Ypsilanti weather in May

In May, Ypsilanti sees average daytime highs of 69°F and overnight lows near 50°F, with 3.8 in of rain across 12.7 wet days and about 14.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 64°F in the first days to 73°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Ypsilanti's 6th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ypsilanti's year-round climate.

Daytime high
69°
5th warmest
Overnight low
50°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.8 in
12.7 wet days
Daylight
14 h 24 min
5:19 AM – 7:42 PM
Cloud cover
65%
6th clearest
Wind
8 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.81 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.9
out of 10

Ypsilanti is city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States.

Density
1,704/km²
people per km²
Founded
1823

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 64°F in the first days to 73°F by the end.

A typical May day in Ypsilanti reaches about 69°F in the afternoon and slips back to 50°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 56°F and 82°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 11°F warmer than April and about 10°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16345
26445
36446
46446
56546
66547
76547
86647
96647
106648
116748
126748
136749
146849
156849
166850
176950
186950
196951
207051
217051
227152
237152
247153
257253
267253
277354
287354
297354
307455
317455

How May really feels in Ypsilanti

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.

Ypsilanti weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 19°2.49.65.89.30.0
Feb35° / 20°2.085.410.30.0
Mar45° / 28°2.59.83.611.61.0
Apr57° / 39°3.611.71.213.13.9
May69° / 50°3.812.7014.45.9
Jun78° / 60°3.610.70156.5
Jul82° / 64°3.311.2014.86.1
Aug80° / 62°3.210.2013.76.6
Sep73° / 54°2.78.8012.37.0
Oct61° / 43°2.690.210.85.0
Nov47° / 34°2.68.91.69.61.6
Dec37° / 25°2.38.84.590.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 61%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13664
23664
33664
43763
53664
63763
73664
83763
93763
103862
113862
123961
133961
143961
154060
163961
173961
183961
193961
203961
213961
224060
233961
244060
254060
264060
274159
284258
294357
304357
314357

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Ypsilanti gets around 3.8 in of rain over 12.7 wet days in May, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 40% and peaks near 41% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
139
239
339
439
539
640
740
840
940
1040
1141
1241
1341
1441
1541
1641
1741
1841
1941
2041
2141
2240
2340
2440
2540
2640
2740
2839
2939
3039
3138

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 77% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
192620
292620
390730
490730
587841
687841
785951
885951
984961
10831061
11831061
12811171
13811171
14801271
15781282
16781282
17761392
18761392
19751393
207413103
217214104
227114114
237014115
246814126
256715126
266615136
276415147
286316147
296216157
306117157
316017158

Wind in May

Winds average 8 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
267light breeze
277light breeze
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 48 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 5:37 AM to 5:07 AM, and sunset from 7:26 PM to 7:57 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.85:377:26
213.95:367:27
313.95:357:28
413.95:337:29
514.05:327:30
614.05:317:32
714.15:297:33
814.15:287:34
914.15:277:35
1014.25:267:36
1114.25:247:37
1214.25:237:38
1314.35:227:39
1414.35:217:40
1514.45:207:41
1614.45:197:42
1714.45:187:43
1814.55:177:44
1914.55:167:45
2014.55:157:46
2114.65:147:47
2214.65:137:48
2314.65:137:49
2414.65:127:50
2514.75:117:51
2614.75:107:52
2714.75:107:53
2814.85:097:54
2914.85:087:55
3014.85:087:56
3114.85:077:57

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.81 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.45 kWh/m² to a high of 6.36 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.81 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.9Bright
205.9Bright
215.9Bright
226.0Bright
236.0Bright
246.0Intense
256.0Intense
266.0Intense
276.1Intense
286.1Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Ypsilanti?

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
3.3
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Ypsilanti for sightseeing.

What to pack for Ypsilanti in May

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

In May, Ypsilanti sees daytime highs around 69°F and nights near 50°F. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Ypsilanti in May

The nearest coast averages about 56°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 28 mi away) is warmest in August at about 75°F and coldest in February near 33°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 20 to Sep 20 — about 3.1 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan34Bracing
Feb33Bracing
Mar36Bracing
Apr44Bracing
May56Bracing
Jun67Cool
Jul75Refreshing
Aug75Warm
Sep70Refreshing
Oct58Bracing
Nov46Bracing
Dec38Bracing

UV index in Ypsilanti 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 Ypsilanti peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. 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 20UV 9Dec 20UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Ypsilanti 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 Ypsilanti is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1216 µg/m³Oct 239 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Ypsilanti?

Ypsilanti sits at 42.2°N, 83.6°W, 719 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Ann Arbor, 6.8 mi away.

Topography around Ypsilanti

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Ypsilanti has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 203 ft around an average of 761 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 509 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 945 ft.

The land around Ypsilanti is covered by trees (52%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 2 miles, trees (47%) and grassland (23%) within 10 miles, and trees (37%) and cropland (28%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
203 ft
10 miles
509 ft
50 miles
945 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Ann Arbor 6.8 mi · Canton 8.1 mi · Romulus 11 mi · Wayne 12 mi · Westland 12 mi · Garden City 16 mi · Inkster 16 mi · Livonia 16 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 Ypsilanti (42.2411°, -83.613°, elevation 719 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. 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).