May is one of the warmer months of the year in Fairbanks, with average highs near 11.8°C and lows around 1.9°C (mean 6.9°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 40 mm of rainfall and 74% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Fairbanks. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Fairbanks was 2015 — when the month averaged 11.1°C — while the coldest was 1992 at 1.1°C. Typical May days reach 11.8°C with nights near 1.9°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Fairbanks, averaging 40 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2005 with 104 mm, while the driest was 2011 at 11 mm.
Relative humidity in Fairbanks during May averages 74%. The most humid May was 1992 at 83%, and the least humid was 2011 at 61%.
May receives about 5.3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Fairbanks. The sunniest May was 2013 at 6.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2004 at 4.7.
Average wind speed in Fairbanks during May is 1.5 m/s. The windiest May was 1983 at 2.1 m/s, while the calmest were 1984 and 1990 at 1.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 5.9°C | 6.8°C | 6.8°C | 8.0°C | 6.9°C | +1°C |
| Avg High | 10.8°C | 11.9°C | 11.7°C | 13.1°C | 11.5°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg Low | 1.0°C | 1.7°C | 1.9°C | 2.8°C | 2.2°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 46 mm | 32 mm | 41 mm | 33 mm | 52 mm | +7 mm |
May temperatures in Fairbanks have risen by about 0.8°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -16.9°C (1992) to a record high of 26.8°C (2011).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 40 mm, with a wettest year of 104 mm.
One of the best times to visit Fairbanks
May is one of the best times to visit Fairbanks. Expect days averaging 11.8°C and nights around 1.9°C (mean 6.9°C) — warmer than Fairbanks's yearly average — with moderate rainfall (40 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 | 10.5°C | 6.1°C | 1.6°C | 15.7°C | -3.2°C | 79 mm | 80% | 1.5 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2024 | 11.1°C | 6.7°C | 2.3°C | 17.4°C | -3.7°C | 56 mm | 80% | 1.5 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2023 | 12.2°C | 7.4°C | 2.6°C | 21.4°C | -3.7°C | 67 mm | 80% | 1.3 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2022 | 10.8°C | 6.4°C | 2.0°C | 20.7°C | -2.3°C | 35 mm | 77% | 1.4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2021 | 11.4°C | 6.8°C | 2.2°C | 16.7°C | -5.6°C | 39 mm | 79% | 1.6 m/s | 5 |
| 2020 | 13.1°C | 7.8°C | 2.5°C | 20.2°C | -9.0°C | 38 mm | 77% | 1.9 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2019 | 14.1°C | 9.4°C | 4.6°C | 20.5°C | -3.5°C | 56 mm | 77% | 1.4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2018 | 11.2°C | 6.7°C | 2.3°C | 19.2°C | -5.2°C | 48 mm | 77% | 1.5 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2017 | 12.2°C | 7.5°C | 2.9°C | 17.9°C | -1.9°C | 40 mm | 76% | 1.4 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2016 | 13.6°C | 8.7°C | 3.8°C | 22.1°C | -1.2°C | 39 mm | 75% | 1.6 m/s | 5 |
| 2015 🔥 | 16.9°C | 11.1°C | 5.3°C | 25.9°C | -2.2°C | 11 mm | 67% | 1.4 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2014 | 13.2°C | 7.6°C | 2.0°C | 19.1°C | -2.8°C | 18 mm | 67% | 1.6 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2013 | 9.1°C | 3.6°C | -1.9°C | 24.6°C | -11.1°C | 17 mm | 73% | 1.4 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2012 | 11.5°C | 6.6°C | 1.6°C | 18.1°C | -6.3°C | 48 mm | 68% | 1.5 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2011 | 14.7°C | 8.8°C | 2.8°C | 26.8°C | -4.3°C | 11 mm | 61% | 1.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2010 | 14.6°C | 9.6°C | 4.6°C | 23.2°C | -4.1°C | 42 mm | 70% | 1.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2009 | 12.5°C | 7.5°C | 2.4°C | 21.3°C | -2.3°C | 34 mm | 73% | 1.4 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2008 | 11.6°C | 6.8°C | 2.0°C | 15.9°C | -4.2°C | 21 mm | 72% | 1.6 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2007 | 12.3°C | 7.7°C | 3.0°C | 21.3°C | -2.2°C | 43 mm | 72% | 1.6 m/s | 5 |
| 2006 | 12.2°C | 7.1°C | 2.0°C | 20.1°C | -6.2°C | 27 mm | 76% | 1.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2005 🌧️ | 15.3°C | 10.4°C | 5.4°C | 20.0°C | -0.4°C | 104 mm | 76% | 1.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2004 | 13.3°C | 8.5°C | 3.6°C | 20.0°C | -2.9°C | 61 mm | 77% | 1.3 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2003 | 10.7°C | 5.8°C | 0.9°C | 19.9°C | -4.3°C | 19 mm | 73% | 1.6 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2002 | 12.0°C | 6.4°C | 0.9°C | 24.4°C | -14.7°C | 21 mm | 73% | 1.6 m/s | 6 |
| 2001 | 8.3°C | 3.8°C | -0.7°C | 14.6°C | -7.7°C | 40 mm | 76% | 1.5 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2000 | 8.5°C | 3.9°C | -0.8°C | 13.8°C | -6.6°C | 43 mm | 73% | 1.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1999 | 10.3°C | 5.2°C | 0.1°C | 15.7°C | -7.0°C | 16 mm | 72% | 1.7 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1998 | 12.2°C | 7.2°C | 2.2°C | 21.8°C | -6.1°C | 44 mm | 70% | 1.5 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1997 | 11.5°C | 6.3°C | 1.2°C | 20.4°C | -4.2°C | 34 mm | 71% | 1.6 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1996 | 11.9°C | 6.5°C | 1.1°C | 19.0°C | -5.8°C | 16 mm | 69% | 1.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1995 | 13.9°C | 8.8°C | 3.8°C | 24.5°C | -3.4°C | 52 mm | 74% | 1.6 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1994 | 13.1°C | 7.5°C | 1.9°C | 18.4°C | -1.9°C | 22 mm | 72% | 1.6 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1993 | 13.7°C | 8.3°C | 3.0°C | 21.2°C | -3.1°C | 17 mm | 73% | 2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1992 ❄️ | 5.3°C | 1.1°C | -3.1°C | 18.0°C | -16.9°C | 61 mm | 83% | 1.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1991 | 12.3°C | 7.3°C | 2.3°C | 15.9°C | -2.0°C | 32 mm | 75% | 1.4 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1990 | 14.5°C | 9.3°C | 4.1°C | 22.3°C | -2.2°C | 27 mm | 74% | 1.2 m/s | 5 |
| 1989 | 10.3°C | 5.6°C | 0.9°C | 17.5°C | -6.6°C | 68 mm | 77% | 1.3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1988 | 11.8°C | 7.3°C | 2.9°C | 18.2°C | -5.1°C | 78 mm | 78% | 1.6 m/s | 5 |
| 1987 | 11.4°C | 6.2°C | 1.0°C | 19.0°C | -5.0°C | 26 mm | 73% | 1.8 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1986 | 9.4°C | 4.4°C | -0.5°C | 18.1°C | -4.2°C | 48 mm | 75% | 1.6 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1985 | 7.9°C | 3.6°C | -0.8°C | 19.5°C | -6.7°C | 28 mm | 78% | 1.5 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1984 | 10.2°C | 5.6°C | 1.0°C | 19.0°C | -6.3°C | 63 mm | 76% | 1.2 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1983 | 11.3°C | 5.8°C | 0.4°C | 23.7°C | -5.1°C | 21 mm | 69% | 2.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 9.3°C | 4.6°C | 0.0°C | 15.4°C | -6.0°C | 35 mm | 75% | 1.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 15.7°C | 9.9°C | 4.1°C | 21.4°C | -2.7°C | 44 mm | 69% | 1.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 11.8°C with lows near 1.9°C (mean 6.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 40 mm of rainfall in Fairbanks, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 104 mm in 2005.
The hottest May reached 26.8°C in 2011. The coldest dipped to -16.9°C in 1992.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 0.8°C. Daytime highs moved from 10.9°C to 11.2°C and overnight lows from 0.9°C to 2.1°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Fairbanks and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 11.8°C daytime highs and 1.9°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 9th coolest month in Fairbanks, averaging 6.9°C.
For May in Fairbanks, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 11.8°C and lows of 1.9°C.
Relative humidity in May averages 74% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in May is 1.5 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 2.1 m/s (1983).
The wettest May on record was 2005 with 104 mm. On average, May sees 40 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 Fairbanks 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.
