Last month brought the usual May flowers to Mount Airy, and some weather extremes to boot.

Not only did the high temperature on the last day of May break a record, but rainfall totals greatly exceeded the local average for the fifth month of the year, according to a monthly weather breakdown from F.G. Doggett Water Plant.

The 96-degree reading for May 31 broke a local record of 95 set in 1953. Weather statistics have been kept in Mount Airy since 1924. The high for this past May 31 originally was reported as 97, but later amended to 96, still a record-breaker.

But the mercury also made a mark at the other end of the temperature scale during a cold snap in early May which produced the monthly low of 35 degrees on May 5. Overall, last month’s average temperature was slightly below normal, according to the report from the city’s official weather-monitoring station.

Meanwhile, precipitation totaled 6.36 inches last month, dwarfing the local average for May of 4.12 inches. In all, rain fell on 16 of May’s 31 days, with the maximum of 1.42 inches logged on May 4.

May’s output pushed the total for 2011 to 20.76 inches, which is 2.01 inches — or 10.7 percent — above normal for the year.

Fog was noted on eight days last month.