May forecast: Will our rainiest month live up to it?
AUSTIN (KXAN) — As we head through the back half of April, we’re left looking at 2024 with a mixed bag of weather results. On one hand, we’re off to a wetter-than-normal start, but on the other, three out of the four first months of the year have been warmer than normal. If it weren’t for an incredibly wet January with more than six inches of rain, we’d be in a much worse spot for the year.
Now we look ahead to, perhaps, our most important month of the year, May, which is a month that could have implications on our summer and the drought.
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)
May is typically the wettest and stormiest month of the year in Central Texas and it’s usually our wettest month by a lot. No other month of the year averages more than four inches in a month, and May averages a little more than five.
May 2024 forecast
The Climate Prediction Center released its preliminary forecast for May and our odds are good for near-average rainfall in May. Wetter than normal weather is expected only for parts of Milam County and areas to our northeast.
With May already being such a wet month, getting near-normal rainfall would generally be a good thing for us.
While rainfall may end up near average in May, we look to be heading for another warmer-than-normal month. Coming off a warmer-than-normal February, March and (likely) April, May should continue that trend.
The May temperature forecast doesn’t just lean warm, the darker colors indicate that a warmer May is *likely* near and west of Austin.
Drought update
The latest drought report shows some improvements over the last week with trimming of the drought in some of our northern areas.
We’re even better off when comparing to how the drought looked 4 months ago.
Still, over the last two years, some areas are in 12-20 inch rainfall deficits that need to come to replenish our ground water and drinking supply. We can’t forget about our friends in Gillespie and Blanco Counties still dealing with Extreme (level 3 out of 4) Drought.
Severe weather season
Remember, May isn’t just typically our wettest month, but it’s typically the peak of our severe weather season and it’s second only to June for flash flooding incidents.
BLOG: Peak severe weather season is almost here in Central Texas
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