Morgantown weather in May

In May, Morgantown sees average daytime highs of 70°F and overnight lows near 52°F, with 5.2 in of rain across 15.5 wet days and about 14.2 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 67°F in the first days to 74°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 13 h 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Morgantown's 6th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Morgantown's year-round climate.

Daytime high
70°
5th warmest
Overnight low
52°
8th coldest
Rainfall
5.2 in
15.5 wet days
Daylight
14 h 12 min
5:11 AM – 7:21 PM
Cloud cover
65%
6th clearest
Wind
6 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.57 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.7
out of 10

Morgantown is city in and county seat of Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States.

Density
1,117/km²
people per km²
Founded
1772

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 67°F in the first days to 74°F by the end.

A typical May day in Morgantown reaches about 70°F in the afternoon and slips back to 52°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 58°F and 82°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 8°F warmer than April and about 8°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16748
26748
36749
46849
56849
66850
76850
86850
96950
106951
116951
126951
136951
147052
157052
167052
177052
187153
197153
207153
217153
227254
237254
247255
257355
267355
277355
287356
297456
307456
317457

How May really feels in Morgantown

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.

Morgantown 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
Jan38° / 24°3.913.179.50.0
Feb42° / 26°3.611.66.210.40.3
Mar51° / 33°4.613.8411.72.2
Apr63° / 44°4.614.50.9134.7
May70° / 52°5.215.5014.25.7
Jun78° / 61°5.314.6014.76.0
Jul81° / 64°5.115.1014.55.7
Aug80° / 63°3.912.1013.66.2
Sep74° / 56°4.010.3012.36.8
Oct63° / 45°3.6110.310.95.4
Nov52° / 36°3.610.51.79.82.6
Dec42° / 29°3.912.45.29.30.3

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 20% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 61%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13664
23664
33664
43763
53862
63862
73862
83862
93862
103763
113862
123961
133862
143862
153961
163862
173862
183961
193961
203961
213961
223961
234060
244060
254159
264258
274159
284258
294258
304258
314258

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Morgantown gets around 5.2 in of rain over 15.5 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 50% and peaks near 52% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
151
251
351
451
551
651
751
851
952
1052
1152
1252
1352
1452
1552
1652
1752
1851
1951
2050
2150
2249
2349
2448
2548
2648
2747
2847
2947
3047
3147

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 61% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
18114500
27915600
37815700
47616800
57516900
67417900
773171000
870181110
969181210
1069181210
1167181320
1265191420
1365191420
1464191520
1562191630
1661191730
1759191840
1859191840
1957191950
2055192060
2154192070
2252192180
2352192180
2449192290
25482022100
26472022110
27462023110
28452023120
29442023130
30432023131
31422024141

Wind in May

Winds average 6 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
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 36 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 5:28 AM to 5:00 AM, and sunset from 7:06 PM to 7:34 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.65:287:06
213.75:267:08
313.75:257:09
413.85:247:10
513.85:237:11
613.85:217:12
713.95:207:13
813.95:197:14
913.95:187:15
1014.05:177:15
1114.05:167:16
1214.05:157:17
1314.15:147:18
1414.15:137:19
1514.15:127:20
1614.25:117:21
1714.25:107:22
1814.25:097:23
1914.35:087:24
2014.35:077:25
2114.35:077:26
2214.35:067:27
2314.45:057:28
2414.45:047:29
2514.45:047:29
2614.55:037:30
2714.55:027:31
2814.55:027:32
2914.55:017:33
3014.55:017:33
3114.65:007:34

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.57 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.57 kWh/m² to a high of 5.97 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.57 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.4Bright
95.4Bright
105.4Bright
115.4Bright
125.4Bright
135.4Bright
145.5Bright
155.5Bright
165.5Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.7Bright
235.7Bright
245.7Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.8Bright
285.8Bright
295.9Bright
305.9Bright
315.9Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Morgantown?

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

5.7
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
3.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Morgantown for sightseeing.

What to pack for Morgantown in May

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

In May, Morgantown sees daytime highs around 70°F and nights near 52°F. Pack rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 16 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

UV index in Morgantown 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 Morgantown peaks around June 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 19UV 9Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Morgantown 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 Morgantown is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1217 µg/m³Nov 187 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar10Good
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Morgantown?

Morgantown sits at 39.6°N, 80.0°W, 889 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Fairmont, 14 mi away.

Topography around Morgantown

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Morgantown has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 551 ft around an average of 1,030 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,631 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,570 ft.

The land around Morgantown is covered by trees (56%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 2 miles, trees (77%) within 10 miles, and trees (83%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
551 ft
10 miles
1,631 ft
50 miles
3,570 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Fairmont 14 mi · Clarksburg 32 mi · Bethel Park 48 mi · Baldwin 49 mi · Upper Saint Clair 49 mi · McKeesport 50 mi · Mount Lebanon 50 mi · Wheeling 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 Morgantown (39.6295°, -79.9559°, elevation 889 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).