Stowe weather in May

May in Stowe: nice, rainy, with clean air — not the best time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Stowe🇺🇸 United States · Great Lakes & Midwest · Ski21
  1. 91Jan
  2. 87Feb
  3. 78Mar
  4. 51Apr
  5. 21May
  6. 16Jun
  7. 12Jul
  8. 18Aug
  9. 14Sep
  10. 27Oct
  11. 68Nov
  12. 83Dec

#8 of 12 months in Stowe · #1406 of 1413 destinations to visit in May · comfort 21/100 (tier F)

Days
20°C
Nights
5°C
Wet days
11
Sun
9.9 h
Humidity
72%
Daylight
15 h
Stowe, United States
Photo: Hner Zibari · Pexels

Traveller notes on Stowe in May

Stowe-forum threads on a May visit call this genuinely mud season locally, posters describing conditions capable of staying muddy right through the month depending on how the winter and spring went. Regulars call hiking trails on state land, including the Long Trail and its feeder routes, typically closed from early April through Memorial Day. Posters recommend the Stowe recreation path and the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail as real alternatives, both open to walkers and cyclists regardless of the mud closures elsewhere. Regulars call real black flies a standing nuisance near running water, a genuine annoyance though harmless. Posters describe May as still genuinely rewarding for birding and wildflowers, orioles and various spring ephemerals real highlights for anyone working around trail closures. Regulars recommend checking current trail status before planning any higher route. The record: 19.7C days feeling like 18C, 5.2C nights, 102.4mm across over 11 days and 72 percent humidity.
StoweMayRegular · May · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Stowe

Stowe-forum threads on an October visit describe peak foliage color as genuinely averaging within the first week of the month, posters naming late September through October fifteenth as the real sweet spot. Regulars call late-October arrivals genuinely too late for much color, several posters naming this the honest tradeoff though the town stays delightful with shops and restaurants open regardless. Posters call daytime conditions genuinely mild, several regulars naming highs in the fifties to sixties Fahrenheit with cooler nights as standard. Regulars call late fall genuinely its own draw beyond peak color, several threads naming quieter streets and easier bookings as real upsides. Posters recommend checking recent foliage reports before committing to exact dates, several regulars calling this standard given how fast the window can close. The record: 15.4C days, 3.7C nights, 117.2mm across nearly 11 days and 79 percent humidity.
StoweOctoberRegular · October · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Stowe-forum threads on an August visit describe the gondola as covering about ninety percent of the way up Mount Mansfield's east side, posters naming a remaining fifteen-minute stretch of steep scrambling as still required to reach the summit. Regulars call the toll road a real better option than the gondola for anyone wanting both views and a proper hike, several posters naming this the more complete way to experience the mountain. Posters call the Canyon Trail system a real highlight, several regulars naming its scrambling among the most impressive on the mountain. Regulars call riding the gondola down after hiking up genuinely available in past summers, several threads noting this policy has been uncertain since ownership changed. Posters recommend checking current gondola policy before an August hike, several regulars calling this standard given how much has shifted. The record: 25.8C days, 12.9C nights, 106.7mm across nearly 11 days and 77 percent humidity.
StoweAugustRegular · August · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Stowe-forum threads on March weather describe early-to-mid March as traditionally some of the best skiing of the entire season, base depth typically at its deepest and days noticeably longer and milder than deep winter. Posters call snow depth here often peaking in late March or even early April, a real contrast to the assumption that winter's tail end means thinning coverage. Regulars describe late March as considerably less predictable than the earlier weeks, some years staying cold and snowy while others swing warm fast. Posters call crowds through March noticeably smaller than the holiday peak, a genuine upside for anyone flexible on timing. Regulars recommend early-to-mid March as the more dependable target over the back half of the month. Posters recommend checking a current snow report before committing to specific late-March dates. The record: 4.6C days feeling like 1C, -6.8C nights, a notably high 39.1cm of fresh accumulation and 73 percent humidity.
StoweMarchRegular · March · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Stowe-forum threads on late-September weather describe genuinely comfortable conditions, sweater weather through most of the day with a real jacket useful once evening sets in. Posters are direct mid-September generally runs too early for meaningful color, the classic Vermont display typically not building until the very end of the month, peak color more reliably landing in the first week of October. Regulars call September the strongest month for hiking specifically, cooler than peak summer, trails noticeably drier, fewer bugs, and none of the risk of an early system that can complicate an October trip. Posters recommend checking a current foliage report rather than assuming based on the calendar, since exact timing shifts meaningfully year to year. Regulars call the combination of good hiking weather and thinning crowds a genuine sweet spot before the peak-color rush. The record: 22.3C days feeling like 21C, 9C nights, 78 percent humidity and 12.7 hours of daylight.
StoweSeptemberRegular · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Stowe climate normals — May

Daytime high20°C / 67°F😎 nice
Nighttime low5°C / 41°F
Feels like (high)18°C / 64°F
Rainfall102 mm / 4 in🌧 rainy
Rainy days11 days
Humidity72%💧 humid
Dew point6°C / 43°F
Sunshine9.9 h/day
Daylight14.8 h
Wind15 km/h / 9 mph
Snowfall0.9 cm / 0.4 in
Air quality (US AQI)38🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Stowe in May

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

Shoulder seasonan ordinary month(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Stowe's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Fair weatherStowe's weather peaks December–February, best around January.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Stowe in May

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Closure

    Mud season

    10 Apr – 20 May · usually

    Between the last lift and the dry trails, the dirt roads turn to soup and a fair share of the village shuts for a few weeks. Rooms are cheaper than at any other point in the year. Source ↗

  • Opening

    Mount Mansfield summer season

    25 May – 15 Oct · usuallyTrail season

    The auto toll road and the gondola up the state's highest peak run from late spring to mid-October, which is also the window for the ridge trail across the alpine tundra on top. Source ↗

  • Closure

    Smugglers' Notch road closed

    20 Oct – 20 May · usually

    Route 108 squeezes between boulders over the notch and closes for the winter once the snow comes, usually not reopening until late May. The detour round to Jeffersonville is over an hour. Source ↗

What's on around the world in May →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Stowe — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Stowe?

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Stowe in May — FAQ

Is May a good time to visit Stowe?
May in Stowe: nice, rainy, with clean air — not the best time to visit. It ranks #8 of 12 months for Stowe on SeasonMap's comfort score (21/100).
What is the weather like in Stowe in May?
In May, Stowe averages a daily high of 19.7°C and a low of 5.2°C, with about 102.4 mm of rain over roughly 11.2 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Stowe in May?
Stowe has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 38 in May.

Within 300 km: Ottawa's Canadian Tulip Festival around 8–20 May, and Boston's Whales on Stellwagen Bank around 15 Apr – 20 Oct.