Kingsport weather in May

In May, Kingsport sees average daytime highs of 73°F and overnight lows near 55°F, with 3.9 in of rain across 13.2 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 70°F in the first days to 77°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% 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 Kingsport's 8th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kingsport's year-round climate.

Daytime high
73°
5th warmest
Overnight low
55°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.9 in
13.2 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
5:28 AM – 7:25 PM
Cloud cover
60%
8th clearest
Wind
5 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.85 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.3
out of 10

Kingsport is city in Sullivan, Hawkins, and Washington counties in Tennessee, United States.

Density
389/km²
people per km²
Founded
1822

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 70°F in the first days to 77°F by the end.

A typical May day in Kingsport reaches about 73°F in the afternoon and slips back to 55°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 63°F and 82°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°F warmer than April and about 7°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17051
27051
37051
47152
57152
67152
77152
87253
97253
107253
117253
127354
137354
147354
157354
167355
177455
187455
197455
207456
217556
227556
237557
247557
257657
267658
277658
287758
297759
307759
317759

How May really feels in Kingsport

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.

Kingsport weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan45° / 29°4.1123.59.81.0
Feb49° / 32°3.911.53.310.61.9
Mar58° / 38°4.612.81.911.73.9
Apr67° / 47°4.111.90.412.95.9
May73° / 55°3.913.2013.96.3
Jun80° / 62°3.513.9014.45.9
Jul83° / 66°3.814.6014.25.2
Aug82° / 65°3.111.4013.46.0
Sep78° / 58°3.28.9012.27.0
Oct67° / 47°2.98.60.111.16.6
Nov57° / 37°3.39.40.610.14.1
Dec48° / 32°4.211.72.59.51.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 52%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14654
24654
34753
44753
54753
64753
74753
84852
94852
104852
114753
124753
134852
144852
154852
164951
174951
184951
194951
204951
214852
224852
234951
244951
254951
264852
274852
284951
294951
304753
314753

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Kingsport gets around 3.9 in of rain over 13.2 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 43% and peaks near 46% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
146
246
345
445
545
645
745
845
945
1044
1144
1244
1343
1443
1542
1642
1742
1841
1941
2041
2141
2241
2341
2441
2542
2642
2742
2842
2942
3043
3143

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 46% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1712180
2692290
36624100
46425110
56226120
66027130
75827141
85628151
95329171
105229181
115129191
125030201
134830211
144730221
154629241
164529251
174428261
184328272
194227292
204127302
214026323
223826333
233726344
243526355
253426355
263226366
273126367
283026378
292825379
3027253710
3126253712

Wind in May

Winds average 5 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 4 mph on the calmest days to 5 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

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 5:43 AM to 5:19 AM, and sunset from 7:12 PM to 7:36 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.55:437:12
213.55:427:13
313.55:417:13
413.65:407:14
513.65:397:15
613.65:387:16
713.75:377:17
813.75:367:18
913.75:357:19
1013.85:347:20
1113.85:337:20
1213.85:327:21
1313.95:317:22
1413.95:307:23
1513.95:297:24
1613.95:287:25
1714.05:277:26
1814.05:277:26
1914.05:267:27
2014.05:257:28
2114.15:257:29
2214.15:247:30
2314.15:237:30
2414.15:237:31
2514.25:227:32
2614.25:217:33
2714.25:217:33
2814.25:207:34
2914.35:207:35
3014.35:197:36
3114.35:197:36

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.85 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.07 kWh/m² to a high of 6.07 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.85 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.7Bright
65.7Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.7Bright
105.8Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.9Bright
165.9Bright
175.9Bright
185.9Bright
195.9Bright
205.9Bright
216.0Bright
226.0Bright
236.0Bright
246.0Bright
256.0Bright
266.0Bright
276.0Bright
286.0Bright
296.0Bright
306.0Bright
316.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Kingsport?

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
4.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Kingsport for sightseeing.

What to pack for Kingsport in May

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

In May, Kingsport sees daytime highs around 73°F and nights near 55°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Kingsport 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 Kingsport peaks around July 13 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 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 highHighModerateJul 13UV 10Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Kingsport 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 Kingsport is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1517 µg/m³Dec 196 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar9Good
Apr11Good
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kingsport?

Kingsport sits at 36.5°N, 82.6°W, 1,211 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Johnson City, 20 mi away.

Topography around Kingsport

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Kingsport has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,106 ft around an average of 1,312 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,182 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,312 ft.

The land around Kingsport is covered by trees (46%), artificial surfaces (27%) and grassland (24%) within 2 miles, trees (62%) and grassland (32%) within 10 miles, and trees (77%) and grassland (21%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
1,106 ft
10 miles
2,182 ft
50 miles
5,312 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Johnson City 20 mi · Bristol 21 mi · Bristol 21 mi · Greeneville 30 mi · Morristown 47 mi · Boone 55 mi · Asheville 65 mi · Lenoir 72 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 Kingsport (36.5484°, -82.5618°, elevation 1,211 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).