May is one of the cooler months of the year in Byron Bay, with average highs near 21.7°C and lows around 19.3°C (mean 20.5°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 116 mm of rainfall and 73% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Byron Bay. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Byron Bay was 2016 — when the month averaged 21.9°C — while the coldest was 2011 at 19.4°C. Typical May days reach 21.7°C with nights near 19.3°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
May is about average for rainfall in Byron Bay, averaging 116 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1996 with 535 mm, while the driest was 2016 at 16 mm.
Relative humidity in Byron Bay during May averages 73%. The most humid May was 2022 at 79%, and the least humid was 2004 at 66%.
May receives about 3.3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Byron Bay. The sunniest May was 2006 at 3.9 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2022 at 2.4.
Average wind speed in Byron Bay during May is 5.1 m/s. The windiest May was 1996 at 6.8 m/s, while the calmest were 1982 and 2016 at 4.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 20.4°C | 20.4°C | 20.5°C | 20.6°C | 20.6°C | +0.2°C |
| Avg High | 21.5°C | 21.5°C | 21.7°C | 22.0°C | 21.8°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg Low | 19.2°C | 19.3°C | 19.2°C | 19.3°C | 19.5°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 146 mm | 178 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 88 mm | -59 mm |
May temperatures in Byron Bay have risen by about 0.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 11.5°C (1987) to a record high of 26.7°C (2016).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 116 mm, with a wettest year of 535 mm.
A good time to visit Byron Bay
May is a good time to visit Byron Bay, with days averaging 21.7°C and nights around 19.3°C (mean 20.5°C, close to Byron Bay's yearly average) and higher rainfall. November and October are marginally more temperate, but May still suits most travellers.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22.5°C | 21.4°C | 20.4°C | 25.8°C | 16.6°C | 119 mm | 76% | 5.4 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2024 | 22.1°C | 21.1°C | 20.0°C | 23.9°C | 16.4°C | 91 mm | 75% | 5.3 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2023 | 21.2°C | 19.6°C | 18.0°C | 23.6°C | 13.4°C | 66 mm | 67% | 5.1 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2022 | 22.1°C | 21.3°C | 20.5°C | 24.5°C | 16.2°C | 138 mm | 79% | 5.8 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2021 | 21.5°C | 20.2°C | 18.9°C | 24.8°C | 16.0°C | 64 mm | 74% | 4.6 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2020 | 21.3°C | 20.1°C | 18.9°C | 24.1°C | 14.0°C | 48 mm | 71% | 5.6 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2019 | 22.6°C | 21.0°C | 19.5°C | 25.2°C | 14.5°C | 31 mm | 69% | 4.7 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2018 | 22.3°C | 20.9°C | 19.5°C | 25.4°C | 15.2°C | 23 mm | 69% | 5 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2017 | 21.8°C | 20.7°C | 19.5°C | 23.7°C | 15.7°C | 52 mm | 75% | 4.2 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2016 🔥 | 23.5°C | 21.9°C | 20.2°C | 26.7°C | 15.0°C | 16 mm | 68% | 4.1 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2015 | 22.0°C | 20.6°C | 19.2°C | 24.8°C | 14.3°C | 115 mm | 73% | 5.1 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2014 | 22.1°C | 21.0°C | 19.8°C | 24.8°C | 14.2°C | 48 mm | 70% | 4.4 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2013 | 21.2°C | 20.1°C | 19.0°C | 24.6°C | 14.9°C | 134 mm | 71% | 5.3 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2012 | 21.4°C | 20.0°C | 18.7°C | 24.7°C | 15.6°C | 55 mm | 70% | 4.4 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2011 ❄️ | 20.8°C | 19.4°C | 18.0°C | 22.3°C | 14.9°C | 75 mm | 73% | 5.5 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2010 | 21.9°C | 20.7°C | 19.4°C | 25.2°C | 15.5°C | 93 mm | 72% | 5.3 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2009 | 21.3°C | 20.4°C | 19.4°C | 22.6°C | 17.1°C | 277 mm | 71% | 5.7 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2008 | 21.2°C | 19.9°C | 18.6°C | 23.5°C | 13.7°C | 68 mm | 71% | 4.9 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2007 | 22.9°C | 21.8°C | 20.8°C | 25.5°C | 18.4°C | 30 mm | 71% | 4.3 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2006 | 21.2°C | 19.9°C | 18.6°C | 24.2°C | 15.3°C | 36 mm | 67% | 4.2 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2005 | 22.0°C | 20.7°C | 19.5°C | 26.1°C | 17.4°C | 132 mm | 73% | 6.2 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2004 | 22.0°C | 20.5°C | 19.0°C | 24.1°C | 15.4°C | 20 mm | 66% | 4.4 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2003 | 21.9°C | 20.6°C | 19.4°C | 25.7°C | 16.8°C | 142 mm | 71% | 5.4 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2002 | 21.9°C | 20.5°C | 19.1°C | 24.6°C | 15.6°C | 65 mm | 70% | 5.3 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2001 | 21.5°C | 20.3°C | 19.0°C | 24.1°C | 14.7°C | 106 mm | 73% | 5.4 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2000 | 21.5°C | 20.2°C | 19.0°C | 24.7°C | 11.7°C | 60 mm | 74% | 5.9 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1999 | 21.6°C | 20.6°C | 19.6°C | 24.7°C | 17.8°C | 145 mm | 77% | 5.8 m/s | 3 |
| 1998 | 22.9°C | 21.4°C | 20.0°C | 25.3°C | 16.3°C | 116 mm | 72% | 4.6 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1997 | 21.5°C | 20.4°C | 19.2°C | 23.3°C | 15.5°C | 157 mm | 78% | 6.1 m/s | 3 |
| 1996 🌧️ | 21.6°C | 20.6°C | 19.7°C | 24.3°C | 17.1°C | 535 mm | 76% | 6.8 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1995 | 21.5°C | 20.5°C | 19.4°C | 24.4°C | 15.4°C | 113 mm | 75% | 5.4 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1994 | 21.2°C | 19.8°C | 18.4°C | 24.1°C | 15.0°C | 141 mm | 69% | 4.7 m/s | 3.7 |
| 1993 | 21.5°C | 20.6°C | 19.7°C | 24.1°C | 17.9°C | 56 mm | 74% | 5 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1992 | 20.9°C | 19.8°C | 18.8°C | 23.5°C | 15.2°C | 114 mm | 77% | 4.9 m/s | 3 |
| 1991 | 21.1°C | 20.3°C | 19.4°C | 24.8°C | 17.6°C | 164 mm | 76% | 5.5 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1990 | 21.6°C | 20.4°C | 19.2°C | 24.1°C | 14.8°C | 239 mm | 78% | 4.7 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1989 | 21.9°C | 21.1°C | 20.4°C | 23.5°C | 17.0°C | 165 mm | 76% | 5.2 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1988 | 21.6°C | 20.3°C | 19.1°C | 23.3°C | 15.5°C | 25 mm | 74% | 5.2 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1987 | 21.4°C | 20.1°C | 18.8°C | 23.8°C | 11.5°C | 263 mm | 76% | 5.1 m/s | 3 |
| 1986 | 21.9°C | 20.6°C | 19.2°C | 24.7°C | 16.0°C | 139 mm | 75% | 5.7 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1985 | 21.2°C | 20.2°C | 19.2°C | 25.0°C | 14.3°C | 196 mm | 76% | 6.2 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1984 | 20.7°C | 19.6°C | 18.5°C | 22.0°C | 15.0°C | 79 mm | 70% | 4.3 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1983 | 21.7°C | 20.6°C | 19.4°C | 23.3°C | 15.2°C | 222 mm | 74% | 5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 22.0°C | 20.7°C | 19.5°C | 23.8°C | 16.4°C | 94 mm | 67% | 4.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 21.3°C | 20.0°C | 18.7°C | 24.6°C | 16.0°C | 133 mm | 71% | 5.8 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 21.7°C with lows near 19.3°C (mean 20.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 116 mm of rainfall in Byron Bay, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 535 mm in 1996.
The hottest May reached 26.7°C in 2016. The coldest dipped to 11.5°C in 1987.
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 21.4°C to 21.9°C and overnight lows from 19.1°C to 19.6°C over the same span.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Byron Bay and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 21.7°C daytime highs and 19.3°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 5th coolest month in Byron Bay, averaging 20.5°C.
For May in Byron Bay, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 21.7°C and lows of 19.3°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 73% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in May is 5.1 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 6.8 m/s (1996).
The wettest May on record was 1996 with 535 mm. On average, May sees 116 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 Byron Bay 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.
