May is one of the warmer months of the year in Chattanooga, with average highs near 25.6°C and lows around 14°C (mean 19.8°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 113 mm of rainfall and 78% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Chattanooga. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Chattanooga was 2018 — when the month averaged 22.5°C — while the coldest was 1989 at 17°C. Typical May days reach 25.6°C with nights near 14°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Chattanooga, averaging 113 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2003 with 298 mm, while the driest was 2007 at 24 mm.
Relative humidity in Chattanooga during May averages 78%. The most humid May was 2009 at 85%, and the least humid was 2007 at 59%.
May receives about 5.8 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Chattanooga. The sunniest May was 2007 at 6.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2003 and 2025 at 4.9.
Average wind speed in Chattanooga during May is 0.5 m/s. The windiest Mays were 2022, 2024 and 2025, among others at 0.5 m/s, while the calmest were 2015, 2018 and 2023, among others at 0.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 19.1°C | 19.3°C | 20.0°C | 20.7°C | 19.8°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg High | 25.3°C | 25.1°C | 26.0°C | 26.3°C | 25.3°C | 0°C |
| Avg Low | 13.0°C | 13.6°C | 14.0°C | 15.0°C | 14.2°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 117 mm | 100 mm | 117 mm | 108 mm | 129 mm | +13 mm |
May temperatures in Chattanooga have risen by about 1.3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 2.6°C (1986) to a record high of 35.5°C (1996).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 113 mm, with a wettest year of 298 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.2°C per decade while lows rose 0.5°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
One of the best times to visit Chattanooga
May is one of the best times to visit Chattanooga. Expect days averaging 25.6°C and nights around 14°C (mean 19.8°C) — warmer than Chattanooga's yearly average — with higher rainfall (113 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 | 24.5°C | 19.8°C | 15.1°C | 29.2°C | 9.9°C | 218 mm | 84% | 0.5 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2024 | 26.8°C | 21.4°C | 16.0°C | 30.2°C | 10.5°C | 193 mm | 81% | 0.5 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2023 | 25.4°C | 19.7°C | 13.9°C | 30.2°C | 4.7°C | 66 mm | 79% | 0.4 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2022 | 27.3°C | 21.1°C | 14.9°C | 31.9°C | 8.9°C | 87 mm | 77% | 0.5 m/s | 6 |
| 2021 | 24.3°C | 18.5°C | 12.8°C | 30.8°C | 6.4°C | 94 mm | 77% | 0.5 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2020 | 23.7°C | 18.2°C | 12.6°C | 30.1°C | 3.4°C | 116 mm | 81% | 0.5 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2019 | 27.6°C | 22.2°C | 16.7°C | 32.0°C | 7.8°C | 97 mm | 78% | 0.5 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2018 🔥 | 27.9°C | 22.5°C | 17.2°C | 31.9°C | 7.3°C | 141 mm | 80% | 0.4 m/s | 6 |
| 2017 | 25.8°C | 20.0°C | 14.1°C | 31.2°C | 4.9°C | 175 mm | 78% | 0.5 m/s | 6 |
| 2016 | 25.2°C | 19.3°C | 13.4°C | 32.1°C | 5.2°C | 52 mm | 77% | 0.5 m/s | 6 |
| 2015 | 26.8°C | 20.9°C | 15.1°C | 30.7°C | 8.1°C | 77 mm | 77% | 0.4 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2014 | 25.9°C | 20.1°C | 14.3°C | 31.0°C | 6.0°C | 80 mm | 79% | 0.4 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2013 | 24.1°C | 18.7°C | 13.3°C | 28.6°C | 4.2°C | 169 mm | 80% | 0.5 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2012 | 27.8°C | 22.0°C | 16.1°C | 33.5°C | 8.3°C | 98 mm | 76% | 0.4 m/s | 6 |
| 2011 | 25.4°C | 19.5°C | 13.7°C | 33.7°C | 2.9°C | 51 mm | 78% | 0.5 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2010 | 26.8°C | 21.4°C | 16.0°C | 30.8°C | 7.3°C | 142 mm | 80% | 0.5 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2009 | 24.4°C | 19.6°C | 14.8°C | 28.7°C | 5.5°C | 211 mm | 85% | 0.5 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2008 | 25.6°C | 19.2°C | 12.9°C | 31.2°C | 7.6°C | 97 mm | 76% | 0.5 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2007 | 29.3°C | 21.7°C | 14.1°C | 33.6°C | 6.5°C | 24 mm | 59% | 0.5 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2006 | 25.6°C | 19.6°C | 13.7°C | 34.3°C | 7.0°C | 90 mm | 77% | 0.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2005 | 24.4°C | 18.2°C | 12.0°C | 31.5°C | 4.1°C | 53 mm | 76% | 0.4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2004 | 28.0°C | 22.0°C | 15.9°C | 32.8°C | 3.8°C | 91 mm | 74% | 0.5 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2003 🌧️ | 24.7°C | 20.0°C | 15.3°C | 28.7°C | 9.1°C | 298 mm | 84% | 0.5 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2002 | 25.2°C | 18.8°C | 12.4°C | 30.3°C | 4.0°C | 144 mm | 76% | 0.5 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2001 | 25.7°C | 19.7°C | 13.7°C | 30.3°C | 8.1°C | 105 mm | 76% | 0.5 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2000 | 27.3°C | 21.0°C | 14.7°C | 31.8°C | 8.2°C | 56 mm | 74% | 0.5 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1999 | 25.3°C | 19.0°C | 12.7°C | 27.9°C | 5.4°C | 113 mm | 78% | 0.5 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1998 | 27.2°C | 21.6°C | 15.9°C | 31.8°C | 6.8°C | 66 mm | 79% | 0.5 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1997 | 23.0°C | 17.1°C | 11.1°C | 28.3°C | 5.4°C | 156 mm | 79% | 0.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1996 | 26.6°C | 20.9°C | 15.3°C | 35.5°C | 4.3°C | 93 mm | 81% | 0.5 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1995 | 25.7°C | 19.9°C | 14.1°C | 31.0°C | 5.7°C | 96 mm | 78% | 0.5 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1994 | 23.6°C | 17.5°C | 11.5°C | 28.8°C | 6.9°C | 75 mm | 78% | 0.5 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1993 | 24.6°C | 19.1°C | 13.7°C | 30.6°C | 6.6°C | 108 mm | 80% | 0.5 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1992 | 23.9°C | 18.2°C | 12.5°C | 30.3°C | 6.3°C | 43 mm | 78% | 0.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1991 | 26.7°C | 21.7°C | 16.7°C | 31.9°C | 7.0°C | 117 mm | 83% | 0.4 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1990 | 24.2°C | 18.4°C | 12.7°C | 27.7°C | 5.4°C | 132 mm | 80% | 0.5 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1989 ❄️ | 22.7°C | 17.0°C | 11.3°C | 30.3°C | 3.5°C | 128 mm | 80% | 0.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1988 | 26.2°C | 18.9°C | 11.7°C | 33.6°C | 6.3°C | 51 mm | 66% | 0.5 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1987 | 26.8°C | 21.5°C | 16.2°C | 31.1°C | 9.2°C | 89 mm | 81% | 0.4 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1986 | 27.5°C | 20.7°C | 14.0°C | 31.5°C | 2.6°C | 88 mm | 68% | 0.5 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1985 | 25.7°C | 19.5°C | 13.2°C | 31.9°C | 7.8°C | 97 mm | 76% | 0.5 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1984 | 23.7°C | 17.8°C | 12.0°C | 28.2°C | 5.2°C | 216 mm | 81% | 0.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1983 | 23.5°C | 17.8°C | 12.0°C | 26.5°C | 6.0°C | 194 mm | 81% | 0.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 26.5°C | 20.8°C | 15.0°C | 29.8°C | 7.0°C | 72 mm | 78% | 0.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 25.0°C | 18.3°C | 11.5°C | 31.0°C | 5.5°C | 115 mm | 71% | 0.5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 25.6°C with lows near 14°C (mean 19.8°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 113 mm of rainfall in Chattanooga, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 298 mm in 2003.
The hottest May reached 35.5°C in 1996. The coldest dipped to 2.6°C in 1986.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.3°C. Daytime highs moved from 24.9°C to 25.7°C and overnight lows from 12.7°C to 14.5°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Chattanooga and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 25.6°C daytime highs and 14°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Chattanooga, averaging 19.8°C.
For May in Chattanooga, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 25.6°C and lows of 14°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 78% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 0.5 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 0.5 m/s (1981).
The wettest May on record was 2003 with 298 mm. On average, May sees 113 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 Chattanooga 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.
