May Day, KS climate
May Day has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 16 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in May Day feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
May Day weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38° | 18° | 0.7" | 5.4" | 4 | 22° – 40° |
| February | 44° | 21° | 1.1" | 3.8" | 4 | 24° – 41° |
| March | 55° | 31° | 1.9" | 1.9" | 6 | 36° – 56° |
| April | 66° | 41° | 3.1" | 0.3" | 7 | 45° – 59° |
| May | 75° | 52° | 4.8" | 0 | 9 | 58° – 72° |
| June | 85° | 62° | 4.7" | 0 | 8 | 68° – 79° |
| July | 90° | 67° | 4.5" | 0 | 8 | 74° – 84° |
| August | 88° | 65° | 3.8" | 0 | 7 | 71° – 83° |
| September | 80° | 56° | 2.9" | 0 | 6 | 62° – 75° |
| October | 68° | 43° | 2.4" | 0.1" | 6 | 48° – 61° |
| November | 53° | 31° | 1.5" | 0.8" | 5 | 34° – 50° |
| December | 42° | 21° | 1.2" | 4.0" | 4 | 19° – 36° |
| Year | 65° | 42° | 32.6" | 16.3" | 74 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in May Day
May Day gets 33 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 74 days a year.
About 181 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 19 and the first one by October 19. That leaves about 181 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 54% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in May Day
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In May Day, 78% of that work is heating and 22% is cooling.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
May Day and its neighbors
May Day borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.3°. Swede Creek has the coldest January nights (17°) and Center the hottest July afternoons (91°). May Day’s January low is 18° and its July high 90°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How May Day compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in May Day averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.2°). The shift is smaller than in 89% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at May Day’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 36° to 56°. July is the most reliable, staying within 11°.
Common questions about May Day’s climate
What is the coldest month in May Day?
January, with a typical high of 38° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in May Day?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 67°. About 54 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does May Day get?
About 16 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in May Day?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 19, and the last spring frost by April 19.
What is the rainiest month in May Day?
May, with 4.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 33 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for May Day itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Parallel, KS (2 mi, snow) and Clay Ctr, KS (17 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.