Syracuse weather in May

In May, Syracuse sees average daytime highs of 67°F and overnight lows near 49°F, with 3.9 in of precipitation across 13.3 wet days and about 14.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 62°F in the first days to 71°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 14 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Syracuse's 5th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Syracuse's year-round climate.

Daytime high
67°
5th warmest
Overnight low
49°
8th coldest
Precipitation
3.9 in
13.3 wet days
Daylight
14 h 30 min
4:47 AM – 7:15 PM
Cloud cover
64%
5th clearest
Wind
7 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.66 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.6
out of 10

Syracuse is city in and county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States.

Density
2,173/km²
people per km²
Founded
1848

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 62°F in the first days to 71°F by the end.

A typical May day in Syracuse reaches about 67°F in the afternoon and slips back to 49°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 54°F and 80°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 12°F warmer than April and about 8°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16244
26244
36245
46345
56345
66446
76446
86446
96446
106547
116547
126547
136647
146648
156648
166748
176749
186749
196749
206850
216850
226951
236951
246951
256952
267052
277053
287053
297153
307153
317154

How May really feels in Syracuse

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.

Syracuse weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan31° / 19°3.314.113.59.20.0
Feb33° / 19°2.91210.710.20.0
Mar41° / 26°3.713.37.711.60.4
Apr55° / 38°4.213.82.713.13.2
May67° / 49°3.913.30.114.45.6
Jun75° / 58°4.513.3015.16.3
Jul79° / 63°4.413.2014.86.2
Aug78° / 62°4.012.6013.86.5
Sep71° / 54°3.910.7012.36.4
Oct58° / 44°4.513.30.310.84.1
Nov46° / 34°3.713.94.69.51.2
Dec36° / 25°3.814.810.98.90.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 61%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13862
23763
33763
43862
53862
63763
73763
83763
93862
103862
113862
123862
133862
143862
153862
163862
173961
183961
193961
204060
214060
224060
234060
244159
254159
264159
274258
284357
294357
304258
314258

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Syracuse gets around 3.9 in of rain and snow over 13.3 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 43% and peaks near 46% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1462
2462
3452
4451
5451
6451
7451
8441
9441
10441
11431
12431
13431
14431
15421
16421
17421
18420
19410
20410
21410
22410
23410
24410
25410
26420
27420
28430
29430
30430
31430

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 79% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
193610
291720
391720
490820
590820
690820
788930
888930
9871030
10871030
11861040
12851140
13841141
14821251
15821251
16821251
17801361
18801361
19771472
20761482
21751582
22731593
23721693
247016104
256916114
266816115
276617125
286617125
296517126
306417136
316417136

Wind in May

Winds average 7 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
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 54 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 60 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:06 AM to 4:35 AM, and sunset from 6:58 PM to 7:29 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.95:066:58
213.95:046:59
314.05:037:00
414.05:027:01
514.05:007:02
614.14:597:04
714.14:587:05
814.24:567:06
914.24:557:07
1014.24:547:08
1114.34:537:09
1214.34:517:10
1314.44:507:11
1414.44:497:12
1514.44:487:14
1614.54:477:15
1714.54:467:16
1814.54:457:17
1914.64:447:18
2014.64:437:19
2114.64:427:20
2214.74:417:21
2314.74:407:22
2414.74:407:23
2514.84:397:24
2614.84:387:25
2714.84:377:26
2814.84:377:27
2914.94:367:28
3014.94:357:28
3114.94:357:29

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.66 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.24 kWh/m² to a high of 6 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.66 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.4Bright
55.4Bright
65.4Bright
75.4Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.6Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.7Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.8Bright
285.8Bright
295.8Bright
305.8Bright
315.8Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Syracuse?

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

5.6
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
2.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Syracuse for sightseeing.

What to pack for Syracuse in May

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

In May, Syracuse sees daytime highs around 67°F and nights near 49°F. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Syracuse in May

The nearest coast averages about 44°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 25 mi away) is warmest in August at about 73°F and coldest in March near 37°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 14 to Sep 13 — about 2 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan40Bracing
Feb37Bracing
Mar37Bracing
Apr38Bracing
May44Bracing
Jun57Bracing
Jul69Refreshing
Aug73Refreshing
Sep68Cool
Oct59Bracing
Nov50Bracing
Dec44Bracing

UV index in Syracuse 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 Syracuse peaks around July 12 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 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 12UV 8Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Syracuse?

Syracuse sits at 43.0°N, 76.1°W, 397 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Cicero, 8.7 mi away.

Topography around Syracuse

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Syracuse has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 348 ft around an average of 466 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,283 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,909 ft.

The land around Syracuse is covered by artificial surfaces (53%) and trees (37%) within 2 miles, trees (61%) within 10 miles, and trees (60%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
348 ft
10 miles
1,283 ft
50 miles
1,909 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Cicero 8.7 mi · Clay 9.3 mi · Auburn 22 mi · Cortland 31 mi · Oswego 34 mi · Rome 37 mi · Ithaca 45 mi · Utica 47 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 Syracuse (43.0481°, -76.1474°, elevation 397 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).