May is one of the cooler months of the year in Alice Springs, with average highs near 24.1°C and lows around 9.8°C (mean 17°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 16 mm of rainfall and 44% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Alice Springs. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Alice Springs was 2007 — when the month averaged 19.6°C — while the coldest was 2000 at 12.3°C. Typical May days reach 24.1°C with nights near 9.8°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
May is about average for rainfall in Alice Springs, averaging 16 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2004 with 98 mm, while the driest were 2018, 2021 and 2022, among others at 0 mm.
Relative humidity in Alice Springs during May averages 44%. The most humid May was 2000 at 72%, and the least humid was 2005 at 29%.
May receives about 4.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Alice Springs. The sunniest Mays were 1994 and 2008 at 5.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2004 at 3.4.
Average wind speed in Alice Springs during May is 3 m/s. The windiest May was 2018 at 3.7 m/s, while the calmest was 2014 at 2.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 17.2°C | 17.1°C | 16.7°C | 17.1°C | 16.3°C | -0.9°C |
| Avg High | 24.4°C | 24.1°C | 23.8°C | 24.3°C | 23.5°C | -0.9°C |
| Avg Low | 10.0°C | 10.2°C | 9.5°C | 9.9°C | 9.1°C | -0.9°C |
| Avg Rain | 6 mm | 33 mm | 17 mm | 11 mm | 10 mm | +4 mm |
May temperatures in Alice Springs have fallen by about 0.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 1°C (1987) to a record high of 33.4°C (2007).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 16 mm, with a wettest year of 98 mm.
A good time to visit Alice Springs
May is a good time to visit Alice Springs, with days averaging 24.1°C and nights around 9.8°C (mean 17°C, cooler than Alice Springs's yearly average) and low rainfall. April and September 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 | 23.4°C | 16.5°C | 9.6°C | 30.3°C | 2.6°C | 38 mm | 49% | 3.6 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2024 | 23.5°C | 16.3°C | 9.1°C | 27.2°C | 4.3°C | 18 mm | 50% | 3.3 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2023 | 21.8°C | 14.3°C | 6.8°C | 26.4°C | 2.6°C | 1 mm | 44% | 3.3 m/s | 5 |
| 2022 | 24.7°C | 17.9°C | 11.1°C | 32.3°C | 5.4°C | 0 mm | 42% | 3 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2021 | 24.6°C | 17.1°C | 9.5°C | 30.6°C | 3.3°C | 0 mm | 37% | 3.1 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2020 | 23.0°C | 15.7°C | 8.4°C | 31.0°C | 2.4°C | 0 mm | 38% | 3.1 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2019 | 24.7°C | 17.3°C | 9.9°C | 30.5°C | 2.0°C | 9 mm | 41% | 3.1 m/s | 5 |
| 2018 | 23.6°C | 16.2°C | 8.7°C | 31.0°C | 3.6°C | 0 mm | 37% | 3.7 m/s | 5 |
| 2017 | 26.4°C | 18.4°C | 10.5°C | 30.8°C | 6.5°C | 0 mm | 33% | 2.7 m/s | 5 |
| 2016 | 26.0°C | 19.4°C | 12.8°C | 31.4°C | 5.3°C | 22 mm | 44% | 2.8 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2015 | 23.6°C | 16.1°C | 8.7°C | 31.6°C | 2.3°C | 0 mm | 42% | 3 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2014 | 26.2°C | 19.4°C | 12.5°C | 30.3°C | 7.0°C | 7 mm | 48% | 2.4 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2013 | 25.1°C | 18.5°C | 11.8°C | 31.8°C | 3.8°C | 47 mm | 47% | 3 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2012 | 22.7°C | 15.0°C | 7.3°C | 30.5°C | 2.8°C | 0 mm | 44% | 3.1 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2011 | 21.2°C | 14.4°C | 7.6°C | 27.9°C | 1.7°C | 3 mm | 56% | 3.1 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2010 | 23.3°C | 16.3°C | 9.2°C | 29.2°C | 2.6°C | 26 mm | 56% | 2.7 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2009 | 22.3°C | 15.4°C | 8.5°C | 28.6°C | 6.4°C | 31 mm | 46% | 3.2 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2008 | 25.2°C | 17.2°C | 9.3°C | 31.3°C | 6.0°C | 0 mm | 32% | 2.7 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2007 🔥 | 26.5°C | 19.6°C | 12.8°C | 33.4°C | 4.7°C | 18 mm | 46% | 2.6 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2006 | 22.4°C | 14.8°C | 7.3°C | 26.1°C | 2.6°C | 4 mm | 38% | 3.1 m/s | 5 |
| 2005 | 26.0°C | 18.5°C | 11.0°C | 30.8°C | 4.0°C | 0 mm | 29% | 3 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2004 🌧️ | 22.5°C | 16.7°C | 10.9°C | 29.8°C | 5.3°C | 98 mm | 52% | 3.1 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2003 | 24.7°C | 17.1°C | 9.5°C | 30.8°C | 3.9°C | 2 mm | 38% | 3.1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2002 | 26.5°C | 18.7°C | 11.0°C | 32.0°C | 4.1°C | 4 mm | 35% | 2.8 m/s | 5 |
| 2001 | 24.0°C | 16.3°C | 8.7°C | 30.5°C | 3.1°C | 0 mm | 41% | 2.7 m/s | 5 |
| 2000 ❄️ | 18.1°C | 12.3°C | 6.4°C | 25.8°C | 1.5°C | 13 mm | 72% | 3.4 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1999 | 27.4°C | 19.3°C | 11.2°C | 31.8°C | 4.7°C | 0 mm | 33% | 2.7 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1998 | 25.3°C | 17.9°C | 10.6°C | 28.7°C | 4.4°C | 0 mm | 46% | 2.7 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1997 | 23.0°C | 16.8°C | 10.7°C | 32.1°C | 5.4°C | 23 mm | 52% | 2.7 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1996 | 23.7°C | 16.2°C | 8.8°C | 32.5°C | 3.8°C | 0 mm | 43% | 3.4 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1995 | 21.5°C | 14.9°C | 8.2°C | 31.2°C | 4.1°C | 46 mm | 54% | 3.3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1994 | 25.0°C | 17.0°C | 9.0°C | 29.0°C | 4.8°C | 0 mm | 31% | 3 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1993 | 23.5°C | 17.4°C | 11.3°C | 29.8°C | 5.5°C | 89 mm | 50% | 3.1 m/s | 4 |
| 1992 | 23.3°C | 17.3°C | 11.3°C | 31.5°C | 4.8°C | 79 mm | 52% | 2.8 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1991 | 24.2°C | 16.8°C | 9.3°C | 29.2°C | 3.5°C | 2 mm | 38% | 3.2 m/s | 5 |
| 1990 | 24.3°C | 17.7°C | 11.1°C | 31.7°C | 2.3°C | 95 mm | 52% | 3.1 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1989 | 24.0°C | 17.0°C | 9.9°C | 30.9°C | 5.0°C | 6 mm | 56% | 3 m/s | 5 |
| 1988 | 25.0°C | 18.5°C | 12.0°C | 32.1°C | 6.6°C | 19 mm | 51% | 2.7 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1987 | 22.8°C | 16.1°C | 9.4°C | 30.9°C | 1.0°C | 5 mm | 39% | 3.2 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1986 | 26.8°C | 19.0°C | 11.2°C | 32.9°C | 5.3°C | 6 mm | 35% | 3.1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1985 | 24.4°C | 16.9°C | 9.4°C | 31.3°C | 2.6°C | 10 mm | 37% | 3.4 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1984 | 25.8°C | 18.6°C | 11.4°C | 30.3°C | 4.8°C | 0 mm | 37% | 3.1 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1983 | 22.3°C | 15.3°C | 8.4°C | 25.8°C | 4.4°C | 0 mm | 56% | 2.7 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 24.3°C | 16.8°C | 9.2°C | 28.3°C | 3.5°C | 0 mm | 41% | 2.8 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 24.3°C | 16.9°C | 9.5°C | 28.4°C | 5.3°C | 8 mm | 40% | 3.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 24.1°C with lows near 9.8°C (mean 17°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 16 mm of rainfall in Alice Springs, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 98 mm in 2004.
The hottest May reached 33.4°C in 2007. The coldest dipped to 1°C in 1987.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have fallen by about 0.5°C. Daytime highs moved from 24.2°C to 23.6°C and overnight lows from 9.6°C to 9.2°C over the same span.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Alice Springs and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 24.1°C daytime highs and 9.8°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 4th coolest month in Alice Springs, averaging 17°C.
For May in Alice Springs, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 24.1°C and lows of 9.8°C.
Relative humidity in May averages 44% — relatively dry.
Average wind speed in May is 3 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 3.7 m/s (2018).
The wettest May on record was 2004 with 98 mm. On average, May sees 16 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 Alice Springs 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.
