Williston weather in May

In May, Williston sees average daytime highs of 65°F and overnight lows near 42°F, with 2.6 in of precipitation across 9.3 wet days and about 14.9 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 60°F in the first days to 69°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% 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 Williston's 6th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Williston's year-round climate.

Daytime high
65°
5th warmest
Overnight low
42°
8th coldest
Precipitation
2.6 in
9.3 wet days
Daylight
15 hours
5:22 AM – 8:20 PM
Cloud cover
62%
6th clearest
Wind
10 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
6.07 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

Williston is city in and seat of Williams County, North Dakota, United States of America.

Density
1,377/km²
people per km²
Founded
1887

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 60°F in the first days to 69°F by the end.

A typical May day in Williston reaches about 65°F in the afternoon and slips back to 42°F overnight — a 22°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 51°F and 78°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 12°F warmer than April and about 8°F cooler than June.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15937
26037
36037
46038
56138
66138
76139
86239
96239
106340
116340
126341
136441
146441
156542
166542
176543
186643
196644
206644
216744
226745
236745
246846
256846
266847
276847
286947
296948
306948
316948

How May really feels in Williston

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 6 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
6
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Williston 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
Jan20° / 0.64.24.58.60.0
Feb25° / 0.53.73.89.90.0
Mar37° / 19°0.95.3411.60.2
Apr53° / 31°1.57.12.813.43.1
May65° / 42°2.69.30.714.95.8
Jun73° / 53°3.110.7015.86.7
Jul80° / 58°2.38.2015.47.1
Aug80° / 55°1.77.7014.17.3
Sep70° / 46°1.75.8012.47.2
Oct54° / 33°1.35.91.510.63.6
Nov37° / 20°0.84.93.890.1
Dec24° / 0.64.74.98.20.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% 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 57%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14060
24060
34060
44060
54159
64159
74258
84258
94258
104357
114357
124357
134456
144456
154555
164555
174456
184555
194555
204555
214555
224555
234555
244555
254555
264456
274456
284456
294456
304456
314456

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Williston gets around 2.6 in of rain and snow over 9.3 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 31% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1275
2285
3285
4295
5295
6295
7295
8295
9304
10304
11304
12304
13303
14303
15303
16303
17302
18302
19302
20301
21301
22311
23311
24321
25320
26330
27330
28340
29340
30340
31350

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 98% 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
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
17982
18982
19982
20982
21982
22982
23973
24973
25973
26973
27964
28964
29964
30955
31955

Wind in May

Winds average 10 mph in May, the windiest month of the year.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 10 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
1110light breeze
1210light breeze
1310light breeze
1410light breeze
1510light breeze
1610light breeze
1710light breeze
1810light breeze
1910light breeze
2010light breeze
2110light breeze
2210light breeze
2310light breeze
2410light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light breeze
3110light breeze

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 5:45 AM to 5:06 AM, and sunset from 7:59 PM to 8:37 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.25:457:59
214.35:438:00
314.35:418:02
414.45:408:03
514.45:388:05
614.55:368:06
714.55:358:07
814.65:338:09
914.65:328:10
1014.75:308:12
1114.75:298:13
1214.85:278:14
1314.85:268:16
1414.95:248:17
1514.95:238:18
1615.05:228:20
1715.05:218:21
1815.05:198:22
1915.15:188:24
2015.15:178:25
2115.25:168:26
2215.25:158:27
2315.25:148:28
2415.35:138:30
2515.35:128:31
2615.45:118:32
2715.45:108:33
2815.45:098:34
2915.55:088:35
3015.55:078:36
3115.55:068:37

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.07 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.29 kWh/m² to a high of 6.84 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 6.07 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.9Bright
75.9Bright
85.9Bright
96.0Bright
106.0Bright
116.0Intense
126.0Intense
136.1Intense
146.1Intense
156.1Intense
166.1Intense
176.1Intense
186.2Intense
196.2Intense
206.2Intense
216.2Intense
226.2Intense
236.2Intense
246.2Intense
256.2Intense
266.1Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Williston?

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

5.8
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
2.1
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Williston for sightseeing.

What to pack for Williston in May

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

In May, Williston sees daytime highs around 65°F and nights near 42°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: a warm layer and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

sun protectiona warm layerrain gear

UV index in Williston in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Williston peaks around June 21 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 20 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 highHighModerateLowJun 21UV 8Dec 20UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr4Moderate
May6High
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep5Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Williston 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 Williston is worst in August — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.0× the cleanest month (October, 5 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1216 µg/m³Oct 226 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar12Good
Apr11Good
May11Good
Jun9Good
Jul14Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct5Good
Nov6Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Williston?

Williston sits at 48.1°N, 103.6°W, 1,877 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Dickinson, 96 mi away.

Topography around Williston

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Williston has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 243 ft around an average of 1,867 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 650 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 912 ft.

The land around Williston is covered by grassland (42%) and artificial surfaces (28%) within 2 miles, grassland (61%) and cropland (25%) within 10 miles, and grassland (56%) and cropland (38%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
243 ft
10 miles
650 ft
50 miles
912 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Dickinson 96 mi · Minot 107 mi · Mandan 157 mi · Bismarck 162 mi · Arcola East 163 mi · Dewdney East 165 mi · Regina 165 mi · Moose Jaw 178 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 Williston (48.147°, -103.618°, elevation 1,877 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).