Illinois · United States
Chicago in May
In May, Chicago averages a daytime high of 22 °C and a night-time low of 10 °C, with about 104 mm of rain over the month. Chicago has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here.
- Average high
- 22 °C
- Average low
- 10 °C
- Rain in the month
- 104 mm
- Daylight on 15 May
- 14 h 30 min
- Comfortable month
- No
- Places to stay
- 73
When to go
How May compares with the rest of the year in Chicago
May is the 5th warmest month in Chicago by average daytime high; across the year the highs run from 0 °C to 29 °C and the lows from -8 °C to 18 °C. By day, May is 6 °C warmer than April, and June is 5 °C warmer than May.
May brings 104 mm of rain, more than the monthly average of 82 mm (989 mm a year); it is the 3rd wettest month.
On 15 May the sun is up for about 14 h 30 min, against 9 h 10 min at the shortest and 15 h 10 min at the longest point of the year (calculated from the latitude, sunrise to sunset).
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0 °C | -8 °C | 57 mm | |
| February | 2 °C | -7 °C | 48 mm | |
| March | 9 °C | -1 °C | 64 mm | |
| April | 15 °C | 4 °C | 106 mm | |
| May | 22 °C | 10 °C | 104 mm | |
| June | 27 °C | 15 °C | 116 mm | |
| July | 29 °C | 18 °C | 102 mm | |
| August | 28 °C | 17 °C | 101 mm | |
| September | 24 °C | 13 °C | 82 mm | |
| October | 17 °C | 7 °C | 86 mm | |
| November | 9 °C | 0 °C | 68 mm | |
| December | 3 °C | -5 °C | 55 mm |
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
When to go
Is May a good time to visit Chicago?
Not by the measure used here: about 104 mm of rain is 80 mm or more. No month in Chicago meets it.
The measure is about weather for a city stay only; it says nothing about events, school holidays or prices.
Public holidays in United States in May
Nationwide public holidays; shops and offices may close on these dates.
Where to stay
Where to stay in Chicago
This guide lists 73 places to stay in Chicago, hotels recorded in Wikidata. By straight-line distance from the centre: under 1 km, 42; 1–3 km, 18; 3–10 km, 13.
Sources: climate from CRU TS v4.10 (Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia; Open Database License), 1991–2020 averages; day length calculated from the latitude; public holidays from python-holidays (MIT); places to stay from each operator's own public pages and Wikidata. How this guide is made.