Kinston weather in May

In May, Kinston sees average daytime highs of 79°F and overnight lows near 60°F, with 3.8 in of rain across 10.5 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 76°F in the first days to 82°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 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Kinston's 8th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kinston's year-round climate.

Daytime high
79°
5th warmest
Overnight low
60°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.8 in
10.5 wet days
Daylight
13 h 48 min
5:11 AM – 7:02 PM
Cloud cover
58%
8th clearest
Wind
7 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
6.02 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.5
out of 10

Kinston is city in North Carolina, United States of America.

Density
444/km²
people per km²
Founded
1762

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 76°F in the first days to 82°F by the end.

A typical May day in Kinston reaches about 79°F in the afternoon and slips back to 60°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 69°F and 88°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 7°F warmer than April and about 6°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17656
27656
37657
47657
57757
67758
77758
87758
97858
107859
117859
127859
137859
147960
157960
167960
177960
188061
198061
208061
218062
228062
238162
248162
258163
268263
278263
288264
298264
308364
318365

How May really feels in Kinston

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.

Kinston weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan54° / 35°3.69.219.93.4
Feb57° / 37°3.190.710.74.0
Mar64° / 43°3.6100.111.75.8
Apr72° / 52°3.28.7012.97.0
May79° / 60°3.810.5013.86.5
Jun85° / 68°4.713.8014.34.6
Jul88° / 72°5.517.3014.13.7
Aug87° / 71°5.714.8013.34.3
Sep82° / 65°5.611.6012.25.9
Oct73° / 54°3.77.7011.17.2
Nov64° / 44°3.47.9010.16.2
Dec57° / 38°3.69.10.29.74.2

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 19% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 50%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15248
25248
35248
45347
55248
65248
75248
85248
95248
105248
115149
125149
135149
145149
155149
165149
174951
185050
195050
204951
214951
224852
234852
244951
254951
264852
274852
284951
294951
304852
314852

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Kinston gets around 3.8 in of rain over 10.5 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 35% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
132
232
332
431
531
631
731
832
932
1032
1133
1233
1333
1433
1534
1634
1734
1835
1935
2036
2136
2237
2337
2437
2537
2637
2738
2838
2939
3039
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 32% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 26% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1512117101
2512117101
3492118111
4472118121
5462119131
6452120141
7442020141
8422021151
9412022161
10402023161
11382023172
12372024182
13361924182
14351924192
15341925202
16331925212
17321825223
18311825233
19291825243
20281825264
21261825274
22251825285
23231824296
24221824306
25211824317
26191723328
27181723339
281717223410
291517223411
301416223513
311316213514

Wind in May

Winds average 7 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 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 5:25 AM to 5:02 AM, and sunset from 6:50 PM to 7:13 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:256:50
213.45:246:51
313.55:236:51
413.55:226:52
513.55:216:53
613.65:206:54
713.65:196:55
813.65:186:56
913.75:176:56
1013.75:166:57
1113.75:156:58
1213.75:146:59
1313.85:147:00
1413.85:137:00
1513.85:127:01
1613.85:117:02
1713.95:107:03
1813.95:107:04
1913.95:097:04
2013.95:087:05
2114.05:087:06
2214.05:077:07
2314.05:067:07
2414.05:067:08
2514.15:057:09
2614.15:057:10
2714.15:047:10
2814.15:047:11
2914.15:037:12
3014.25:037:12
3114.25:027:13

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.02 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.32 kWh/m² to a high of 6.09 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 6.02 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.9Bright
35.9Bright
45.9Bright
55.9Bright
65.9Bright
76.0Bright
86.0Bright
96.0Bright
106.0Bright
116.0Intense
126.0Intense
136.0Intense
146.0Intense
156.0Intense
166.0Intense
176.0Intense
186.0Intense
196.0Intense
206.1Intense
216.1Intense
226.1Intense
236.1Intense
246.1Intense
256.1Intense
266.1Intense
276.1Intense
286.1Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Kinston?

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

6.5
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
6.3
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Kinston for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Kinston in May

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

In May, Kinston sees daytime highs around 79°F and nights near 60°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain gear

UV index in Kinston 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 Kinston peaks around July 13 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 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 9Dec 18UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Kinston 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 Kinston is worst in June — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.7× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJun 2318 µg/m³Dec 127 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb12Good
Mar17Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun18Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct9Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kinston?

Kinston sits at 35.3°N, 77.6°W, 43 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Goldsboro, 25 mi away.

Topography around Kinston

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Kinston has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 128 ft around an average of 59 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 184 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 502 ft.

The land around Kinston is covered by trees (58%) within 2 miles, trees (55%) and cropland (31%) within 10 miles, and trees (65%) and cropland (23%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
128 ft
10 miles
184 ft
50 miles
502 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Goldsboro 25 mi · Greenville 27 mi · New Bern 32 mi · Jacksonville 36 mi · Wilson 37 mi · Havelock 47 mi · Rocky Mount 48 mi · Clayton 56 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 Kinston (35.2627°, -77.5816°, elevation 43 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).