Places › Rapid City, SD › May
Rapid City in May
One of the best months — score 88 of 100
Typical May days in Rapid City reach about 66°F with nights near 42°F; rain is frequent — about 13 days see some rain, usually in showers.
Avg high
66°F
1991–2020 normal
Avg low
42°F
1991–2020 normal
Rain total
3.45 in
in a typical May
Rain days
13
days with at least 0.01 in
Daylight
14h 44m
at mid-May, computed
Snowfall
1.5 in
in a typical May
What to pack for Rapid City in May
- A warm jacket for evenings and early starts.
- Layers — afternoons run about 25° warmer than mornings.
- A waterproof shell — rain falls on about 13 days in a typical May.
- Warm, waterproof boots for slush and snow days.
Every packing line is triggered by a number on this page — the rules are on How we pick.
May vs. the alternatives
The whole year in Rapid City
JAN
36°F
Rain 6 days
Daylight 9h 13mFEB
38°F
Rain 7 days
Daylight 10h 23mMAR
48°F
Rain 7 days
Daylight 11h 47mAPR
57°F
Rain 10 days
Daylight 13h 23mMAY
66°F
Rain 13 days
Daylight 14h 44mJUN
78°F
Rain 12 days
Daylight 15h 28mJUL
86°F
Rain 10 days
Daylight 15h 11mAUG
85°F
Rain 8 days
Daylight 14h 00mSEP
76°F
★ Best
Rain 7 days
Daylight 12h 27mOCT
60°F
Rain 7 days
Daylight 10h 55mNOV
47°F
Rain 5 days
Daylight 9h 34mDEC
37°F
Rain 5 days
Daylight 8h 54m
36°F
Rain 6 days
Daylight 9h 13mFEB
38°F
Rain 7 days
Daylight 10h 23mMAR
48°F
Rain 7 days
Daylight 11h 47mAPR
57°F
Rain 10 days
Daylight 13h 23mMAY
66°F
Rain 13 days
Daylight 14h 44mJUN
78°F
Rain 12 days
Daylight 15h 28mJUL
86°F
Rain 10 days
Daylight 15h 11mAUG
85°F
Rain 8 days
Daylight 14h 00mSEP
76°F
★ Best
Rain 7 days
Daylight 12h 27mOCT
60°F
Rain 7 days
Daylight 10h 55mNOV
47°F
Rain 5 days
Daylight 9h 34mDEC
37°F
Rain 5 days
Daylight 8h 54m
Averages are the 1991–2020 climate normals (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information) for the station named on each page. Rain days = days with at least 0.01 in of precipitation. Daylight is computed for the middle of the month.