May is one of the warmer months of the year in Madison, with average highs near 25.5°C and lows around 14.6°C (mean 20.1°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 120 mm of rainfall and 79% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Madison. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Madison was 2018 — when the month averaged 22.6°C — while the coldest was 1997 at 17.7°C. Typical May days reach 25.5°C with nights near 14.6°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Madison, averaging 120 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2003 with 285 mm, while the driest was 2007 at 25 mm.
Relative humidity in Madison during May averages 79%. The most humid May was 1991 at 87%, and the least humid was 2007 at 58%.
May receives about 5.9 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Madison. The sunniest May was 2007 at 6.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2003 and 2009 at 4.9.
Average wind speed in Madison during May is 1.1 m/s. The windiest May was 1983 at 1.3 m/s, while the calmest were 1987 and 2018 at 0.8 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 19.5°C | 19.7°C | 20.3°C | 20.7°C | 20.2°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg High | 25.2°C | 25.1°C | 25.8°C | 26.0°C | 25.3°C | +0.1°C |
| Avg Low | 13.8°C | 14.4°C | 14.7°C | 15.3°C | 15.1°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 127 mm | 116 mm | 124 mm | 104 mm | 133 mm | +6 mm |
May temperatures in Madison have risen by about 1.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 3°C (2013) to a record high of 33.9°C (2012).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 120 mm, with a wettest year of 285 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.2°C per decade while lows rose 0.4°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
One of the best times to visit Madison
May is one of the best times to visit Madison. Expect days averaging 25.5°C and nights around 14.6°C (mean 20.1°C) — warmer than Madison's yearly average — with higher rainfall (120 mm), so conditions are generally comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor plans.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24.8°C | 20.5°C | 16.2°C | 29.1°C | 8.7°C | 236 mm | 85% | 1 m/s | 5 |
| 2024 | 27.0°C | 22.0°C | 17.0°C | 29.8°C | 11.2°C | 143 mm | 81% | 1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2023 | 25.3°C | 20.2°C | 15.0°C | 30.1°C | 5.7°C | 86 mm | 80% | 1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2022 | 26.7°C | 21.1°C | 15.6°C | 31.7°C | 8.9°C | 110 mm | 80% | 1.1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2021 | 24.3°C | 18.8°C | 13.4°C | 30.7°C | 7.0°C | 115 mm | 78% | 1.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2020 | 23.8°C | 18.6°C | 13.3°C | 28.8°C | 3.7°C | 109 mm | 82% | 1 m/s | 6 |
| 2019 | 27.2°C | 22.0°C | 16.9°C | 31.5°C | 8.4°C | 102 mm | 81% | 1 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2018 🔥 | 27.8°C | 22.6°C | 17.5°C | 31.3°C | 9.6°C | 101 mm | 81% | 0.8 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2017 | 25.6°C | 20.1°C | 14.6°C | 30.5°C | 5.3°C | 153 mm | 77% | 1.1 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2016 | 25.0°C | 19.5°C | 13.9°C | 30.7°C | 6.6°C | 36 mm | 78% | 1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2015 | 25.9°C | 20.6°C | 15.3°C | 29.0°C | 6.9°C | 116 mm | 80% | 1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2014 | 25.6°C | 20.2°C | 14.7°C | 29.7°C | 7.0°C | 75 mm | 80% | 1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2013 | 23.8°C | 18.7°C | 13.5°C | 28.7°C | 3.0°C | 147 mm | 82% | 1.1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2012 | 27.7°C | 22.2°C | 16.6°C | 33.9°C | 10.3°C | 83 mm | 74% | 0.9 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2011 | 25.2°C | 19.5°C | 13.7°C | 32.2°C | 4.2°C | 64 mm | 80% | 1.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2010 | 26.6°C | 21.5°C | 16.5°C | 30.7°C | 8.1°C | 164 mm | 81% | 1.1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2009 | 24.2°C | 19.8°C | 15.4°C | 29.1°C | 5.4°C | 225 mm | 86% | 1.1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2008 | 25.3°C | 19.7°C | 14.1°C | 30.2°C | 7.3°C | 142 mm | 78% | 1.2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2007 | 29.2°C | 22.2°C | 15.3°C | 33.2°C | 7.8°C | 25 mm | 58% | 1 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2006 | 25.3°C | 19.7°C | 14.1°C | 32.6°C | 7.3°C | 103 mm | 80% | 1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2005 | 24.5°C | 18.6°C | 12.6°C | 30.1°C | 5.3°C | 53 mm | 76% | 0.9 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2004 | 27.4°C | 22.1°C | 16.9°C | 31.8°C | 6.1°C | 97 mm | 76% | 1.1 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2003 🌧️ | 24.9°C | 20.5°C | 16.0°C | 28.8°C | 10.0°C | 285 mm | 85% | 1.2 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2002 | 24.7°C | 19.0°C | 13.3°C | 29.6°C | 4.7°C | 148 mm | 78% | 1.2 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2001 | 25.4°C | 19.7°C | 14.0°C | 28.9°C | 8.9°C | 123 mm | 78% | 1.1 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2000 | 27.5°C | 21.5°C | 15.5°C | 32.8°C | 8.4°C | 38 mm | 74% | 1.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1999 | 25.4°C | 19.5°C | 13.6°C | 29.0°C | 8.0°C | 121 mm | 77% | 1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1998 | 27.2°C | 21.6°C | 16.0°C | 30.9°C | 8.4°C | 74 mm | 79% | 1 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1997 ❄️ | 23.3°C | 17.7°C | 12.2°C | 28.1°C | 6.3°C | 203 mm | 78% | 1.2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1996 | 26.6°C | 21.3°C | 16.0°C | 33.4°C | 5.9°C | 56 mm | 81% | 1 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1995 | 25.6°C | 20.3°C | 15.0°C | 29.5°C | 6.9°C | 78 mm | 80% | 1.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1994 | 23.8°C | 18.1°C | 12.4°C | 28.5°C | 5.9°C | 105 mm | 78% | 1.1 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1993 | 24.5°C | 19.5°C | 14.5°C | 29.3°C | 7.4°C | 132 mm | 80% | 1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1992 | 24.4°C | 18.8°C | 13.2°C | 29.1°C | 5.1°C | 45 mm | 76% | 1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1991 | 25.7°C | 21.6°C | 17.5°C | 30.5°C | 7.9°C | 214 mm | 87% | 0.9 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1990 | 24.3°C | 18.8°C | 13.4°C | 28.1°C | 6.2°C | 129 mm | 81% | 1.1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1989 | 23.5°C | 18.0°C | 12.6°C | 30.8°C | 4.1°C | 113 mm | 80% | 1.2 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1988 | 25.9°C | 19.1°C | 12.3°C | 33.4°C | 5.8°C | 59 mm | 67% | 1 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1987 | 26.8°C | 21.8°C | 16.8°C | 30.5°C | 10.0°C | 76 mm | 81% | 0.8 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1986 | 27.3°C | 21.3°C | 15.2°C | 32.4°C | 4.7°C | 151 mm | 69% | 1.1 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1985 | 25.0°C | 19.6°C | 14.1°C | 30.4°C | 8.8°C | 113 mm | 78% | 1.1 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1984 | 24.3°C | 18.4°C | 12.6°C | 28.4°C | 5.4°C | 205 mm | 81% | 1.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1983 | 23.4°C | 18.2°C | 12.9°C | 26.9°C | 6.3°C | 246 mm | 82% | 1.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 26.3°C | 20.9°C | 15.5°C | 29.6°C | 8.6°C | 85 mm | 78% | 0.9 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 24.5°C | 18.1°C | 11.8°C | 31.3°C | 4.8°C | 93 mm | 73% | 1.1 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 25.5°C with lows near 14.6°C (mean 20.1°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 120 mm of rainfall in Madison, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 285 mm in 2003.
The hottest May reached 33.9°C in 2012. The coldest dipped to 3°C in 2013.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.5°C. Daytime highs moved from 24.7°C to 25.6°C and overnight lows from 13.4°C to 15.4°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Madison and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 25.5°C daytime highs and 14.6°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Madison, averaging 20.1°C.
For May in Madison, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 25.5°C and lows of 14.6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 79% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 1.1 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 1.3 m/s (1983).
The wettest May on record was 2003 with 285 mm. On average, May sees 120 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Madison behaves each May, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for May specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
