highHighModerateLowJul 18UV 8Dec 18UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar4Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun6High
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep4Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Kalispell 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 Kalispell is worst in August — around 44 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 10.8× the cleanest month (December, 4 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModeratePoorModerateGoodAug 1942 µg/m³Dec 204 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan5Good
Feb6Good
Mar8Good
Apr10Good
May10Good
Jun9Good
Jul15Moderate
Aug44Poor
Sep31Moderate
Oct12Good
Nov7Good
Dec4Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kalispell?

Kalispell sits at 48.2°N, 114.3°W, 2,956 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Whitefish, 15 mi away.

Topography around Kalispell

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Kalispell has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 804 ft around an average of 2,969 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,900 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 7,871 ft.

The land around Kalispell is covered by grassland (36%), trees (30%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 2 miles, trees (38%), grassland (35%) and cropland (21%) within 10 miles, and trees (73%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
804 ft
10 miles
2,900 ft
50 miles
7,871 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermoss and lichen
May weather nearby: Whitefish 15 mi · Missoula 93 mi · Cranbrook 112 mi · Coeur d'Alene 120 mi · Lethbridge 124 mi · Post Falls 127 mi · Spokane Valley 140 mi · Opportunity 140 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 Kalispell (48.1958°, -114.3129°, elevation 2,956 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).