Spokane weather in May

In May, Spokane sees average daytime highs of 67°F and overnight lows near 46°F, with 1.8 in of rain across 8 wet days and about 14.9 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 63°F in the first days to 70°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 12 min at the start of May to 15 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Spokane's 6th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Spokane's year-round climate.

Daytime high
67°
5th warmest
Overnight low
46°
8th coldest
Rainfall
1.8 in
8 wet days
Daylight
14 h 54 min
4:19 AM – 7:13 PM
Cloud cover
60%
6th clearest
Wind
6 mph
3rd windiest
Solar energy
6.5 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.4
out of 10

Spokane is city in and county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States.

Density
1,275/km²
people per km²
Founded
1871

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 70°F by the end.

A typical May day in Spokane reaches about 67°F in the afternoon and slips back to 46°F overnight — a 21°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 56°F and 80°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 10°F warmer than April and about 7°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16242
26342
36342
46342
56443
66443
76443
86544
96544
106544
116645
126645
136645
146746
156746
166746
176746
186847
196847
206847
216847
226948
236948
246948
256948
266949
277049
287049
297049
307049
317149

How May really feels in Spokane

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.

Spokane weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan35° / 25°2.712.78.28.70.0
Feb40° / 27°1.99.95.79.90.0
Mar48° / 32°2.5123.611.61.7
Apr57° / 38°2.09.80.713.34.0
May67° / 46°1.88014.96.4
Jun74° / 52°1.36015.77.4
Jul84° / 58°0.52.7015.46.9
Aug83° / 57°0.52.3014.17.2
Sep73° / 49°0.84.20.112.47.9
Oct58° / 39°1.87.90.310.64.6
Nov43° / 31°2.912.64.59.10.6
Dec35° / 25°3.112.38.58.30.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% 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 54%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24852
34951
44951
55050
64951
74852
84852
94852
104852
114753
124654
134654
144654
154555
164555
174555
184456
194456
204456
214456
224555
234555
244555
254555
264654
274654
284654
294654
304654
314654

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Spokane gets around 1.8 in of rain over 8 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 26% and peaks near 28% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
126
226
325
425
524
624
724
824
924
1024
1124
1225
1325
1426
1526
1627
1727
1828
1928
2028
2128
2228
2328
2427
2527
2626
2726
2825
2925
3024
3124

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
91000
101000
111000
121000
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
19991
20991
21991
22991
23991
24991
25991
26991
27991
28991
29991
30991
31991

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 14 h 12 min at the start of May to 15 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 78 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 4:41 AM to 4:04 AM, and sunset from 6:53 PM to 7:31 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.24:416:53
214.34:396:54
314.34:386:56
414.44:366:57
514.44:346:58
614.54:337:00
714.54:317:01
814.54:307:03
914.64:287:04
1014.64:277:05
1114.74:257:07
1214.74:247:08
1314.84:237:09
1414.84:217:11
1514.94:207:12
1614.94:197:13
1715.04:177:15
1815.04:167:16
1915.04:157:17
2015.14:147:18
2115.14:137:20
2215.24:127:21
2315.24:117:22
2415.24:107:23
2515.34:097:24
2615.34:087:25
2715.34:077:27
2815.44:067:28
2915.44:057:29
3015.44:047:30
3115.54:047:31

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.5 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.09 kWh/m² to a high of 7.59 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 6.5 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.1Intense
26.2Intense
36.2Intense
46.2Intense
56.3Intense
66.3Intense
76.3Intense
86.4Intense
96.4Intense
106.4Intense
116.4Intense
126.4Intense
136.4Intense
146.4Intense
156.4Intense
166.4Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.5Intense
226.5Intense
236.6Intense
246.6Intense
256.6Intense
266.6Intense
276.7Intense
286.7Intense
296.7Intense
306.7Intense
316.7Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Spokane?

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

6.4
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
3.0
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Spokane for sightseeing.

What to pack for Spokane in May

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

In May, Spokane sees daytime highs around 67°F and nights near 46°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: a warm layer and rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

sun protectiona warm layerrain gear

UV index in Spokane 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 Spokane peaks around July 17 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 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 highHighModerateLowJul 17UV 8Dec 17UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar4Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun6High
Jul9Very high
Aug6High
Sep5Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Spokane 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 Spokane is worst in August — around 69 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 11.3× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateUnhealthyModerateGoodAug 1663 µg/m³Dec 216 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar10Good
Apr11Good
May12Moderate
Jun10Good
Jul24Moderate
Aug69Unhealthy
Sep21Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov11Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Spokane?

Spokane sits at 47.7°N, 117.4°W, 1,873 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Opportunity, 8.7 mi away.

Topography around Spokane

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Spokane has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 643 ft around an average of 1,939 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,139 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,610 ft.

The land around Spokane is covered by artificial surfaces (50%) and trees (41%) within 2 miles, trees (40%) and grassland (34%) within 10 miles, and trees (45%), grassland (26%) and cropland (25%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
643 ft
10 miles
2,139 ft
50 miles
4,610 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Opportunity 8.7 mi · Spokane Valley 8.7 mi · Post Falls 22 mi · Coeur d'Alene 30 mi · Pullman 65 mi · Moscow 67 mi · Lewiston 88 mi · Lewiston Orchards 91 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 Spokane (47.6597°, -117.4291°, elevation 1,873 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).