Shelby weather in May

In May, Shelby sees average daytime highs of 67°F and overnight lows near 49°F, with 3.7 in of precipitation across 12.2 wet days and about 14.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 63°F in the first days to 72°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Shelby's 6th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shelby's year-round climate.

Daytime high
67°
5th warmest
Overnight low
49°
8th coldest
Precipitation
3.7 in
12.2 wet days
Daylight
14 h 24 min
5:16 AM – 7:41 PM
Cloud cover
65%
6th clearest
Wind
8 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.78 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

Shelby is charter township and census-designated place in Macomb County, Michigan.

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 63°F in the first days to 72°F by the end.

A typical May day in Shelby reaches about 67°F in the afternoon and slips back to 49°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 55°F and 81°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 11°F warmer than April and about 10°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16244
26244
36345
46345
56445
66446
76446
86546
96547
106547
116547
126647
136648
146748
156748
166749
176849
186849
196850
206950
216951
226951
237051
247052
257152
267152
277153
287253
297254
307354
317354

How May really feels in Shelby

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.

Shelby 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
Jan31° / 18°2.39.36.49.20.0
Feb34° / 20°2.08.16.210.30.0
Mar44° / 27°2.39.84.111.60.8
Apr56° / 38°3.511.81.613.13.6
May67° / 49°3.712.20.114.45.8
Jun77° / 59°3.710.9015.16.6
Jul81° / 63°3.111014.86.4
Aug79° / 62°3.010.4013.76.6
Sep72° / 54°2.89.1012.36.8
Oct59° / 44°2.89.80.210.84.6
Nov46° / 34°2.692.29.61.3
Dec36° / 25°2.29.258.90.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 60%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13664
23664
33664
43664
53565
63664
73763
83763
93763
103763
113862
123862
133862
143862
153862
163961
173961
183961
193961
204060
214060
224159
234357
244357
254456
264456
274456
284456
294555
304555
314654

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Shelby gets around 3.7 in of rain and snow over 12.2 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 39% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
139
238
339
439
539
639
739
840
940
1040
1140
1240
1340
1440
1540
1640
1740
1840
1939
2039
2139
2239
2338
2438
2538
2638
2738
2838
2938
3038
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 80% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
193520
293520
392620
492620
591630
690730
789740
888741
987841
1086851
1186851
1285951
1384961
1484961
1583971
16821071
17811081
18811081
19791092
207711102
217711102
227511113
237511113
247212124
257212124
267013134
276913135
286814135
296715135
306515146
316416146

Wind in May

Winds average 8 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
297light breeze
307light breeze
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 66 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:34 AM to 5:03 AM, and sunset from 7:25 PM to 7:56 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.85:347:25
213.95:337:26
313.95:317:27
414.05:307:28
514.05:297:29
614.05:277:30
714.15:267:31
814.15:257:32
914.25:247:34
1014.25:227:35
1114.25:217:36
1214.35:207:37
1314.35:197:38
1414.45:187:39
1514.45:177:40
1614.45:167:41
1714.55:157:42
1814.55:147:43
1914.55:137:44
2014.65:127:45
2114.65:117:46
2214.65:107:47
2314.75:097:48
2414.75:087:49
2514.75:077:50
2614.75:077:51
2714.85:067:52
2814.85:057:53
2914.85:057:54
3014.85:047:55
3114.95:037:56

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.78 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.39 kWh/m² to a high of 6.34 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.78 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.9Bright
215.9Bright
225.9Bright
236.0Bright
246.0Bright
256.0Intense
266.0Intense
276.1Intense
286.1Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Shelby?

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

5.8
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
2.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Shelby for sightseeing.

What to pack for Shelby in May

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

In May, Shelby sees daytime highs around 67°F and nights near 49°F. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Shelby in May

The nearest coast averages about 52°F in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 9 mi away) is warmest in August at about 73°F and coldest in February near 33°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 2 to Sep 15 — about 2.5 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan34Bracing
Feb33Bracing
Mar34Bracing
Apr41Bracing
May52Bracing
Jun64Cool
Jul72Refreshing
Aug73Refreshing
Sep68Refreshing
Oct57Bracing
Nov47Bracing
Dec39Bracing

UV index in Shelby 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 Shelby peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 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 highHighModerateLowJun 20UV 9Dec 20UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Shelby 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 Shelby is worst in July — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1415 µg/m³Oct 238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb12Good
Mar14Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct8Good
Nov9Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Shelby?

Shelby sits at 42.7°N, 83.0°W, 679 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Rochester Hills, 6.2 mi away.

Topography around Shelby

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Shelby has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 148 ft around an average of 679 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 538 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 915 ft.

The land around Shelby is covered by trees (44%), grassland (26%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 2 miles, trees (40%), artificial surfaces (26%) and grassland (25%) within 10 miles, and trees (34%) and cropland (32%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
148 ft
10 miles
538 ft
50 miles
915 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Rochester Hills 6.2 mi · Sterling Heights 6.2 mi · Troy 7.5 mi · Clinton Township 8.1 mi · Mount Clemens 9.3 mi · Auburn Hills 11 mi · Birmingham 12 mi · Warren 12 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 Shelby (42.6709°, -83.033°, elevation 679 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).