Zanesville weather in May

In May, Zanesville sees average daytime highs of 72°F and overnight lows near 53°F, with 4.6 in of rain across 13.5 wet days and about 14.2 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 68°F in the first days to 76°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 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Zanesville's 6th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zanesville's year-round climate.

Daytime high
72°
5th warmest
Overnight low
53°
8th coldest
Rainfall
4.6 in
13.5 wet days
Daylight
14 h 12 min
5:18 AM – 7:30 PM
Cloud cover
65%
6th clearest
Wind
6 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.66 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.1
out of 10

Zanesville is city in Muskingum County, Ohio, United States.

Density
811/km²
people per km²
Founded
1797

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 68°F in the first days to 76°F by the end.

A typical May day in Zanesville reaches about 72°F in the afternoon and slips back to 53°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 60°F and 84°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 9°F warmer than April and about 8°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16748
26848
36849
46849
56949
66950
76950
87050
97051
107051
117051
127151
137152
147152
157152
167253
177253
187253
197353
207354
217354
227355
237455
247455
257455
267556
277556
287556
297657
307657
317657

How May really feels in Zanesville

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.

Zanesville 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
Jan37° / 23°3.410.85.79.50.0
Feb41° / 25°2.99.34.510.40.2
Mar51° / 33°4.011.52.611.72.3
Apr63° / 43°4.512.60.5135.0
May72° / 53°4.613.5014.26.1
Jun80° / 62°4.112.3014.86.0
Jul84° / 65°3.711.8014.55.4
Aug83° / 64°3.110.1013.66.0
Sep76° / 56°3.28.6012.37.0
Oct64° / 46°3.19.40.110.95.7
Nov51° / 36°3.29.219.82.6
Dec41° / 29°3.39.83.39.20.2

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 18% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 60%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13664
23664
33763
43763
53763
63862
73862
83862
93961
103961
113961
123961
133961
143961
153961
163961
173961
183961
194060
204060
213961
224159
234159
244159
254357
264456
274357
284357
294357
304456
314357

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Zanesville gets around 4.6 in of rain over 13.5 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 43% and peaks near 45% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
145
245
345
445
545
645
745
845
945
1045
1144
1244
1344
1444
1543
1643
1743
1843
1943
2043
2142
2242
2342
2442
2542
2642
2741
2841
2941
3041
3141

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 60% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 7% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
18212600
28112700
37913800
47813810
57614910
675141010
773141120
872141220
970151230
1069151330
1168151340
1266161440
1365161450
1462171560
1562171560
1659181670
1759181670
1858181680
1955191790
20541917100
21531918100
22511919110
23491919120
24481920120
25471920131
26461921131
27451921141
28451922141
29441922141
30431823151
31421823161

Wind in May

Winds average 6 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
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 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 54 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:35 AM to 5:08 AM, and sunset from 7:15 PM to 7:43 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.75:357:15
213.75:347:16
313.75:337:17
413.85:317:18
513.85:307:19
613.95:297:20
713.95:287:21
813.95:277:22
914.05:267:23
1014.05:247:24
1114.05:237:25
1214.15:227:26
1314.15:217:27
1414.15:207:28
1514.25:197:29
1614.25:187:30
1714.25:177:31
1814.35:177:32
1914.35:167:33
2014.35:157:34
2114.35:147:35
2214.45:137:36
2314.45:127:37
2414.45:127:38
2514.55:117:38
2614.55:107:39
2714.55:107:40
2814.55:097:41
2914.65:097:42
3014.65:087:43
3114.65:087:43

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 1.58 kWh/m² to a high of 6.14 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
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.4Bright
75.4Bright
85.4Bright
95.4Bright
105.5Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.5Bright
145.5Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.6Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.9Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
275.9Bright
286.0Bright
296.0Bright
306.0Bright
316.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Zanesville?

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

6.1
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
4.3
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Zanesville for sightseeing.

What to pack for Zanesville in May

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

In May, Zanesville sees daytime highs around 72°F and nights near 53°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 14 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Zanesville 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 Zanesville peaks around June 21 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 21UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Zanesville 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 Zanesville is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1217 µg/m³Nov 157 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar11Good
Apr11Good
May15Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Zanesville?

Zanesville sits at 39.9°N, 82.0°W, 676 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Newark, 22 mi away.

Topography around Zanesville

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Zanesville has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 312 ft around an average of 797 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 505 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 883 ft.

The land around Zanesville is covered by trees (55%), grassland (20%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 2 miles, trees (64%) and grassland (25%) within 10 miles, and trees (66%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
312 ft
10 miles
505 ft
50 miles
883 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Newark 22 mi · Lancaster 35 mi · Pataskala 35 mi · Pickerington 39 mi · Mount Vernon 40 mi · Reynoldsburg 42 mi · Athens 42 mi · Gahanna 46 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 Zanesville (39.9404°, -82.0132°, elevation 676 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).