May has chilly winters and hot summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 94°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 17 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in May at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about May’s climate
Read from where May sits among Oklahoma’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
17 inches of snow, 24 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 77 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
About 187 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 17 and the first by October 23.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with May’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
187 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 17 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 23.
About 17" a winter over 6 days with an inch or more, most in December. Snow covers the ground about 14 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from November through March. Heating is 71% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 98 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 94°.
The nicest months are April, May and October.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →What a year in May feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in May averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.3°).
A smaller shift than in 91% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How May compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Oklahoma.
May 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 | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 49° | 22° | 0.8" | 3.6" | 4 | 4 | 28° – 44° |
| February | 53° | 25° | 0.8" | 2.5" | 4 | 3 | 32° – 47° |
| March | 62° | 34° | 1.6" | 3.0" | 6 | 1 | 41° – 58° |
| April | 71° | 43° | 2.1" | 0.3" | 7 | 0 | 51° – 63° |
| May | 80° | 54° | 3.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 60° – 75° |
| June | 89° | 64° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 70° – 83° |
| July | 94° | 68° | 2.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 77° – 88° |
| August | 93° | 66° | 3.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 74° – 85° |
| September | 85° | 58° | 1.7" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 67° – 79° |
| October | 73° | 45° | 2.3" | 0.1" | 6 | 0 | 52° – 65° |
| November | 60° | 33° | 1.0" | 2.5" | 4 | 1 | 39° – 53° |
| December | 49° | 24° | 1.0" | 5.4" | 5 | 5 | 28° – 40° |
| Year | 71° | 45° | 23.5" | 17.4" | 77 | 14 |
Heating and cooling a home in May
71% of the work is heating.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 41° to 58°. July is the most reliable, staying within 11°.
Common questions about May’s climate
What is the coldest month in May?
January, with a typical high of 49° and a low of 22°.
What is the hottest month in May?
July, with a typical high of 94° and a low of 68°. About 98 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does May get?
About 17 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in May?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 23, and the last spring frost by April 17.
What is the rainiest month in May?
June, with 3.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 24 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in May.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for May itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Laverne, OK (10 mi, snow) and Buffalo 2 Ssw, OK (14 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. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.