Bethel weather in May: Bethel, Alaska: normal highs, lows, rain and records for May
Bethel in May has a normal high of 52°F and a normal low of 34°F, a daily mean of 43°F, rising from 46°F on the 1st to 57°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 12 days in a normal May, 1.21 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 11°C and low of 1°C, 31 mm of precipitation and 5 cm of snow in May.
- NOAA stationBethel Airport
- Station IDUSW00026615
- Location60.78°N 161.83°W
- Elevation102 ft (31 m)
- Population6,335
- Jan 13° 1°
- Feb 20° 7°
- Mar 22° 7°
- Apr 37° 21°
- May 52° 34°
- Jun 62° 45°
- Jul 64° 49°
- Aug 61° 47°
- Sep 53° 39°
- Oct 38° 26°
- Nov 24° 13°
- Dec 16° 4°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Bethel in May?
The normal high is 52°F and the normal low 34°F, for a daily mean of 43.0°F. May is 14.0°F warmer than April and 10.3°F cooler than June. May is the 5th warmest month of the year in Bethel and the 7th wettest. Across the month the normal high rises 11°F, from 46°F on May 1 to 57°F on May 31. From one year to the next May's mean temperature typically moves about 3.8°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Mays in three average between 39°F and 47°F.
Bars above: each day's normal high to low. Columns below: the chance of 0.01 inch or more of precipitation that day, on a scale of 0 to 100% (highest 40%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1 | 46°F | 30°F | 35% | 11% |
| May 8 | 49°F | 32°F | 36% | 12% |
| May 15 | 52°F | 34°F | 38% | 13% |
| May 22 | 54°F | 36°F | 39% | 14% |
| May 31 | 57°F | 39°F | 40% | 16% |
Every day of May: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon May 31, coldest night May 1)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1 | 46°F | 30°F | 35% | 11% | 16 h |
| May 2 | 47°F | 30°F | 35% | 11% | 16 h 10 min |
| May 3 | 47°F | 31°F | 35% | 11% | 16 h 10 min |
| May 4 | 48°F | 31°F | 35% | 11% | 16 h 20 min |
| May 5 | 48°F | 31°F | 36% | 12% | 16 h 20 min |
| May 6 | 49°F | 32°F | 36% | 12% | 16 h 30 min |
| May 7 | 49°F | 32°F | 36% | 12% | 16 h 30 min |
| May 8 | 49°F | 32°F | 36% | 12% | 16 h 40 min |
| May 9 | 50°F | 32°F | 37% | 12% | 16 h 50 min |
| May 10 | 50°F | 33°F | 37% | 12% | 16 h 50 min |
| May 11 | 50°F | 33°F | 37% | 12% | 17 h |
| May 12 | 51°F | 33°F | 37% | 13% | 17 h |
| May 13 | 51°F | 33°F | 38% | 13% | 17 h 10 min |
| May 14 | 51°F | 34°F | 38% | 13% | 17 h 10 min |
| May 15 | 52°F | 34°F | 38% | 13% | 17 h 20 min |
| May 16 | 52°F | 34°F | 38% | 13% | 17 h 20 min |
| May 17 | 52°F | 34°F | 38% | 13% | 17 h 30 min |
| May 18 | 53°F | 35°F | 39% | 13% | 17 h 30 min |
| May 19 | 53°F | 35°F | 39% | 14% | 17 h 40 min |
| May 20 | 53°F | 35°F | 39% | 14% | 17 h 40 min |
| May 21 | 54°F | 35°F | 39% | 14% | 17 h 40 min |
| May 22 | 54°F | 36°F | 39% | 14% | 17 h 50 min |
| May 23 | 54°F | 36°F | 39% | 14% | 17 h 50 min |
| May 24 | 55°F | 36°F | 39% | 14% | 18 h |
| May 25 | 55°F | 37°F | 40% | 15% | 18 h |
| May 26 | 55°F | 37°F | 40% | 15% | 18 h 10 min |
| May 27 | 56°F | 37°F | 40% | 15% | 18 h 10 min |
| May 28 | 56°F | 38°F | 40% | 15% | 18 h 20 min |
| May 29 | 57°F | 38°F | 40% | 15% | 18 h 20 min |
| May 30 | 57°F | 38°F | 40% | 16% | 18 h 20 min |
| May 31 | 57°F | 39°F | 40% | 16% | 18 h 30 min |
- Normal high
- 52°FMay average
- Normal low
- 34°FMay average
- Precipitation
- 1.21 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 120.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 1.9 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 13
- Daylight
- 16 h to 18 h 30 minMay 1 to May 31
- Days at 70°F or more
- 1
- Sunshine
- 67%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00026615; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Bethel in May?
On a given May day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 38% on average, highest around May 31 (40%). In all, 1.21 in falls on 12 days of a normal May.
In a normal May in Bethel, 13 nights fall to freezing, 1 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 1.9 inches.
Snow falls on 3 days in a normal May, and an inch or more covers the ground on 1 day.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00026615.
How humid and windy is Bethel in May?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 57°F with 50% relative humidity and a dew point of 39°F; at 6 a.m. it is 42°F with 90% humidity. The wind averages 10.2 mph, most often from the south-southwest in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 42°F | 39°F | 90% | 7.8 mph | – |
| 9 a.m. | 48°F | 40°F | 73% | 10.0 mph | 11% |
| noon | 54°F | 39°F | 57% | 10.9 mph | 14% |
| 3 p.m. | 57°F | 39°F | 50% | 11.9 mph | 11% |
| 6 p.m. | 57°F | 39°F | 51% | 12.4 mph | 26% |
| 9 p.m. | 54°F | 40°F | 59% | 11.2 mph | 27% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00026615. Hourly normals exist only for NOAA's first-order stations; a dash where NOAA publishes no value for that hour (the sky at some hours).
What are the records for May in Bethel?
The warmest May temperature on Bethel's official record (since 1923) is 80°F, on May 31, 1993; the coldest is −5°F, on May 2, 1949. The wettest May brought 3.63 in (2002); the snowiest, 7.7 inches (1998).
The May mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 43.0°F: 2021 45.8°F (+2.8), 2022 44.8°F (+1.8), 2023 40.7°F (−2.3), 2024 39.5°F (−3.5), 2025 42.5°F (−0.5), 2026 40.2°F (−2.8). 2 of 6 ran warmer than normal.
| May | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 45.8°F | +2.8°F | 0.46 in |
| 2022 | 44.8°F | +1.8°F | 0.36 in |
| 2023 | 40.7°F | −2.3°F | 1.51 in |
| 2024 | 39.5°F | −3.5°F | 1.14 in |
| 2025 | 42.5°F | −0.5°F | 0.90 in |
| 2026 | 40.2°F | −2.8°F | 1.09 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record BETthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00026615. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does May in Bethel compare across Alaska?
Across the 85 places PlainClimate covers in Alaska, May normal highs run from 27°F in Utqiaġvik to 65°F in Two Rivers; Bethel's is 52°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.