May is one of the cooler months of the year in Parkes, with average highs near 19.1°C and lows around 7.3°C (mean 13.2°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 39 mm of rainfall and 70% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Parkes. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Parkes was 2025 — when the month averaged 15.2°C — while the coldest was 2020 at 11.3°C. Typical May days reach 19.1°C with nights near 7.3°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
May is about average for rainfall in Parkes, averaging 39 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1983 with 115 mm, while the driest was 2005 at 2 mm.
Relative humidity in Parkes during May averages 70%. The most humid May was 1990 at 85%, and the least humid was 2005 at 58%.
May receives about 3.2 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Parkes. The sunniest May was 2005 at 3.6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1995, 1998 and 2022, among others at 2.8.
Average wind speed in Parkes during May is 2.2 m/s. The windiest May was 1983 at 2.6 m/s, while the calmest was 1991 at 1.8 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 13.3°C | 13.4°C | 13.3°C | 13.0°C | 12.9°C | -0.4°C |
| Avg High | 19.1°C | 19.3°C | 19.4°C | 19.0°C | 18.6°C | -0.5°C |
| Avg Low | 7.5°C | 7.6°C | 7.1°C | 7.1°C | 7.2°C | -0.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 53 mm | 48 mm | 29 mm | 34 mm | 30 mm | -23 mm |
May temperatures in Parkes have stayed relatively stable across the record.
May has ranged from a record low of -2.3°C (1987) to a record high of 27.7°C (2005).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 39 mm, with a wettest year of 115 mm.
A good time to visit Parkes
May is a good time to visit Parkes, with days averaging 19.1°C and nights around 7.3°C (mean 13.2°C, cooler than Parkes's yearly average) and moderate rainfall. March and November 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 🔥 | 21.0°C | 15.2°C | 9.3°C | 25.5°C | 4.4°C | 35 mm | 68% | 2.1 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2024 | 19.5°C | 13.7°C | 8.0°C | 22.7°C | 1.9°C | 42 mm | 73% | 2.2 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2023 | 17.5°C | 11.4°C | 5.3°C | 23.1°C | 0.3°C | 4 mm | 70% | 2.1 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2022 | 18.4°C | 13.2°C | 7.9°C | 23.7°C | 2.2°C | 70 mm | 79% | 2.3 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2021 | 18.6°C | 12.7°C | 6.7°C | 24.5°C | -0.4°C | 18 mm | 72% | 2.1 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2020 ❄️ | 16.8°C | 11.3°C | 5.8°C | 22.0°C | 1.1°C | 10 mm | 80% | 2.4 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2019 | 19.4°C | 13.3°C | 7.3°C | 25.6°C | -0.3°C | 12 mm | 64% | 2.3 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2018 | 20.0°C | 13.7°C | 7.4°C | 27.1°C | 2.7°C | 12 mm | 62% | 2.5 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2017 | 19.1°C | 13.1°C | 7.1°C | 23.5°C | 1.7°C | 24 mm | 70% | 2.1 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2016 | 19.8°C | 13.7°C | 7.7°C | 26.4°C | -0.5°C | 45 mm | 68% | 2.4 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2015 | 18.4°C | 12.8°C | 7.2°C | 25.1°C | 0.4°C | 30 mm | 74% | 2.4 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2014 | 19.6°C | 14.1°C | 8.5°C | 25.1°C | 3.0°C | 48 mm | 74% | 2.1 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2013 | 19.5°C | 13.4°C | 7.3°C | 25.8°C | 3.5°C | 23 mm | 69% | 2.4 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2012 | 18.0°C | 11.7°C | 5.5°C | 25.3°C | 1.2°C | 47 mm | 70% | 2 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2011 | 17.3°C | 11.6°C | 5.9°C | 22.0°C | 0.8°C | 48 mm | 74% | 2.2 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2010 | 18.6°C | 12.8°C | 7.1°C | 24.9°C | 0.9°C | 55 mm | 74% | 2.1 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2009 | 19.9°C | 13.8°C | 7.7°C | 23.3°C | 3.7°C | 8 mm | 68% | 2.3 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2008 | 20.0°C | 13.5°C | 6.9°C | 23.7°C | 3.7°C | 10 mm | 66% | 2 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2007 | 20.9°C | 15.0°C | 9.1°C | 26.1°C | 2.0°C | 66 mm | 67% | 2.1 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2006 | 18.9°C | 12.0°C | 5.1°C | 23.1°C | 0.4°C | 3 mm | 61% | 1.9 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2005 | 21.4°C | 14.7°C | 7.9°C | 27.7°C | 1.8°C | 2 mm | 58% | 1.9 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2004 | 18.8°C | 12.3°C | 5.8°C | 22.5°C | -1.5°C | 46 mm | 61% | 2.2 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2003 | 20.4°C | 14.1°C | 7.8°C | 23.6°C | 1.8°C | 9 mm | 67% | 2.1 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2002 | 18.5°C | 13.1°C | 7.6°C | 25.1°C | 2.3°C | 39 mm | 70% | 1.9 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2001 | 18.3°C | 12.4°C | 6.4°C | 24.3°C | 2.0°C | 25 mm | 72% | 1.9 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2000 | 17.3°C | 12.1°C | 6.9°C | 26.1°C | 1.5°C | 81 mm | 78% | 2.4 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1999 | 20.5°C | 14.1°C | 7.7°C | 23.6°C | -0.4°C | 13 mm | 69% | 1.9 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1998 | 18.2°C | 12.6°C | 7.1°C | 22.9°C | 0.8°C | 59 mm | 75% | 2.1 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1997 | 19.8°C | 14.0°C | 8.3°C | 26.9°C | 0.0°C | 50 mm | 69% | 2.2 m/s | 3 |
| 1996 | 19.9°C | 13.8°C | 7.8°C | 25.3°C | 2.0°C | 55 mm | 73% | 2.2 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1995 | 18.3°C | 13.2°C | 8.1°C | 25.0°C | 2.9°C | 112 mm | 78% | 2.5 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1994 | 19.7°C | 13.1°C | 6.5°C | 26.2°C | 1.1°C | 11 mm | 62% | 2.2 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1993 | 19.7°C | 13.6°C | 7.5°C | 24.9°C | 1.5°C | 57 mm | 65% | 1.9 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1992 | 18.8°C | 13.0°C | 7.3°C | 24.9°C | 2.0°C | 21 mm | 72% | 1.9 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1991 | 20.4°C | 14.3°C | 8.1°C | 25.4°C | 3.3°C | 37 mm | 65% | 1.8 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1990 | 17.5°C | 12.4°C | 7.4°C | 22.5°C | 1.4°C | 62 mm | 85% | 2 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1989 | 18.6°C | 14.1°C | 9.6°C | 22.6°C | 2.3°C | 90 mm | 84% | 2.3 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1988 | 19.5°C | 13.9°C | 8.3°C | 26.2°C | 3.3°C | 40 mm | 75% | 2.1 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1987 | 18.4°C | 12.4°C | 6.5°C | 25.1°C | -2.3°C | 57 mm | 73% | 2.3 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1986 | 20.0°C | 13.8°C | 7.5°C | 24.2°C | 1.8°C | 36 mm | 67% | 2.2 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1985 | 19.4°C | 13.3°C | 7.2°C | 25.2°C | 1.6°C | 35 mm | 71% | 2.3 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1984 | 19.1°C | 12.9°C | 6.7°C | 24.5°C | 2.0°C | 11 mm | 68% | 2 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1983 🌧️ | 18.4°C | 13.3°C | 8.1°C | 22.7°C | 2.8°C | 115 mm | 78% | 2.6 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 18.9°C | 12.5°C | 6.0°C | 24.0°C | -1.3°C | 11 mm | 63% | 2.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 19.3°C | 13.4°C | 7.5°C | 25.2°C | 1.6°C | 79 mm | 69% | 2.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 19.1°C with lows near 7.3°C (mean 13.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 39 mm of rainfall in Parkes, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 115 mm in 1983.
The hottest May reached 27.7°C in 2005. The coldest dipped to -2.3°C in 1987.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 0.1°C. Daytime highs moved from 19°C to 19°C and overnight lows from 7.1°C to 7.4°C over the same span.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Parkes and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 19.1°C daytime highs and 7.3°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 5th coolest month in Parkes, averaging 13.2°C.
For May in Parkes, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 19.1°C and lows of 7.3°C.
Relative humidity in May averages 70% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in May is 2.2 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 2.6 m/s (1983).
The wettest May on record was 1983 with 115 mm. On average, May sees 39 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 Parkes 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.
