May ranks among the wettest ever in much of eastern, southern US
Good luck cutting your grass, drying your hay and painting your house in this weather pattern for May 2025.
With rainy weather expected to soak several regions of the U.S., including the Northeast, AccuWeather’s Jon Porter shows you how the AccuLumen Brightness Index can help you prepare for gloomy weather.
If it felt like the rain just wouldn’t quit this May across the eastern and south-central United States, you’re not imagining things. A number of towns and cities have recorded their top-five wettest Mays on record with some places already notching the top spot. And more rain can fall before the month comes to a close.
Some of the locations that have experienced the wettest May on record include Jackson, Mississippi; Huntsville, Alabama; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Montgomery, Alabama; Johnstown, Pennsylvania; Providence, Rhode Island; Worcester, Massachusetts; and Lebanon, New Hampshire.
The list may continue to grow through the end of the month with more steady rain in store for locations in the Northeast and the ever-drenching thunderstorms in the Southern states into the weekend.
"The frequency and amount of rain is having a negative effect on agriculture and the construction industry," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said. "Farmers cannot cut and store wet hay, and workers cannot replace roofs during rainy weather."
"The wet conditions of May are making up for areas of dryness and drought in the Northeast during March and April," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said. "Some places have received double or more than their historical average for May in New England, as well as portions of the South."
Montgomery, Alabama, receives 3.88 inches of rain during May on average. But, this May, the city has filled up with 9.40 inches or 242% of the historical average for the entire month.
The field at Yankee Stadium is covered with a tarp during a rain delay before a baseball game between the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres, Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
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The list of issues goes beyond farmers not being able to get into their fields to plow. Mildew and fungus can become a problem. Meanwhile, construction, painting, paving and pool projects continue to face lengthy delays, and work is becoming backlogged. Hourly employees dependent on work may be furloughed. Grass-cutting operations are busy with lawns growing fast in the wet conditions, but problems arise in this industry as well, with persistent rains putting crews behind.
Downpours by way of thunderstorms will persist in the Southern states through Friday before some areas start to dry out. In the Northeast, the risk of showers will extend right through the weekend, which marks the end of May and the start of June.
The rain is hampering outdoor activities such as ball games and exercising. Those spending money and time on travel are finding that Mother Nature has other plans for their golf games or a vacation at the beach or lake.
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