Morganton weather in May

In May, Morganton sees average daytime highs of 76°F and overnight lows near 56°F, with 3.5 in of rain across 10.2 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 73°F in the first days to 79°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% 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 Morganton's 10th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Morganton's year-round climate.

Daytime high
76°
5th warmest
Overnight low
56°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.5 in
10.2 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
5:27 AM – 7:19 PM
Cloud cover
59%
10th clearest
Wind
5 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.9 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

Morganton is city in Burke County, North Carolina, United States.

Density
336/km²
people per km²
Founded
1777

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 73°F in the first days to 79°F by the end.

A typical May day in Morganton reaches about 76°F in the afternoon and slips back to 56°F overnight — a 20°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 66°F and 84°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 7°F warmer than April and about 7°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17251
27252
37352
47352
57353
67353
77453
87453
97454
107454
117454
127554
137555
147555
157555
167655
177656
187656
197656
207656
217757
227757
237757
247858
257858
267858
277859
287859
297960
307960
317960

How May really feels in Morganton

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.

Morganton weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan49° / 31°4.39.91.79.92.0
Feb52° / 33°3.58.91.810.62.9
Mar60° / 39°4.610.80.711.74.9
Apr69° / 47°4.29.4012.96.5
May76° / 56°3.510.2013.96.8
Jun82° / 64°3.411.8014.45.7
Jul86° / 67°3.412.9014.24.8
Aug84° / 66°3.511.4013.45.3
Sep79° / 60°4.09.1012.26.9
Oct69° / 49°3.77.7011.17.0
Nov59° / 39°3.78.20.110.14.9
Dec51° / 33°4.19.10.99.62.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 51%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
24951
35050
45050
55149
65149
75149
85050
95149
105149
115149
125149
135050
145050
155050
165050
174951
184951
194951
204951
214852
224753
234753
244753
254852
264852
274852
284852
294753
304753
314753

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Morganton gets around 3.5 in of rain over 10.2 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 34% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
134
234
333
433
532
632
731
831
931
1031
1131
1231
1332
1432
1532
1633
1733
1834
1934
2035
2135
2236
2336
2436
2536
2636
2736
2836
2937
3037
3137

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 44% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 8% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
16919111
26720121
36521131
46322141
56023161
65923171
75624182
85524192
95424202
105225212
115025223
124925233
134725244
144625254
154525265
164425265
174324276
184124287
194024288
203923299
2138232910
2236233011
2335233012
2434233013
2532233114
2631233115
2729233116
2827233118
2926233219
3024223221
3123223223

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
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 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 5:41 AM to 5:18 AM, and sunset from 7:07 PM to 7:31 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:417:07
213.55:407:08
313.55:397:09
413.55:387:09
513.65:377:10
613.65:367:11
713.65:357:12
813.75:347:13
913.75:337:14
1013.75:327:14
1113.75:317:15
1213.85:307:16
1313.85:297:17
1413.85:287:18
1513.95:277:19
1613.95:277:19
1713.95:267:20
1813.95:257:21
1914.05:247:22
2014.05:247:23
2114.05:237:23
2214.05:227:24
2314.15:227:25
2414.15:217:26
2514.15:207:26
2614.15:207:27
2714.15:197:28
2814.25:197:29
2914.25:187:29
3014.25:187:30
3114.25:187:31

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.9 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.28 kWh/m² to a high of 6.1 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.9 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.7Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.8Bright
75.8Bright
85.8Bright
95.9Bright
105.9Bright
115.9Bright
125.9Bright
135.9Bright
145.9Bright
155.9Bright
165.9Bright
175.9Bright
186.0Bright
196.0Bright
206.0Bright
216.0Bright
226.0Bright
236.0Bright
246.0Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
275.9Bright
285.9Bright
295.9Bright
305.9Bright
315.9Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Morganton?

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

6.8
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
5.8
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Morganton for sightseeing.

What to pack for Morganton in May

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

In May, Morganton sees daytime highs around 76°F and nights near 56°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Morganton 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 Morganton 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 Morganton 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 Morganton is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1617 µg/m³Dec 197 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr11Good
May13Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Morganton?

Morganton sits at 35.7°N, 81.7°W, 1,155 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Lenoir, 14 mi away.

Topography around Morganton

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Morganton has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 272 ft around an average of 1,122 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,034 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 6,145 ft.

The land around Morganton is covered by trees (64%) within 2 miles, trees (83%) within 10 miles, and trees (84%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
272 ft
10 miles
2,034 ft
50 miles
6,145 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Lenoir 14 mi · Hickory 19 mi · Shelby 32 mi · Boone 32 mi · Gastonia 43 mi · Statesville 45 mi · Cornelius 50 mi · Asheville 50 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 Morganton (35.7454°, -81.6848°, elevation 1,155 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).