Clemson weather in May: Clemson, South Carolina: normal highs, lows, rain and records for May
Clemson in May has a normal high of 79°F and a normal low of 59°F, a daily mean of 69°F, rising from 76°F on the 1st to 82°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 10 days in a normal May, 3.49 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 26°C and low of 15°C, 89 mm of precipitation in May.
- NOAA stationClemson Oconee County Airport
- Station IDUSW00053850
- Location34.67°N 82.89°W
- Elevation891 ft (272 m)
- From the center4 miles
- Population18,610
- Jan 52° 34°
- Feb 56° 36°
- Mar 64° 43°
- Apr 72° 50°
- May 79° 59°
- Jun 85° 66°
- Jul 89° 70°
- Aug 87° 69°
- Sep 82° 64°
- Oct 72° 52°
- Nov 62° 42°
- Dec 54° 36°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Clemson in May?
The normal high is 79°F and the normal low 59°F, for a daily mean of 68.8°F. May is 7.9°F warmer than April and 6.9°F cooler than June. May is the 5th warmest month of the year in Clemson and the 12th wettest. Across the month the normal high rises 6°F, from 76°F on May 1 to 82°F on May 31. From one year to the next May's mean temperature typically moves about 2.6°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Mays in three average between 66°F and 71°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 35%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1 | 76°F | 54°F | 34% | 20% |
| May 8 | 77°F | 56°F | 34% | 20% |
| May 15 | 79°F | 58°F | 34% | 20% |
| May 22 | 80°F | 60°F | 35% | 20% |
| May 31 | 82°F | 63°F | 35% | 21% |
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 | 76°F | 54°F | 34% | 20% | 13 h 30 min |
| May 2 | 76°F | 54°F | 34% | 20% | 13 h 30 min |
| May 3 | 76°F | 55°F | 34% | 20% | 13 h 40 min |
| May 4 | 76°F | 55°F | 34% | 20% | 13 h 40 min |
| May 5 | 77°F | 55°F | 34% | 20% | 13 h 40 min |
| May 6 | 77°F | 56°F | 34% | 20% | 13 h 40 min |
| May 7 | 77°F | 56°F | 34% | 20% | 13 h 40 min |
| May 8 | 77°F | 56°F | 34% | 20% | 13 h 50 min |
| May 9 | 78°F | 57°F | 34% | 20% | 13 h 50 min |
| May 10 | 78°F | 57°F | 34% | 20% | 13 h 50 min |
| May 11 | 78°F | 57°F | 34% | 20% | 13 h 50 min |
| May 12 | 78°F | 57°F | 34% | 20% | 13 h 50 min |
| May 13 | 78°F | 58°F | 34% | 20% | 13 h 50 min |
| May 14 | 79°F | 58°F | 34% | 20% | 14 h |
| May 15 | 79°F | 58°F | 34% | 20% | 14 h |
| May 16 | 79°F | 59°F | 34% | 20% | 14 h |
| May 17 | 79°F | 59°F | 34% | 20% | 14 h |
| May 18 | 80°F | 59°F | 35% | 20% | 14 h |
| May 19 | 80°F | 59°F | 35% | 20% | 14 h |
| May 20 | 80°F | 60°F | 35% | 20% | 14 h |
| May 21 | 80°F | 60°F | 35% | 20% | 14 h 10 min |
| May 22 | 80°F | 60°F | 35% | 20% | 14 h 10 min |
| May 23 | 81°F | 61°F | 35% | 20% | 14 h 10 min |
| May 24 | 81°F | 61°F | 35% | 20% | 14 h 10 min |
| May 25 | 81°F | 61°F | 35% | 20% | 14 h 10 min |
| May 26 | 81°F | 61°F | 35% | 20% | 14 h 10 min |
| May 27 | 81°F | 62°F | 35% | 20% | 14 h 10 min |
| May 28 | 82°F | 62°F | 35% | 20% | 14 h 10 min |
| May 29 | 82°F | 62°F | 35% | 20% | 14 h 20 min |
| May 30 | 82°F | 62°F | 35% | 21% | 14 h 20 min |
| May 31 | 82°F | 63°F | 35% | 21% | 14 h 20 min |
- Normal high
- 79°FMay average
- Normal low
- 59°FMay average
- Precipitation
- 3.49 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 100.01 inch or more
- Days at 90°F or more
- 3
- Daylight
- 13 h 30 min to 14 h 20 minMay 1 to May 31
- Days at 70°F or more
- 28
- Days at 80°F or more
- 20
- Sunshine
- 79%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00053850; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain in Clemson in May?
On a given May day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 34% on average, highest around May 31 (35%). In all, 3.49 in falls on 10 days of a normal May, 1 of them with an inch or more.
In a normal May in Clemson, 3 days reach 90°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00053850.
What are the records for May in Clemson?
The warmest May temperature on this station's record (since 1998) is 97°F, on May 31, 2011; the coldest is 40°F, on May 9, 2020. The wettest May brought 8.09 in (2026).
The May mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 68.8°F: 2021 67.1°F (−1.7), 2022 71.7°F (+2.9), 2023 67.2°F (−1.6), 2024 70.8°F (+2.0), 2025 68.0°F (−0.8), 2026 68.5°F (−0.3). 2 of 6 ran warmer than normal.
| May | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 67.1°F | −1.7°F | 2.43 in |
| 2022 | 71.7°F | +2.9°F | 3.51 in |
| 2023 | 67.2°F | −1.6°F | 2.90 in |
| 2024 | 70.8°F | +2.0°F | 5.10 in |
| 2025 | 68.0°F | −0.8°F | 6.21 in |
| 2026 | 68.5°F | −0.3°F | 8.09 in |
Source: records: ACIS, station USW00053850; recent months: ACIS, station USW00053850. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does May in Clemson compare across South Carolina?
Across the 73 places PlainClimate covers in South Carolina, May normal highs run from 70°F in Caesars Head to 86°F in Hampton; Clemson's is 79°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.