May is one of the cooler months of the year in Armidale, with average highs near 16.2°C and lows around 6°C (mean 11.1°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 54 mm of rainfall and 79% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Armidale. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Armidale was 2016 — when the month averaged 13.2°C — while the coldest was 2011 at 9.5°C. Typical May days reach 16.2°C with nights near 6°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
May is one of the drier months in Armidale, averaging 54 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1996 with 196 mm, while the driest was 2006 at 1 mm.
Relative humidity in Armidale during May averages 79%. The most humid May was 1989 at 90%, and the least humid was 2004 at 64%.
May receives about 3.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Armidale. The sunniest May was 2006 at 4.1 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2022 at 2.9.
Average wind speed in Armidale during May is 1.8 m/s. The windiest Mays were 1981 and 2000 at 2.3 m/s, while the calmest were 2006, 2017 and 2021, among others at 1.5 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 11.0°C | 11.4°C | 11.0°C | 11.2°C | 10.9°C | -0.1°C |
| Avg High | 15.8°C | 16.2°C | 16.4°C | 16.7°C | 15.6°C | -0.2°C |
| Avg Low | 6.2°C | 6.6°C | 5.6°C | 5.7°C | 6.3°C | +0.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 69 mm | 73 mm | 43 mm | 41 mm | 38 mm | -31 mm |
May temperatures in Armidale have risen by about 0.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -4.5°C (2019) to a record high of 24.1°C (2016).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 54 mm, with a wettest year of 196 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.1°C per decade while lows fell 0.1°C per decade, widening the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Armidale
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of January and February tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Armidale. That said, May — with days averaging 16.2°C and nights around 6°C (mean 11.1°C) and moderate rainfall (54 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16.1°C | 12.3°C | 8.5°C | 19.7°C | 3.1°C | 59 mm | 87% | 2.1 m/s | 3 |
| 2024 | 16.1°C | 11.7°C | 7.2°C | 19.1°C | 1.9°C | 46 mm | 85% | 1.7 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2023 | 15.9°C | 9.8°C | 3.7°C | 19.3°C | -1.2°C | 12 mm | 71% | 1.7 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2022 | 15.8°C | 11.7°C | 7.7°C | 21.4°C | 1.8°C | 51 mm | 86% | 2.2 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2021 | 15.3°C | 10.3°C | 5.3°C | 18.9°C | -1.8°C | 31 mm | 83% | 1.5 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2020 | 14.6°C | 9.8°C | 5.1°C | 18.3°C | 0.5°C | 30 mm | 84% | 2.1 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2019 | 18.1°C | 11.9°C | 5.7°C | 23.9°C | -4.5°C | 12 mm | 69% | 1.8 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2018 | 17.4°C | 11.4°C | 5.3°C | 21.6°C | 0.5°C | 8 mm | 71% | 1.8 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2017 | 16.4°C | 11.4°C | 6.5°C | 18.9°C | -0.7°C | 32 mm | 83% | 1.5 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2016 🔥 | 19.7°C | 13.2°C | 6.6°C | 24.1°C | 1.1°C | 49 mm | 65% | 2 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2015 | 15.6°C | 10.7°C | 5.9°C | 20.6°C | -1.2°C | 95 mm | 84% | 2.1 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2014 | 16.8°C | 11.4°C | 6.1°C | 21.7°C | 0.1°C | 24 mm | 79% | 1.7 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2013 | 15.8°C | 10.6°C | 5.5°C | 21.8°C | -0.5°C | 47 mm | 79% | 1.9 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2012 | 16.0°C | 10.3°C | 4.7°C | 20.3°C | -0.4°C | 23 mm | 75% | 1.6 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2011 ❄️ | 14.6°C | 9.5°C | 4.4°C | 18.5°C | -2.5°C | 64 mm | 79% | 1.8 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2010 | 16.5°C | 11.3°C | 6.1°C | 22.5°C | 0.5°C | 55 mm | 77% | 1.6 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2009 | 14.8°C | 10.9°C | 7.0°C | 18.5°C | 1.0°C | 160 mm | 85% | 2.2 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2008 | 16.5°C | 10.9°C | 5.3°C | 20.0°C | 1.1°C | 17 mm | 73% | 1.7 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2007 | 18.9°C | 13.0°C | 7.0°C | 23.6°C | 0.4°C | 29 mm | 75% | 1.6 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2006 | 16.4°C | 10.2°C | 4.0°C | 19.4°C | -1.3°C | 1 mm | 68% | 1.5 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2005 | 16.8°C | 11.3°C | 5.9°C | 21.5°C | -1.0°C | 32 mm | 74% | 1.8 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2004 | 17.6°C | 10.8°C | 4.1°C | 21.2°C | -2.5°C | 14 mm | 64% | 1.7 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2003 | 15.6°C | 11.0°C | 6.3°C | 22.2°C | 0.7°C | 45 mm | 81% | 2.1 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2002 | 16.5°C | 11.0°C | 5.5°C | 20.5°C | -0.6°C | 14 mm | 75% | 1.7 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2001 | 14.4°C | 9.9°C | 5.3°C | 18.3°C | -1.1°C | 68 mm | 83% | 1.8 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2000 | 16.2°C | 11.0°C | 5.9°C | 22.8°C | -1.5°C | 47 mm | 80% | 2.3 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1999 | 16.6°C | 12.2°C | 7.8°C | 20.2°C | 3.7°C | 37 mm | 84% | 1.9 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1998 | 16.5°C | 11.2°C | 5.9°C | 20.5°C | -0.9°C | 71 mm | 76% | 1.8 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1997 | 15.7°C | 11.3°C | 7.0°C | 20.4°C | 3.0°C | 82 mm | 85% | 1.8 m/s | 3 |
| 1996 🌧️ | 15.1°C | 11.0°C | 6.9°C | 19.8°C | 0.9°C | 196 mm | 87% | 2.1 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1995 | 16.0°C | 11.4°C | 6.8°C | 22.6°C | -1.2°C | 80 mm | 82% | 2.1 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1994 | 16.7°C | 10.8°C | 4.9°C | 21.3°C | 0.5°C | 19 mm | 67% | 1.9 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1993 | 17.4°C | 11.8°C | 6.3°C | 22.1°C | 2.3°C | 28 mm | 76% | 1.6 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1992 | 15.3°C | 10.9°C | 6.4°C | 19.4°C | 0.4°C | 36 mm | 81% | 1.6 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1991 | 16.7°C | 12.0°C | 7.2°C | 21.5°C | 3.8°C | 67 mm | 83% | 1.5 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1990 | 15.5°C | 11.2°C | 6.9°C | 19.3°C | -0.5°C | 116 mm | 86% | 1.8 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1989 | 15.5°C | 11.8°C | 8.1°C | 19.4°C | 0.6°C | 58 mm | 90% | 1.9 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1988 | 15.3°C | 10.9°C | 6.4°C | 20.1°C | 2.4°C | 35 mm | 86% | 1.8 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1987 | 15.7°C | 10.7°C | 5.7°C | 22.1°C | -2.9°C | 83 mm | 80% | 1.9 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1986 | 17.3°C | 12.1°C | 6.8°C | 20.6°C | 1.9°C | 57 mm | 77% | 1.8 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1985 | 14.9°C | 10.6°C | 6.2°C | 20.0°C | 0.3°C | 79 mm | 85% | 2.1 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1984 | 15.3°C | 10.1°C | 4.9°C | 20.9°C | 0.4°C | 30 mm | 78% | 1.5 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1983 | 14.8°C | 10.8°C | 6.8°C | 17.9°C | 1.7°C | 153 mm | 88% | 2.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 17.3°C | 10.9°C | 4.5°C | 19.8°C | -1.0°C | 15 mm | 69% | 1.6 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 15.9°C | 11.0°C | 6.1°C | 19.8°C | 0.5°C | 109 mm | 79% | 2.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 16.2°C with lows near 6°C (mean 11.1°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 54 mm of rainfall in Armidale, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 196 mm in 1996.
The hottest May reached 24.1°C in 2016. The coldest dipped to -4.5°C in 2019.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 0.5°C. Daytime highs moved from 15.6°C to 15.8°C and overnight lows from 5.7°C to 6.5°C over the same span.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Armidale and one of the drier months, so plan for around 16.2°C daytime highs and 6°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 4th coolest month in Armidale, averaging 11.1°C.
For May in Armidale, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 16.2°C and lows of 6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 79% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 1.8 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 2.3 m/s (1981).
The wettest May on record was 1996 with 196 mm. On average, May sees 54 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Armidale behaves each May, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for May specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
