May is one of the cooler months of the year in Palmerston, with average highs near 31.4°C and lows around 20.8°C (mean 26.1°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 18 mm of rainfall and 72% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Palmerston. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Palmerston was 2016 — when the month averaged 29.7°C — while the coldest was 2011 at 22.4°C. Typical May days reach 31.4°C with nights near 20.8°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
May is one of the drier months in Palmerston, averaging 18 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2004 with 83 mm, while the driest were 1999 and 2008 at 0 mm.
Relative humidity in Palmerston during May averages 72%. The most humid Mays were 2006 and 2010 at 83%, and the least humid was 2003 at 59%.
May receives about 5.3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Palmerston. The sunniest Mays were 2002, 2006 and 2021 at 5.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2004 at 4.7.
Average wind speed in Palmerston during May is 2.6 m/s. The windiest Mays were 2000 and 2018 at 3.2 m/s, while the calmest were 1989, 1997 and 2022, among others at 2.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 26.1°C | 26.0°C | 25.8°C | 26.4°C | 26.4°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg High | 31.2°C | 31.5°C | 31.2°C | 31.5°C | 31.8°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg Low | 21.0°C | 20.6°C | 20.4°C | 21.2°C | 20.9°C | -0.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 15 mm | 16 mm | 20 mm | 27 mm | 6 mm | -9 mm |
May temperatures in Palmerston have risen by about 0.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 11.1°C (2006) to a record high of 36.5°C (2016).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 18 mm, with a wettest year of 83 mm.
One of the best times to visit Palmerston
May is one of the best times to visit Palmerston. Expect days averaging 31.4°C and nights around 20.8°C (mean 26.1°C) — cooler than Palmerston's yearly average — with low rainfall (18 mm), so conditions are generally comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor plans.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29.4°C | 25.1°C | 20.9°C | 30.9°C | 13.6°C | 17 mm | 82% | 2.9 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2024 | 31.9°C | 26.9°C | 21.9°C | 34.3°C | 17.2°C | 2 mm | 74% | 3 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2023 | 31.7°C | 25.2°C | 18.7°C | 33.7°C | 14.2°C | 5 mm | 64% | 2.6 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2022 | 33.5°C | 28.1°C | 22.8°C | 34.8°C | 19.6°C | 3 mm | 69% | 2.1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2021 | 30.5°C | 25.0°C | 19.5°C | 32.3°C | 15.6°C | 1 mm | 74% | 2.8 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2020 | 33.8°C | 27.8°C | 21.8°C | 35.9°C | 18.4°C | 9 mm | 59% | 2.9 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2019 | 33.5°C | 27.7°C | 21.9°C | 35.2°C | 18.5°C | 24 mm | 63% | 2.9 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2018 | 32.7°C | 26.4°C | 20.1°C | 34.3°C | 15.0°C | 3 mm | 63% | 3.2 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2017 | 31.9°C | 26.5°C | 21.1°C | 33.9°C | 17.4°C | 3 mm | 73% | 2.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2016 🔥 | 34.6°C | 29.7°C | 24.8°C | 36.5°C | 21.1°C | 50 mm | 68% | 2.2 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2015 | 33.0°C | 26.6°C | 20.2°C | 35.2°C | 14.3°C | 9 mm | 63% | 2.4 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2014 | 31.0°C | 26.6°C | 22.2°C | 32.9°C | 18.4°C | 27 mm | 75% | 2.3 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2013 | 30.5°C | 26.5°C | 22.4°C | 32.3°C | 14.9°C | 59 mm | 79% | 2.5 m/s | 5 |
| 2012 | 29.8°C | 24.8°C | 19.8°C | 31.7°C | 15.0°C | 36 mm | 72% | 2.8 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2011 ❄️ | 27.5°C | 22.4°C | 17.2°C | 29.6°C | 12.3°C | 1 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2010 | 30.1°C | 26.4°C | 22.7°C | 31.6°C | 18.6°C | 58 mm | 83% | 2.5 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2009 | 32.7°C | 27.1°C | 21.5°C | 34.3°C | 15.6°C | 7 mm | 66% | 2.7 m/s | 5 |
| 2008 | 31.3°C | 24.9°C | 18.5°C | 33.2°C | 15.1°C | 0 mm | 65% | 3 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2007 | 31.2°C | 26.6°C | 21.9°C | 32.4°C | 17.3°C | 54 mm | 79% | 2.5 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2006 | 27.3°C | 22.8°C | 18.2°C | 29.1°C | 11.1°C | 8 mm | 83% | 3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2005 | 33.2°C | 26.8°C | 20.4°C | 35.0°C | 16.1°C | 0 mm | 60% | 2.7 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2004 🌧️ | 31.0°C | 26.4°C | 21.9°C | 33.8°C | 15.6°C | 83 mm | 78% | 2.6 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2003 | 34.3°C | 28.1°C | 22.0°C | 35.7°C | 16.7°C | 5 mm | 59% | 2.5 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2002 | 33.4°C | 27.5°C | 21.6°C | 35.1°C | 14.1°C | 12 mm | 63% | 2.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2001 | 29.2°C | 23.6°C | 17.9°C | 30.7°C | 12.5°C | 12 mm | 75% | 2.6 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2000 | 28.4°C | 24.1°C | 19.9°C | 30.3°C | 12.2°C | 15 mm | 83% | 3.2 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1999 | 28.8°C | 22.9°C | 17.1°C | 31.9°C | 12.3°C | 0 mm | 77% | 2.6 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1998 | 32.5°C | 27.1°C | 21.7°C | 34.3°C | 15.5°C | 3 mm | 71% | 2.8 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1997 | 33.6°C | 27.7°C | 21.9°C | 34.6°C | 16.0°C | 19 mm | 62% | 2.1 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1996 | 30.2°C | 24.8°C | 19.3°C | 32.2°C | 15.1°C | 1 mm | 71% | 2.5 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1995 | 29.9°C | 25.2°C | 20.6°C | 31.9°C | 13.9°C | 24 mm | 77% | 2.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1994 | 32.5°C | 26.1°C | 19.7°C | 34.2°C | 14.2°C | 7 mm | 65% | 2.6 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1993 | 33.3°C | 27.7°C | 22.1°C | 34.3°C | 19.2°C | 10 mm | 65% | 3.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1992 | 31.8°C | 27.3°C | 22.8°C | 33.7°C | 18.2°C | 16 mm | 76% | 2.4 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1991 | 30.9°C | 25.3°C | 19.6°C | 33.4°C | 15.9°C | 3 mm | 70% | 2.7 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1990 | 31.2°C | 26.3°C | 21.4°C | 34.2°C | 12.9°C | 75 mm | 73% | 2.4 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1989 | 29.6°C | 25.0°C | 20.4°C | 31.1°C | 16.6°C | 1 mm | 79% | 2.1 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1988 | 33.4°C | 28.3°C | 23.1°C | 35.8°C | 20.1°C | 8 mm | 70% | 2.2 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1987 | 33.3°C | 27.5°C | 21.7°C | 35.3°C | 16.5°C | 60 mm | 67% | 2.6 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1986 | 30.4°C | 26.0°C | 21.5°C | 32.1°C | 18.3°C | 33 mm | 77% | 2.1 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1985 | 29.7°C | 25.2°C | 20.8°C | 31.7°C | 18.0°C | 3 mm | 79% | 2.8 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1984 | 31.4°C | 26.4°C | 21.5°C | 33.2°C | 19.8°C | 7 mm | 76% | 3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1983 | 29.4°C | 24.5°C | 19.7°C | 30.9°C | 14.4°C | 11 mm | 77% | 2.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 31.9°C | 25.9°C | 19.8°C | 33.7°C | 13.8°C | 1 mm | 65% | 2.6 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 32.1°C | 26.5°C | 20.8°C | 34.5°C | 17.2°C | 12 mm | 69% | 2.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 31.4°C with lows near 20.8°C (mean 26.1°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 18 mm of rainfall in Palmerston, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 83 mm in 2004.
The hottest May reached 36.5°C in 2016. The coldest dipped to 11.1°C in 2006.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 0.4°C. Daytime highs moved from 30.9°C to 31.4°C and overnight lows from 20.5°C to 20.8°C over the same span.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Palmerston and one of the drier months, so plan for around 31.4°C daytime highs and 20.8°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 3rd coolest month in Palmerston, averaging 26.1°C.
For May in Palmerston, pack light, breathable clothing and sun protection, with typical highs of 31.4°C and lows of 20.8°C.
Relative humidity in May averages 72% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in May is 2.6 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 3.2 m/s (2000).
The wettest May on record was 2004 with 83 mm. On average, May sees 18 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 Palmerston 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.
