Our wettest month: Will this May live up to the hype?
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- So far this spring has not brought the rains that our wettest season usually does.
By the mid-point of meteorological spring on April 15 we already had a 2"+ rainfall deficit which continues to grow.
At the same point our drought continues to expand with slight worsening in some of our eastern counties with the latest drought report.
While April looks set to end wetter-than-normal, it probably wouldn't be nearly enough to make a significant drought dent.
Before the spring rain completely shuts off and the summer heat takes over, May can serve as the difference maker to determine how we set ourselves up for summer.
The last few Mays in Austin
Average May rainfall in Austin is 5.04," but May rainfall rarely sticks to average with totals all over the place.
Just the last few years we've had three wetter than normal Mays and two drier than normal Mays. May 2022 was exceptionally dry with barely over 2 inches of rain.
But were those Mays our wettest month of their respective years? Most of the time...yes!
- May 2024: Wettest month of the year
- May 2023: 2nd wettest month of the year
- May 2022: 7th wettest month of the year
- May 2021: Wettest month of the year
- May 2020: Wettest month of the year
So what about this May?
May 2025 preliminary forecast
On Thursday the Climate Prediction Center released their preliminary forecast for May. They'll issue their final look on April 30.
This first take isn't great news for Central Texas, but it's not terrible news either. For our wettest month of the year is expected to generally be near average for rainfall. Wetter weather is favored to our northeast and drier weather is more likely to our west.
From a temperature perspective we'll be looking at yet another warmer-than-average month statewide.
What’s normal for May in Austin?
- Average High: 86.9º
- May 1 Average High: 83º
- May 31 Average High: 91º
- Average Low: 66.8º
- May 1 Average Low: 63º
- May 30 Average Low: 71º
- Average Rain: 5.04″ (Wettest month on average)
Severe weather season peaks in May
While rainfall and incidents of flash flooding usually peaks in May, so does our severe weather season. Incidents of hail, damaging wind and tornadoes all reach their maximum in May.
According to NWS historical data, we can get very specific about the severe weather history within the NWS Austin/San Antonio New Braunfels Radar coverage area:
- Severe weather is most common 5pm-9pm
- Severe weather primary season: February 22-June 27
- Average peak date of severe weather season: May 10