May is one of the warmer months of the year in Kansas City, with average highs near 23.7°C and lows around 12.2°C (mean 18°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 139 mm of rainfall and 76% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Kansas City. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Kansas City was 2018 — when the month averaged 23.2°C — while the coldest was 1983 at 15.2°C. Typical May days reach 23.7°C with nights near 12.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
May is a relatively wet time of year in Kansas City, averaging 139 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1995 with 301 mm, while the driest was 1998 at 37 mm.
Relative humidity in Kansas City during May averages 76%. The most humid May was 2019 at 84%, and the least humid was 2000 at 64%.
May receives about 5.7 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Kansas City. The sunniest Mays were 1994 and 2012 at 6.6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1995 at 4.
Average wind speed in Kansas City during May is 3.1 m/s. The windiest Mays were 1996 and 2004 at 3.6 m/s, while the calmest was 1994 at 2.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 17.5°C | 17.3°C | 18.2°C | 18.5°C | 18.1°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg High | 23.4°C | 23.0°C | 24.2°C | 24.2°C | 23.7°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg Low | 11.7°C | 11.7°C | 12.3°C | 12.8°C | 12.5°C | +0.8°C |
| Avg Rain | 135 mm | 149 mm | 130 mm | 147 mm | 129 mm | -6 mm |
May temperatures in Kansas City have risen by about 1.8°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -1.4°C (1994) to a record high of 34.8°C (2000).
Rainfall in May is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 139 mm, with a wettest year of 301 mm.
A good time to visit Kansas City
May is a good time to visit Kansas City, with days averaging 23.7°C and nights around 12.2°C (mean 18°C, warmer than Kansas City's yearly average) and higher rainfall. September and June are marginally more temperate, but May still suits most travellers.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23.7°C | 17.7°C | 11.6°C | 29.6°C | 6.4°C | 87 mm | 72% | 2.7 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2024 | 25.2°C | 19.3°C | 13.5°C | 29.4°C | 8.3°C | 118 mm | 77% | 2.7 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2023 | 25.9°C | 19.7°C | 13.6°C | 32.1°C | 2.5°C | 76 mm | 68% | 2.4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2022 | 24.1°C | 18.7°C | 13.3°C | 31.2°C | 5.1°C | 180 mm | 78% | 3.4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2021 | 21.7°C | 16.8°C | 11.8°C | 29.0°C | 3.8°C | 165 mm | 79% | 2.8 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2020 | 21.4°C | 16.3°C | 11.3°C | 27.3°C | 1.0°C | 146 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2019 | 22.6°C | 17.6°C | 12.5°C | 29.0°C | 4.0°C | 255 mm | 84% | 3 m/s | 5 |
| 2018 🔥 | 29.0°C | 23.2°C | 17.5°C | 34.1°C | 11.2°C | 105 mm | 72% | 2.6 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2017 | 23.7°C | 17.7°C | 11.7°C | 29.4°C | 3.8°C | 104 mm | 74% | 3.2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2016 | 22.7°C | 17.0°C | 11.4°C | 28.5°C | 3.8°C | 162 mm | 77% | 2.6 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2015 | 22.9°C | 17.8°C | 12.6°C | 27.1°C | 5.6°C | 229 mm | 79% | 3.1 m/s | 5 |
| 2014 | 25.4°C | 18.9°C | 12.5°C | 31.2°C | 1.4°C | 44 mm | 69% | 3 m/s | 6 |
| 2013 | 22.8°C | 17.3°C | 11.8°C | 30.6°C | 0.7°C | 200 mm | 79% | 3.4 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2012 | 26.8°C | 20.5°C | 14.2°C | 32.3°C | 7.5°C | 81 mm | 69% | 3.3 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2011 | 22.8°C | 17.3°C | 11.8°C | 31.1°C | 1.2°C | 127 mm | 75% | 3.5 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2010 | 22.8°C | 17.5°C | 12.2°C | 29.8°C | 3.6°C | 160 mm | 78% | 2.9 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2009 | 22.8°C | 17.2°C | 11.6°C | 29.5°C | 7.2°C | 100 mm | 77% | 2.7 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2008 | 22.6°C | 16.9°C | 11.2°C | 29.3°C | 4.2°C | 128 mm | 78% | 3.5 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2007 | 24.1°C | 19.3°C | 14.5°C | 29.1°C | 6.3°C | 211 mm | 82% | 2.8 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2006 | 24.3°C | 18.4°C | 12.5°C | 33.2°C | 4.8°C | 65 mm | 70% | 3.2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2005 | 24.2°C | 17.7°C | 11.3°C | 30.2°C | -0.4°C | 98 mm | 71% | 3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2004 | 24.8°C | 19.1°C | 13.4°C | 29.9°C | 0.8°C | 158 mm | 79% | 3.6 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2003 | 24.5°C | 17.8°C | 11.2°C | 33.9°C | 6.0°C | 84 mm | 70% | 3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2002 | 22.9°C | 16.5°C | 10.2°C | 30.4°C | 3.7°C | 213 mm | 74% | 3.2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2001 | 24.3°C | 18.7°C | 13.0°C | 30.8°C | 6.3°C | 160 mm | 75% | 3.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2000 | 27.5°C | 20.8°C | 14.1°C | 34.8°C | 7.1°C | 84 mm | 64% | 3.4 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1999 | 22.7°C | 17.0°C | 11.3°C | 26.7°C | 5.6°C | 142 mm | 79% | 3.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1998 | 26.5°C | 20.5°C | 14.5°C | 32.8°C | 7.4°C | 37 mm | 78% | 2.8 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1997 | 21.8°C | 15.4°C | 8.9°C | 29.8°C | 0.9°C | 147 mm | 71% | 3.2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1996 | 24.6°C | 18.8°C | 13.1°C | 32.0°C | 4.6°C | 221 mm | 77% | 3.6 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1995 🌧️ | 20.4°C | 15.3°C | 10.2°C | 26.5°C | 2.2°C | 301 mm | 83% | 3.1 m/s | 4 |
| 1994 | 22.9°C | 16.8°C | 10.7°C | 29.5°C | -1.4°C | 53 mm | 79% | 2.2 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1993 | 21.9°C | 16.9°C | 11.9°C | 27.2°C | 5.2°C | 176 mm | 81% | 3 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1992 | 22.4°C | 16.4°C | 10.5°C | 27.4°C | 2.0°C | 42 mm | 73% | 2.7 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1991 | 25.7°C | 20.7°C | 15.8°C | 30.8°C | 3.0°C | 144 mm | 81% | 2.8 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1990 | 21.4°C | 15.6°C | 9.8°C | 29.1°C | 2.3°C | 230 mm | 79% | 3.5 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1989 | 24.1°C | 17.6°C | 11.1°C | 30.8°C | 1.7°C | 140 mm | 67% | 3.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1988 | 26.3°C | 19.4°C | 12.5°C | 30.5°C | 7.9°C | 52 mm | 65% | 3.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1987 | 24.7°C | 19.6°C | 14.6°C | 28.1°C | 8.9°C | 113 mm | 81% | 3 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1986 | 23.2°C | 18.0°C | 12.7°C | 27.4°C | 4.8°C | 132 mm | 78% | 2.6 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1985 | 23.7°C | 17.9°C | 12.1°C | 29.0°C | 6.5°C | 139 mm | 77% | 3.2 m/s | 6 |
| 1984 | 21.3°C | 15.4°C | 9.4°C | 27.2°C | 1.1°C | 72 mm | 79% | 2.9 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1983 ❄️ | 21.3°C | 15.2°C | 9.2°C | 27.2°C | 3.2°C | 116 mm | 77% | 3.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 23.4°C | 18.3°C | 13.2°C | 28.0°C | 4.6°C | 234 mm | 80% | 3.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 22.5°C | 16.3°C | 10.1°C | 27.7°C | 1.6°C | 218 mm | 70% | 3.4 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 23.7°C with lows near 12.2°C (mean 18°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 139 mm of rainfall in Kansas City, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 301 mm in 1995.
The hottest May reached 34.8°C in 2000. The coldest dipped to -1.4°C in 1994.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.8°C. Daytime highs moved from 22.4°C to 24.1°C and overnight lows from 10.8°C to 12.8°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Kansas City and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 23.7°C daytime highs and 12.2°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Kansas City, averaging 18°C.
For May in Kansas City, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 23.7°C and lows of 12.2°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 76% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 3.1 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 3.6 m/s (1996).
The wettest May on record was 1995 with 301 mm. On average, May sees 139 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 Kansas City 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.
