May is one of the warmer months of the year in North Little Rock, with average highs near 26°C and lows around 15.1°C (mean 20.6°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 143 mm of rainfall and 80% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in North Little Rock. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in North Little Rock was 2018 — when the month averaged 23.6°C — while the coldest was 1997 at 18.3°C. Typical May days reach 26°C with nights near 15.1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
May is a relatively wet time of year in North Little Rock, averaging 143 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2009 with 322 mm, while the driest was 2005 at 25 mm.
Relative humidity in North Little Rock during May averages 80%. The most humid May was 1991 at 86%, and the least humid was 1988 at 67%.
May receives about 5.7 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in North Little Rock. The sunniest May was 2012 at 6.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1990 and 2009 at 4.9.
Average wind speed in North Little Rock during May is 1.5 m/s. The windiest Mays were 1996, 2000 and 2011 at 1.8 m/s, while the calmest were 2007, 2018 and 2023, among others at 1.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 20.1°C | 20.5°C | 20.8°C | 20.9°C | 20.6°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg High | 25.7°C | 26.0°C | 26.2°C | 26.1°C | 25.7°C | 0°C |
| Avg Low | 14.5°C | 14.9°C | 15.3°C | 15.6°C | 15.6°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 137 mm | 111 mm | 138 mm | 165 mm | 175 mm | +38 mm |
May temperatures in North Little Rock have risen by about 1.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 2°C (2013) to a record high of 37°C (1998).
Rainfall in May is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 143 mm, with a wettest year of 322 mm.
One of the best times to visit North Little Rock
May is one of the best times to visit North Little Rock. Expect days averaging 26°C and nights around 15.1°C (mean 20.6°C) — warmer than North Little Rock's yearly average — with higher rainfall (143 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 | 25.3°C | 20.3°C | 15.3°C | 30.9°C | 7.6°C | 211 mm | 83% | 1.5 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2024 | 27.5°C | 22.8°C | 18.2°C | 31.4°C | 12.7°C | 181 mm | 83% | 1.4 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2023 | 26.1°C | 21.0°C | 15.9°C | 30.5°C | 4.7°C | 88 mm | 80% | 1.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2022 | 26.5°C | 21.2°C | 15.8°C | 32.6°C | 10.0°C | 164 mm | 83% | 1.7 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2021 | 24.5°C | 19.3°C | 14.0°C | 29.7°C | 7.7°C | 208 mm | 82% | 1.7 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2020 | 24.2°C | 19.2°C | 14.1°C | 28.0°C | 5.6°C | 198 mm | 83% | 1.5 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2019 | 26.3°C | 21.5°C | 16.7°C | 30.2°C | 10.2°C | 251 mm | 85% | 1.6 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2018 🔥 | 28.7°C | 23.6°C | 18.5°C | 32.8°C | 13.5°C | 92 mm | 81% | 1.3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2017 | 25.6°C | 19.9°C | 14.3°C | 29.9°C | 6.8°C | 167 mm | 79% | 1.6 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2016 | 24.7°C | 19.4°C | 14.2°C | 28.7°C | 7.9°C | 95 mm | 81% | 1.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2015 | 25.3°C | 20.9°C | 16.4°C | 28.6°C | 8.9°C | 303 mm | 84% | 1.6 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2014 | 24.8°C | 19.6°C | 14.4°C | 29.2°C | 3.7°C | 160 mm | 82% | 1.7 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2013 | 24.8°C | 19.6°C | 14.3°C | 30.7°C | 2.0°C | 142 mm | 81% | 1.7 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2012 | 29.3°C | 23.2°C | 17.0°C | 35.6°C | 10.9°C | 29 mm | 71% | 1.4 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2011 | 24.6°C | 19.1°C | 13.5°C | 30.2°C | 4.8°C | 233 mm | 82% | 1.8 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2010 | 26.9°C | 21.7°C | 16.4°C | 31.0°C | 8.2°C | 179 mm | 81% | 1.4 m/s | 6 |
| 2009 🌧️ | 24.1°C | 19.5°C | 14.9°C | 29.4°C | 6.6°C | 322 mm | 85% | 1.6 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2008 | 25.3°C | 20.0°C | 14.7°C | 30.6°C | 6.2°C | 166 mm | 83% | 1.7 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2007 | 26.3°C | 21.3°C | 16.3°C | 29.5°C | 8.4°C | 82 mm | 79% | 1.3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2006 | 27.0°C | 21.2°C | 15.4°C | 34.3°C | 8.4°C | 113 mm | 76% | 1.5 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2005 | 26.7°C | 20.3°C | 13.9°C | 34.9°C | 3.5°C | 25 mm | 71% | 1.4 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2004 | 26.8°C | 21.5°C | 16.1°C | 30.9°C | 4.9°C | 109 mm | 82% | 1.7 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2003 | 26.4°C | 21.3°C | 16.1°C | 33.1°C | 10.0°C | 194 mm | 80% | 1.6 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2002 | 24.5°C | 19.3°C | 14.0°C | 29.4°C | 7.6°C | 111 mm | 82% | 1.6 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2001 | 27.0°C | 21.1°C | 15.1°C | 32.2°C | 8.8°C | 121 mm | 75% | 1.6 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2000 | 28.2°C | 22.3°C | 16.5°C | 34.4°C | 7.4°C | 140 mm | 76% | 1.8 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1999 | 25.8°C | 19.9°C | 14.1°C | 30.4°C | 8.3°C | 100 mm | 79% | 1.5 m/s | 6 |
| 1998 | 30.1°C | 23.5°C | 16.8°C | 37.0°C | 7.5°C | 78 mm | 72% | 1.5 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1997 ❄️ | 24.1°C | 18.3°C | 12.4°C | 30.2°C | 5.8°C | 79 mm | 79% | 1.5 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1996 | 29.4°C | 23.2°C | 17.0°C | 35.3°C | 6.7°C | 138 mm | 73% | 1.8 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1995 | 25.7°C | 20.4°C | 15.2°C | 31.5°C | 5.1°C | 116 mm | 81% | 1.7 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1994 | 24.9°C | 19.2°C | 13.4°C | 29.2°C | 4.2°C | 102 mm | 79% | 1.3 m/s | 6 |
| 1993 | 24.8°C | 19.4°C | 14.1°C | 28.9°C | 9.0°C | 116 mm | 81% | 1.5 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1992 | 25.2°C | 19.8°C | 14.3°C | 30.5°C | 4.6°C | 64 mm | 76% | 1.4 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1991 | 26.3°C | 22.0°C | 17.7°C | 30.5°C | 6.1°C | 100 mm | 86% | 1.4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1990 | 24.1°C | 18.9°C | 13.7°C | 29.0°C | 7.0°C | 216 mm | 83% | 1.7 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1989 | 24.7°C | 19.5°C | 14.2°C | 30.4°C | 4.0°C | 148 mm | 82% | 1.6 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1988 | 27.8°C | 20.5°C | 13.1°C | 33.6°C | 7.9°C | 43 mm | 67% | 1.5 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1987 | 27.8°C | 23.0°C | 18.2°C | 33.0°C | 12.1°C | 135 mm | 78% | 1.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1986 | 25.9°C | 20.6°C | 15.4°C | 31.5°C | 8.2°C | 102 mm | 77% | 1.3 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1985 | 25.5°C | 20.0°C | 14.5°C | 31.8°C | 7.7°C | 72 mm | 81% | 1.5 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1984 | 24.6°C | 18.7°C | 12.9°C | 29.4°C | 6.6°C | 203 mm | 80% | 1.6 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1983 | 23.7°C | 18.4°C | 13.0°C | 27.5°C | 6.6°C | 200 mm | 82% | 1.6 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 26.4°C | 21.3°C | 16.1°C | 30.7°C | 8.6°C | 122 mm | 80% | 1.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 24.5°C | 18.8°C | 13.1°C | 29.8°C | 5.9°C | 212 mm | 77% | 1.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 26°C with lows near 15.1°C (mean 20.6°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 143 mm of rainfall in North Little Rock, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 322 mm in 2009.
The hottest May reached 37°C in 1998. The coldest dipped to 2°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 24.9°C to 26°C and overnight lows from 13.9°C to 15.8°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in North Little Rock and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 26°C daytime highs and 15.1°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in North Little Rock, averaging 20.6°C.
For May in North Little Rock, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 26°C and lows of 15.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 80% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 1.5 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 1.8 m/s (1996).
The wettest May on record was 2009 with 322 mm. On average, May sees 143 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 North Little Rock 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.
