State College weather in May

In May, State College sees average daytime highs of 69°F and overnight lows near 49°F, with 3.9 in of rain across 12.8 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 65°F in the first days to 73°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 42 min at the start of May to 14 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is State College's 6th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see State College's year-round climate.

Daytime high
69°
5th warmest
Overnight low
49°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.9 in
12.8 wet days
Daylight
14 h 18 min
5:00 AM – 7:16 PM
Cloud cover
66%
6th clearest
Wind
6 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.54 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.9
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 65°F in the first days to 73°F by the end.

A typical May day in State College reaches about 69°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 57°F and 81°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 10°F warmer than April and about 9°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16445
26445
36546
46546
56546
66546
76647
86647
96647
106747
116748
126748
136748
146749
156849
166849
176949
186950
196950
206951
217051
227051
237152
247152
257152
267253
277253
287353
297354
307354
317355

How May really feels in State College

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.

State College 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
Jan34° / 20°3.09.96.29.40.0
Feb37° / 22°2.78.6510.40.0
Mar46° / 29°3.710.73.911.71.2
Apr59° / 40°3.812.10.913.14.2
May69° / 49°3.912.8014.25.9
Jun77° / 59°3.611.4014.96.4
Jul82° / 63°3.110.8014.66.3
Aug80° / 62°2.99.9013.66.5
Sep73° / 54°4.19.4012.36.8
Oct61° / 43°3.490.310.95.1
Nov49° / 34°3.28.81.49.71.9
Dec38° / 26°3.39.949.10.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 61%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13862
23961
33961
43961
53961
63961
73961
83961
93862
103862
113862
123763
133763
143862
153862
163862
173862
183862
193763
203763
213862
223862
233961
243961
254060
264159
274159
284258
294060
304159
314159

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

State College gets around 3.9 in of rain over 12.8 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 41% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
143
243
343
443
543
643
743
843
943
1043
1143
1242
1342
1442
1541
1641
1740
1840
1940
2040
2140
2240
2340
2440
2540
2640
2740
2840
2940
3040
3140

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 71% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1881020
2861130
3851230
4851230
5831340
6821440
7801550
8801550
9791650
10781660
11781660
12771670
13771670
14741781
15731791
16731791
177217101
187017112
196917122
206717133
216717133
226517144
236417154
246118165
256118165
265918176
275918176
285719186
295619187
305519197
315419198

Wind in May

Winds average 6 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 6 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
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 42 min at the start of May to 14 h 42 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 5:17 AM to 4:48 AM, and sunset from 7:00 PM to 7:29 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.75:177:00
213.85:167:01
313.85:147:02
413.85:137:03
513.95:127:04
613.95:117:06
714.05:097:07
814.05:087:08
914.05:077:09
1014.15:067:10
1114.15:057:11
1214.15:047:12
1314.25:037:13
1414.25:027:14
1514.25:017:15
1614.35:007:16
1714.34:597:17
1814.34:587:18
1914.44:577:19
2014.44:567:20
2114.44:557:21
2214.54:547:21
2314.54:547:22
2414.54:537:23
2514.54:527:24
2614.64:517:25
2714.64:517:26
2814.64:507:27
2914.64:507:28
3014.74:497:28
3114.74:487:29

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.54 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.6 kWh/m² to a high of 5.94 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.54 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.4Bright
115.4Bright
125.4Bright
135.4Bright
145.4Bright
155.5Bright
165.5Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.5Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.7Bright
245.7Bright
255.7Bright
265.7Bright
275.8Bright
285.8Bright
295.8Bright
305.8Bright
315.8Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit State College?

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

5.9
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
3.2
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit State College for sightseeing.

What to pack for State College in May

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

In May, State College sees daytime highs around 69°F and nights near 49°F. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

UV index in State College 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 State College peaks around June 23 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 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 23UV 9Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in State College 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 State College is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1316 µg/m³Nov 117 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar12Good
Apr12Good
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is State College?

State College sits at 40.8°N, 77.9°W, 1,165 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Altoona, 34 mi away.

Topography around State College

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around State College has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 364 ft around an average of 1,142 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,713 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,598 ft.

The land around State College is covered by trees (44%), grassland (26%) and artificial surfaces (22%) within 2 miles, trees (72%) within 10 miles, and trees (82%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
364 ft
10 miles
1,713 ft
50 miles
2,598 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
May weather nearby: Altoona 34 mi · Carlisle 54 mi · Williamsport 55 mi · Chambersburg 60 mi · Harrisburg 63 mi · Johnstown 65 mi · Hagerstown 80 mi · Lebanon 82 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 State College (40.7934°, -77.86°, elevation 1,165 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).