May is one of the cooler months of the year in Nowra, with average highs near 18.3°C and lows around 12.2°C (mean 15.3°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 88 mm of rainfall and 75% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Nowra. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Nowra was 2016 — when the month averaged 17.1°C — while the coldest were 1984, 2011 and 2012 at 14°C. Typical May days reach 18.3°C with nights near 12.2°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
May is about average for rainfall in Nowra, averaging 88 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2003 with 277 mm, while the driest was 2019 at 6 mm.
Relative humidity in Nowra during May averages 75%. The most humid May was 1989 at 86%, and the least humid was 1982 at 63%.
May receives about 2.9 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Nowra. The sunniest May was 2012 at 3.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1989 and 1995 at 2.5.
Average wind speed in Nowra during May is 1.7 m/s. The windiest Mays were 2015, 2020 and 2023, among others at 1.9 m/s, while the calmest were 1991 and 2008 at 1.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 15.0°C | 15.3°C | 15.4°C | 15.5°C | 15.2°C | +0.2°C |
| Avg High | 17.9°C | 18.1°C | 18.6°C | 18.8°C | 18.0°C | +0.1°C |
| Avg Low | 12.1°C | 12.4°C | 12.3°C | 12.1°C | 12.4°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 108 mm | 112 mm | 79 mm | 54 mm | 90 mm | -18 mm |
May temperatures in Nowra have risen by about 0.6°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 6°C (1987) to a record high of 25.8°C (2018).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 88 mm, with a wettest year of 277 mm.
A quieter season to visit Nowra
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of January and February tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Nowra. That said, May — with days averaging 18.3°C and nights around 12.2°C (mean 15.3°C) and higher rainfall (88 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 | 19.0°C | 16.3°C | 13.6°C | 24.1°C | 9.4°C | 131 mm | 78% | 1.7 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2024 | 17.6°C | 15.2°C | 12.8°C | 20.3°C | 8.9°C | 148 mm | 82% | 1.6 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2023 | 17.9°C | 14.4°C | 11.0°C | 20.9°C | 6.8°C | 23 mm | 71% | 1.9 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2022 | 18.0°C | 15.6°C | 13.1°C | 22.7°C | 7.9°C | 85 mm | 81% | 1.6 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2021 | 18.0°C | 15.1°C | 12.2°C | 23.9°C | 7.7°C | 105 mm | 77% | 1.6 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2020 | 17.7°C | 14.7°C | 11.7°C | 23.5°C | 7.9°C | 50 mm | 74% | 1.9 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2019 | 20.3°C | 16.4°C | 12.5°C | 25.5°C | 8.0°C | 6 mm | 67% | 1.7 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2018 | 19.8°C | 15.8°C | 11.8°C | 25.8°C | 9.1°C | 12 mm | 65% | 1.7 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2017 | 18.7°C | 15.3°C | 12.0°C | 22.2°C | 7.7°C | 23 mm | 74% | 1.6 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2016 🔥 | 21.0°C | 17.1°C | 13.2°C | 25.4°C | 7.8°C | 49 mm | 63% | 1.8 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2015 | 17.4°C | 14.7°C | 12.0°C | 21.8°C | 8.0°C | 63 mm | 77% | 1.9 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2014 | 19.6°C | 16.4°C | 13.2°C | 24.5°C | 9.2°C | 35 mm | 73% | 1.6 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2013 | 18.1°C | 15.1°C | 12.0°C | 21.8°C | 8.8°C | 99 mm | 75% | 1.6 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2012 | 17.4°C | 14.0°C | 10.5°C | 22.2°C | 8.5°C | 19 mm | 76% | 1.6 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2011 | 17.1°C | 14.0°C | 10.9°C | 21.8°C | 7.4°C | 82 mm | 74% | 1.8 m/s | 3 |
| 2010 | 18.8°C | 15.8°C | 12.8°C | 24.5°C | 9.9°C | 148 mm | 75% | 1.7 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2009 | 18.7°C | 15.8°C | 13.0°C | 21.9°C | 9.9°C | 55 mm | 72% | 1.7 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2008 | 19.1°C | 15.2°C | 11.4°C | 22.0°C | 8.9°C | 10 mm | 70% | 1.4 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2007 | 20.6°C | 16.8°C | 13.0°C | 23.8°C | 7.9°C | 18 mm | 71% | 1.6 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2006 | 18.1°C | 14.7°C | 11.4°C | 23.1°C | 8.1°C | 78 mm | 72% | 1.7 m/s | 3 |
| 2005 | 18.7°C | 15.6°C | 12.6°C | 24.1°C | 9.2°C | 103 mm | 74% | 1.7 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2004 | 18.8°C | 15.3°C | 11.8°C | 21.9°C | 7.8°C | 44 mm | 68% | 1.9 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2003 🌧️ | 17.8°C | 15.5°C | 13.3°C | 21.8°C | 8.7°C | 277 mm | 80% | 1.8 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2002 | 18.1°C | 15.1°C | 12.2°C | 24.2°C | 8.7°C | 87 mm | 76% | 1.7 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2001 | 17.8°C | 15.0°C | 12.3°C | 23.1°C | 9.3°C | 78 mm | 76% | 1.8 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2000 | 18.3°C | 15.0°C | 11.7°C | 22.7°C | 7.1°C | 38 mm | 73% | 1.8 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1999 | 19.5°C | 16.1°C | 12.6°C | 21.9°C | 6.9°C | 24 mm | 75% | 1.5 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1998 | 17.8°C | 15.3°C | 12.9°C | 20.9°C | 7.9°C | 172 mm | 78% | 1.9 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1997 | 18.4°C | 15.8°C | 13.1°C | 24.4°C | 8.9°C | 110 mm | 78% | 1.8 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1996 | 18.0°C | 15.4°C | 12.7°C | 22.9°C | 8.1°C | 115 mm | 78% | 1.6 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1995 | 17.6°C | 15.2°C | 12.7°C | 24.3°C | 8.9°C | 211 mm | 81% | 1.8 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1994 | 17.5°C | 14.4°C | 11.3°C | 23.0°C | 7.7°C | 51 mm | 71% | 1.7 m/s | 3 |
| 1993 | 19.0°C | 15.5°C | 12.0°C | 24.0°C | 9.2°C | 44 mm | 72% | 1.5 m/s | 3 |
| 1992 | 17.3°C | 14.6°C | 12.0°C | 22.3°C | 7.8°C | 93 mm | 81% | 1.5 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1991 | 18.0°C | 15.0°C | 11.9°C | 24.3°C | 9.3°C | 94 mm | 78% | 1.4 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1990 | 17.8°C | 15.2°C | 12.6°C | 22.5°C | 8.7°C | 207 mm | 83% | 1.6 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1989 | 17.9°C | 15.9°C | 13.9°C | 21.9°C | 7.8°C | 187 mm | 86% | 1.6 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1988 | 17.8°C | 15.3°C | 12.9°C | 22.1°C | 9.8°C | 83 mm | 83% | 1.5 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1987 | 18.1°C | 15.0°C | 11.9°C | 23.3°C | 6.0°C | 80 mm | 75% | 1.6 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1986 | 18.2°C | 15.1°C | 12.0°C | 22.3°C | 8.6°C | 36 mm | 76% | 1.5 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1985 | 17.3°C | 14.8°C | 12.2°C | 22.7°C | 7.6°C | 142 mm | 83% | 1.6 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1984 ❄️ | 16.8°C | 14.0°C | 11.1°C | 21.0°C | 7.9°C | 94 mm | 83% | 1.5 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1983 | 17.3°C | 14.7°C | 12.0°C | 20.1°C | 8.7°C | 204 mm | 82% | 1.7 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 19.5°C | 15.2°C | 10.9°C | 23.5°C | 6.6°C | 8 mm | 63% | 1.5 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 18.1°C | 15.0°C | 11.8°C | 22.8°C | 7.7°C | 138 mm | 76% | 1.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 18.3°C with lows near 12.2°C (mean 15.3°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 88 mm of rainfall in Nowra, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 277 mm in 2003.
The hottest May reached 25.8°C in 2018. The coldest dipped to 6°C in 1987.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 0.6°C. Daytime highs moved from 17.8°C to 18.1°C and overnight lows from 11.6°C to 12.5°C over the same span.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Nowra and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 18.3°C daytime highs and 12.2°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 5th coolest month in Nowra, averaging 15.3°C.
For May in Nowra, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 18.3°C and lows of 12.2°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 75% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 1.7 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 1.9 m/s (1998).
The wettest May on record was 2003 with 277 mm. On average, May sees 88 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 Nowra 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.
