Shelbyville weather in May

In May, Shelbyville sees average daytime highs of 75°F and overnight lows near 57°F, with 5.1 in of rain across 13.7 wet days and about 14 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 71°F in the first days to 78°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 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Shelbyville's 8th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shelbyville's year-round climate.

Daytime high
75°
5th warmest
Overnight low
57°
8th coldest
Rainfall
5.1 in
13.7 wet days
Daylight
14 h 06 min
5:35 AM – 7:39 PM
Cloud cover
64%
8th clearest
Wind
6 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.74 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
out of 10

Shelbyville is city in Shelby County, Kentucky, United States.

Density
698/km²
people per km²
Founded
1792

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 71°F in the first days to 78°F by the end.

A typical May day in Shelbyville reaches about 75°F in the afternoon and slips back to 57°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 63°F and 85°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)
17052
27153
37153
47153
57254
67254
77255
87355
97355
107355
117356
127456
137456
147457
157457
167457
177558
187558
197558
207658
217659
227659
237759
247760
257760
267860
277861
287861
297861
307962
317962

How May really feels in Shelbyville

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.

Shelbyville 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
Jan41° / 27°3.710.43.39.60.1
Feb46° / 30°3.69.6310.51.1
Mar55° / 37°4.611.91.511.73.4
Apr66° / 47°5.112.50.3135.6
May75° / 57°5.113.70146.2
Jun83° / 66°4.212.6014.65.5
Jul86° / 69°4.112.1014.44.8
Aug85° / 67°3.010.1013.55.3
Sep79° / 60°3.28.2012.36.9
Oct67° / 48°3.48.20116.5
Nov55° / 38°3.69.10.69.93.5
Dec45° / 31°4.3112.49.41.0

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%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14060
24060
34159
44159
54159
63961
73961
84060
93961
103961
114060
123961
134060
143862
153961
163961
173961
183961
193961
203862
213862
223961
233961
243961
254159
264159
274258
284159
294159
304159
314258

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Shelbyville gets around 5.1 in of rain over 13.7 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 44% and peaks near 47% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
147
247
347
447
546
646
746
845
945
1045
1144
1244
1344
1444
1544
1643
1743
1843
1943
2043
2143
2243
2343
2443
2543
2643
2743
2843
2943
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. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 16% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
169171310
266181420
365181520
462191630
561191730
659191840
756201950
855201960
954201970
1052202080
11511920100
12501920110
13491920120
14481820140
15471820150
16461720160
17461720170
18451620190
19441620201
20421620211
21411620221
22401620231
23381720231
24371720242
25351821242
26341921252
27331921253
28312021253
29302022253
30282122263
31272122263

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
67calm
77calm
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 24 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 5:51 AM to 5:25 AM, and sunset from 7:25 PM to 7:51 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.65:517:25
213.65:507:26
313.65:497:27
413.75:487:28
513.75:467:29
613.75:457:30
713.85:447:31
813.85:437:32
913.85:427:33
1013.95:417:34
1113.95:407:34
1213.95:397:35
1314.05:387:36
1414.05:377:37
1514.05:367:38
1614.15:357:39
1714.15:347:40
1814.15:347:41
1914.15:337:42
2014.25:327:43
2114.25:317:43
2214.25:307:44
2314.35:307:45
2414.35:297:46
2514.35:287:47
2614.35:287:48
2714.45:277:48
2814.45:277:49
2914.45:267:50
3014.45:267:51
3114.45:257:51

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.74 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.78 kWh/m² to a high of 6.19 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.74 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.6Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.9Bright
225.9Bright
235.9Bright
246.0Bright
256.0Bright
266.0Bright
276.0Intense
286.0Intense
296.0Intense
306.0Intense
316.0Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Shelbyville?

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

6.2
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
5.0
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Shelbyville for sightseeing.

What to pack for Shelbyville in May

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

In May, Shelbyville sees daytime highs around 75°F and nights near 57°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 14 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Shelbyville 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 Shelbyville peaks around June 22 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 22UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Shelbyville 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 Shelbyville is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1418 µg/m³Dec 118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar11Good
Apr11Good
May15Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Shelbyville?

Shelbyville sits at 38.2°N, 85.2°W, 761 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Jeffersontown, 19 mi away.

Topography around Shelbyville

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Shelbyville has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 148 ft around an average of 755 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 669 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,030 ft.

The land around Shelbyville is covered by grassland (34%) and trees (30%) within 2 miles, grassland (39%), trees (31%) and cropland (28%) within 10 miles, and trees (53%) and grassland (33%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
148 ft
10 miles
669 ft
50 miles
1,030 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Jeffersontown 19 mi · Frankfort 19 mi · Fern Creek 20 mi · Highview 22 mi · Saint Matthews 24 mi · Newburg 24 mi · Okolona 25 mi · Jeffersonville 28 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 Shelbyville (38.212°, -85.2236°, elevation 761 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).