Wilson weather in May

In May, Wilson sees average daytime highs of 79°F and overnight lows near 60°F, with 3.6 in of rain across 10.8 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 76°F in the first days to 82°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% 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 Wilson's 9th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Wilson's year-round climate.

Daytime high
79°
5th warmest
Overnight low
60°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.6 in
10.8 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
5:11 AM – 7:04 PM
Cloud cover
58%
9th clearest
Wind
7 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
6 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.6
out of 10

Wilson is city and the county seat of Wilson County, North Carolina, United States.

Density
648/km²
people per km²
Founded
1849

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 82°F by the end.

A typical May day in Wilson reaches about 79°F in the afternoon and slips back to 60°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 68°F and 88°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 7°F warmer than April and about 7°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17556
27556
37656
47657
57657
67657
77758
87758
97758
107758
117859
127859
137859
147859
157860
167960
177960
187960
197961
208061
218061
228062
238062
248162
258163
268163
278163
288264
298264
308264
318265

How May really feels in Wilson

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.

Wilson 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
Jan52° / 34°3.79.31.19.92.8
Feb55° / 36°3.18.71.110.63.6
Mar62° / 42°4.110.20.411.75.5
Apr72° / 51°3.58.7012.96.9
May79° / 60°3.610.8013.96.6
Jun85° / 68°4.112.1014.44.9
Jul88° / 72°4.815.4014.23.9
Aug87° / 71°4.712.7013.44.5
Sep81° / 64°5.110.3012.26.3
Oct72° / 53°3.57.2011.17.2
Nov62° / 42°3.37.70.110.15.8
Dec55° / 37°3.69.40.59.63.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% 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 50%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
24951
34951
44951
54951
64951
74951
84951
95050
105050
115050
125050
135149
145149
155149
165149
175149
185149
195149
205050
215050
225050
235050
245149
255050
265050
275149
285050
295050
304951
314951

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Wilson gets around 3.6 in of rain over 10.8 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 35% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
133
232
332
432
532
633
733
833
934
1034
1135
1235
1336
1436
1536
1636
1737
1837
1937
2037
2137
2237
2337
2437
2537
2636
2736
2836
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 21% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
158201480
257201490
356201590
4542016100
5532017100
6512018110
7502019110
8482020120
9472021120
10452021130
11442022130
12432023140
13421924151
14411924161
15401925161
16391825171
17381825181
18361826191
19351826201
20331826212
21321826222
22301827233
23281827243
24261827254
25251827264
26231826275
27221826286
28201826297
29191726307
30171726319
311617263110

Wind in May

Winds average 7 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
37light breeze
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

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 5:26 AM to 5:03 AM, and sunset from 6:52 PM to 7:16 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:266:52
213.55:256:53
313.55:246:53
413.55:236:54
513.65:226:55
613.65:216:56
713.65:206:57
813.75:196:58
913.75:186:59
1013.75:176:59
1113.75:167:00
1213.85:157:01
1313.85:147:02
1413.85:137:03
1513.95:127:04
1613.95:117:04
1713.95:117:05
1813.95:107:06
1914.05:097:07
2014.05:097:08
2114.05:087:08
2214.05:077:09
2314.15:077:10
2414.15:067:11
2514.15:057:11
2614.15:057:12
2714.15:047:13
2814.25:047:14
2914.25:037:14
3014.25:037:15
3114.25:037:16

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.27 kWh/m² to a high of 6.21 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 6 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.9Bright
65.9Bright
75.9Bright
85.9Bright
95.9Bright
106.0Bright
116.0Bright
126.0Bright
136.0Intense
146.0Intense
156.0Intense
166.0Intense
176.0Intense
186.0Intense
196.0Intense
206.1Intense
216.1Intense
226.1Intense
236.1Intense
246.1Intense
256.1Intense
266.1Intense
276.1Intense
286.1Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Wilson?

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

6.6
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
6.2
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Wilson in May

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

In May, Wilson sees daytime highs around 79°F and nights near 60°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain gear

UV index in Wilson 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 Wilson peaks around July 13 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 13UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Wilson 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 Wilson is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1417 µg/m³Nov 238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb10Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr12Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Wilson?

Wilson sits at 35.7°N, 77.9°W, 108 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Rocky Mount, 17 mi away.

Topography around Wilson

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Wilson has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 135 ft around an average of 135 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 459 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 722 ft.

The land around Wilson is covered by trees (47%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 2 miles, trees (51%) and cropland (31%) within 10 miles, and trees (64%) and cropland (23%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
135 ft
10 miles
459 ft
50 miles
722 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Rocky Mount 17 mi · Goldsboro 24 mi · Clayton 30 mi · Greenville 32 mi · Kinston 37 mi · Wake Forest 38 mi · Garner 39 mi · Raleigh 41 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 Wilson (35.7213°, -77.9155°, elevation 108 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).