Spartanburg weather in May

In May, Spartanburg sees average daytime highs of 80°F and overnight lows near 59°F, with 3.1 in of rain across 9.7 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 76°F in the first days to 83°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 Spartanburg's 8th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Spartanburg's year-round climate.

Daytime high
80°
5th warmest
Overnight low
59°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.1 in
9.7 wet days
Daylight
13 h 48 min
5:29 AM – 7:19 PM
Cloud cover
58%
8th clearest
Wind
6 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
6.02 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.5
out of 10

Spartanburg is city and county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States.

Density
735/km²
people per km²
Founded
1831

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 83°F by the end.

A typical May day in Spartanburg reaches about 80°F in the afternoon and slips back to 59°F overnight — a 20°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 70°F and 89°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 8°F warmer than April and about 7°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17655
27655
37655
47756
57756
67756
77857
87857
97857
107858
117958
127958
137958
147959
158059
168059
178060
188060
198160
208160
218161
228161
238262
248262
258262
268262
278363
288363
298364
308364
318364

How May really feels in Spartanburg

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.

Spartanburg weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan52° / 33°4.09.719.92.7
Feb55° / 36°3.68.50.910.73.7
Mar63° / 42°4.4100.311.75.7
Apr72° / 51°3.78.7012.96.9
May80° / 59°3.19.7013.86.5
Jun87° / 67°3.611.7014.34.6
Jul90° / 71°3.712.9014.13.7
Aug87° / 70°3.811.6013.34.4
Sep82° / 63°3.68.8012.26.3
Oct72° / 51°3.26.9011.17.4
Nov62° / 41°3.67.5010.25.7
Dec54° / 35°4.08.90.59.73.4

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 48%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25446
35446
45545
55446
65446
75446
85446
95446
105347
115347
125347
135347
145347
155248
165149
175149
185149
195050
205050
214951
225050
234951
244951
254951
264951
275050
284951
294951
304951
314852

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Spartanburg gets around 3.1 in of rain over 9.7 wet days in May, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 32% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
132
232
331
431
530
630
729
829
929
1029
1129
1229
1329
1430
1530
1630
1731
1831
1932
2033
2133
2233
2334
2434
2534
2635
2735
2835
2936
3036
3136

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 38% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 14% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
162201530
260211630
356221840
455221940
553232040
650242150
749242150
848242260
946252360
1045252470
1143252470
1242252580
1340252590
14392525100
15382526110
16372526120
17362526130
18352526140
19342426151
20332426161
21322426171
22312426181
23292525192
24282525202
25272525222
26252525233
27242424253
28232424263
29212424283
30202324294
31192324304

Wind in May

Winds average 6 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 6 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

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 5:43 AM to 5:21 AM, and sunset from 7:07 PM to 7:30 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:437:07
213.45:427:07
313.55:417:08
413.55:407:09
513.55:397:10
613.55:387:11
713.65:377:12
813.65:367:12
913.65:357:13
1013.75:347:14
1113.75:337:15
1213.75:327:16
1313.75:327:16
1413.85:317:17
1513.85:307:18
1613.85:297:19
1713.95:287:20
1813.95:287:20
1913.95:277:21
2013.95:267:22
2114.05:267:23
2214.05:257:23
2314.05:247:24
2414.05:247:25
2514.05:237:26
2614.15:237:26
2714.15:227:27
2814.15:227:28
2914.15:217:28
3014.15:217:29
3114.25:217:30

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 2.3 kWh/m² to a high of 6.17 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
15.9Bright
25.9Bright
35.9Bright
45.9Bright
55.9Bright
66.0Bright
76.0Bright
86.0Intense
96.0Intense
106.0Intense
116.0Intense
126.0Intense
136.0Intense
146.1Intense
156.1Intense
166.1Intense
176.1Intense
186.1Intense
196.1Intense
206.1Intense
216.0Intense
226.0Intense
236.0Intense
246.0Intense
256.0Intense
266.0Intense
276.0Intense
286.0Intense
296.0Intense
306.0Intense
316.0Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Spartanburg?

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
6.5
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Spartanburg in May

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

In May, Spartanburg sees daytime highs around 80°F and nights near 59°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain gear

UV index in Spartanburg 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 Spartanburg peaks around July 11 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 11UV 9Dec 20UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Spartanburg 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 Spartanburg is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1719 µg/m³Dec 239 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr12Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Spartanburg?

Spartanburg sits at 34.9°N, 81.9°W, 807 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Greer, 17 mi away.

Topography around Spartanburg

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Spartanburg has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 256 ft around an average of 764 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 571 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,167 ft.

The land around Spartanburg is covered by trees (64%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 2 miles, trees (71%) within 10 miles, and trees (82%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
256 ft
10 miles
571 ft
50 miles
4,167 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Greer 17 mi · Taylors 21 mi · Wade Hampton 23 mi · Simpsonville 24 mi · Mauldin 24 mi · Greenville 27 mi · Shelby 32 mi · Easley 39 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 Spartanburg (34.9496°, -81.9321°, elevation 807 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).