Zion weather in May

In May, Zion sees average daytime highs of 55°F and overnight lows near 49°F, with 3.8 in of rain across 11.2 wet days and about 14.4 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 49°F in the first days to 61°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% 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 Zion's 6th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zion's year-round climate.

Daytime high
55°
6th warmest
Overnight low
49°
7th coldest
Rainfall
3.8 in
11.2 wet days
Daylight
14 h 24 min
4:35 AM – 7:00 PM
Cloud cover
63%
6th clearest
Wind
12 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
5.9 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.5
out of 10

Zion is city in Lake County, Illinois, United States.

Density
949/km²
people per km²
Founded
1901

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 49°F in the first days to 61°F by the end.

A typical May day in Zion reaches about 55°F in the afternoon and slips back to 49°F overnight — a 6°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 46°F and 64°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 11°F warmer than April and about 14°F cooler than June.

30°40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14943
24943
34944
45044
55044
65145
75145
85145
95246
105246
115346
125347
135447
145448
155548
165549
175549
185649
195650
205750
215751
225851
235852
245852
255953
266053
276054
286054
296155
306255
316256

How May really feels in Zion

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.

Zion weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 22°2.79.679.20.0
Feb30° / 21°2.27.55.410.30.0
Mar36° / 28°2.79.63.611.60.0
Apr44° / 38°4.511.81.513.10.8
May55° / 49°3.811.2014.43.5
Jun69° / 62°3.210.10156.3
Jul77° / 70°2.89.9014.87.0
Aug76° / 70°3.710.6013.77.0
Sep70° / 64°3.19.7012.36.7
Oct58° / 51°3.810.80.110.84.3
Nov46° / 39°3.29.71.39.61.1
Dec36° / 29°2.89.84.98.90.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13961
23961
33961
43862
53862
63862
73961
83961
93961
104159
114258
124258
134258
144357
154357
164357
174357
184456
194456
204456
214456
224555
234654
244654
254555
264456
274456
284456
294456
304555
314555

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Zion gets around 3.8 in of rain over 11.2 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 36% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
137
237
337
437
537
637
737
837
937
1037
1137
1237
1337
1437
1537
1637
1736
1836
1936
2036
2136
2236
2335
2435
2535
2635
2735
2835
2935
3035
3135

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 87% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
199100
299100
399100
499100
598200
698200
798200
897300
997300
1096400
1195410
1294510
1394510
1493610
1592710
1691720
1790820
1888930
1987931
20851041
21841051
22831151
23801262
24791272
25771382
26751492
277215103
287116103
296917113
306718123
316518134

Wind in May

Winds average 12 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 12 mph on the calmest days to 13 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
113breezy
213breezy
313breezy
413breezy
513breezy
613breezy
713breezy
813breezy
913breezy
1013breezy
1113breezy
1213breezy
1313breezy
1412breezy
1512breezy
1612breezy
1712breezy
1812light breeze
1912light breeze
2012light breeze
2112light breeze
2212light breeze
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2612light breeze
2712light breeze
2812light breeze
2912light breeze
3012light breeze
3112light breeze

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 4:54 AM to 4:23 AM, and sunset from 6:43 PM to 7:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.84:546:43
213.94:526:44
313.94:516:46
413.94:506:47
514.04:486:48
614.04:476:49
714.14:466:50
814.14:446:51
914.24:436:52
1014.24:426:53
1114.24:416:54
1214.34:406:56
1314.34:396:57
1414.34:376:58
1514.44:366:59
1614.44:357:00
1714.44:347:01
1814.54:337:02
1914.54:327:03
2014.54:317:04
2114.64:317:05
2214.64:307:06
2314.64:297:07
2414.74:287:08
2514.74:277:09
2614.74:277:10
2714.74:267:11
2814.84:257:12
2914.84:257:12
3014.84:247:13
3114.84:237:14

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.9 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.44 kWh/m² to a high of 6.49 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.9 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.7Bright
95.7Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.9Bright
165.9Bright
175.9Bright
186.0Bright
196.0Intense
206.0Intense
216.1Intense
226.1Intense
236.1Intense
246.1Intense
256.1Intense
266.2Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Zion?

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

3.5
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
0.2
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Zion.

What to pack for Zion in May

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

In May, Zion sees daytime highs around 55°F and nights near 49°F. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and sun protection. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Zion in May

The nearest coast averages about 43°F in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 71°F and coldest in March near 36°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 18 to Sep 8 — about 1.7 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan38Bracing
Feb36Bracing
Mar36Bracing
Apr38Bracing
May43Bracing
Jun55Bracing
Jul68Refreshing
Aug71Refreshing
Sep67Cool
Oct57Bracing
Nov47Bracing
Dec42Bracing

UV index in Zion 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 Zion peaks around June 22 at about 9 (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 highHighModerateLowJun 22UV 9Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Zion 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 Zion is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.8× the cleanest month (October, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1017 µg/m³Oct 249 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar15Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May16Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Zion?

Zion sits at 42.4°N, 87.8°W, 650 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Waukegan, 5.6 mi away.

Topography around Zion

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Zion has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 233 ft around an average of 650 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 295 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 804 ft.

The land around Zion is covered by trees (47%), grassland (24%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 2 miles, water (44%) and trees (20%) within 10 miles, and water (47%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
233 ft
10 miles
295 ft
50 miles
804 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Waukegan 5.6 mi · Gurnee 6.2 mi · North Chicago 8.1 mi · Pleasant Prairie 8.7 mi · Kenosha 9.3 mi · Grayslake 13 mi · Libertyville 13 mi · Lake Forest 13 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 Zion (42.4461°, -87.8328°, elevation 650 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).