May is one of the cooler months of the year in Townsville, with average highs near 25.4°C and lows around 22.4°C (mean 23.9°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 45 mm of rainfall and 75% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Townsville. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Townsville was 2016 — when the month averaged 25.7°C — while the coldest was 2011 at 21.9°C. Typical May days reach 25.4°C with nights near 22.4°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
May is one of the drier months in Townsville, averaging 45 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1983 with 169 mm, while the driest was 2001 at 2 mm.
Relative humidity in Townsville during May averages 75%. The most humid May was 1983 at 83%, and the least humid was 2001 at 60%.
May receives about 4.3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Townsville. The sunniest May was 2001 at 5.1 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2006 at 3.7.
Average wind speed in Townsville during May is 4.9 m/s. The windiest May was 2024 at 5.9 m/s, while the calmest was 2001 at 3.6 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 23.9°C | 23.8°C | 23.9°C | 23.8°C | 24.1°C | +0.2°C |
| Avg High | 25.3°C | 25.3°C | 25.5°C | 25.4°C | 25.6°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg Low | 22.5°C | 22.4°C | 22.4°C | 22.3°C | 22.5°C | 0°C |
| Avg Rain | 68 mm | 52 mm | 29 mm | 34 mm | 42 mm | -25 mm |
May temperatures in Townsville have risen by about 0.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 15.6°C (2000) to a record high of 30.2°C (1996).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 45 mm, with a wettest year of 169 mm.
A good time to visit Townsville
May is a good time to visit Townsville, with days averaging 25.4°C and nights around 22.4°C (mean 23.9°C, cooler than Townsville's yearly average) and moderate rainfall. August and June 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 | 25.9°C | 24.4°C | 22.9°C | 27.1°C | 19.2°C | 26 mm | 80% | 5.1 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2024 | 26.0°C | 24.5°C | 23.1°C | 27.3°C | 20.5°C | 18 mm | 77% | 5.9 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2023 | 25.6°C | 23.9°C | 22.1°C | 27.8°C | 19.2°C | 7 mm | 70% | 5 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2022 | 26.0°C | 24.6°C | 23.2°C | 27.0°C | 20.7°C | 138 mm | 80% | 4.1 m/s | 4 |
| 2021 | 25.3°C | 23.7°C | 22.1°C | 27.5°C | 18.5°C | 8 mm | 75% | 4.9 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2020 | 24.9°C | 23.2°C | 21.5°C | 28.2°C | 15.9°C | 56 mm | 71% | 5.4 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2019 | 25.5°C | 24.0°C | 22.4°C | 27.9°C | 18.3°C | 25 mm | 77% | 5.5 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2018 | 25.3°C | 23.6°C | 22.0°C | 27.2°C | 19.1°C | 7 mm | 73% | 5.4 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2017 | 25.5°C | 24.1°C | 22.6°C | 27.1°C | 20.2°C | 108 mm | 78% | 4.9 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2016 🔥 | 27.0°C | 25.7°C | 24.4°C | 28.5°C | 21.6°C | 16 mm | 76% | 4.4 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2015 | 26.2°C | 24.5°C | 22.9°C | 28.0°C | 19.1°C | 7 mm | 71% | 4.4 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2014 | 25.2°C | 23.8°C | 22.5°C | 27.3°C | 18.7°C | 31 mm | 76% | 4.9 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2013 | 25.1°C | 23.6°C | 22.2°C | 26.6°C | 18.1°C | 49 mm | 76% | 5.3 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2012 | 24.7°C | 23.1°C | 21.5°C | 27.1°C | 16.0°C | 67 mm | 77% | 5.5 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2011 ❄️ | 23.8°C | 21.9°C | 20.0°C | 25.8°C | 15.8°C | 21 mm | 72% | 4.6 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2010 | 25.4°C | 23.8°C | 22.2°C | 27.4°C | 17.4°C | 12 mm | 73% | 4.4 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2009 | 25.0°C | 23.5°C | 22.0°C | 26.4°C | 18.8°C | 56 mm | 74% | 4.9 m/s | 4 |
| 2008 | 24.5°C | 23.0°C | 21.4°C | 26.1°C | 17.5°C | 30 mm | 70% | 4.9 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2007 | 26.1°C | 24.8°C | 23.6°C | 27.5°C | 22.9°C | 21 mm | 77% | 5 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2006 | 24.8°C | 23.4°C | 22.1°C | 26.4°C | 19.6°C | 52 mm | 78% | 4.9 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2005 | 25.9°C | 24.0°C | 22.2°C | 27.1°C | 19.8°C | 17 mm | 67% | 4.5 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2004 | 25.6°C | 24.3°C | 23.1°C | 27.1°C | 20.1°C | 28 mm | 74% | 4.5 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2003 | 25.8°C | 24.2°C | 22.7°C | 28.1°C | 20.9°C | 48 mm | 74% | 5.2 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2002 | 26.2°C | 24.7°C | 23.2°C | 28.5°C | 21.1°C | 18 mm | 70% | 4.5 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2001 | 26.1°C | 24.2°C | 22.3°C | 28.3°C | 18.9°C | 2 mm | 60% | 3.6 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2000 | 24.7°C | 23.2°C | 21.6°C | 27.4°C | 15.6°C | 20 mm | 79% | 5.1 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1999 | 25.1°C | 23.5°C | 21.9°C | 25.6°C | 20.3°C | 18 mm | 79% | 4.9 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1998 | 26.3°C | 24.8°C | 23.3°C | 28.1°C | 19.8°C | 112 mm | 75% | 4.7 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1997 | 24.5°C | 22.9°C | 21.3°C | 26.3°C | 19.0°C | 47 mm | 74% | 3.7 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1996 | 26.3°C | 24.7°C | 23.1°C | 30.2°C | 20.9°C | 32 mm | 71% | 4.9 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1995 | 25.6°C | 24.3°C | 23.0°C | 26.9°C | 20.4°C | 49 mm | 76% | 4.7 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1994 | 24.7°C | 23.3°C | 21.9°C | 25.9°C | 19.3°C | 17 mm | 76% | 4.9 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1993 | 25.0°C | 23.7°C | 22.5°C | 26.0°C | 21.4°C | 23 mm | 75% | 5.4 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1992 | 25.7°C | 24.5°C | 23.3°C | 26.9°C | 20.0°C | 83 mm | 78% | 4.6 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1991 | 24.7°C | 23.3°C | 21.9°C | 26.1°C | 19.2°C | 35 mm | 75% | 5.1 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1990 | 24.6°C | 23.3°C | 22.1°C | 27.1°C | 16.8°C | 108 mm | 83% | 5.4 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1989 | 24.9°C | 23.7°C | 22.5°C | 26.5°C | 18.6°C | 122 mm | 83% | 4.9 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1988 | 26.0°C | 24.3°C | 22.7°C | 28.1°C | 19.1°C | 35 mm | 72% | 4.2 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1987 | 25.5°C | 23.9°C | 22.4°C | 27.7°C | 18.3°C | 29 mm | 74% | 4.8 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1986 | 25.5°C | 24.1°C | 22.7°C | 27.6°C | 19.0°C | 40 mm | 75% | 4.4 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1985 | 24.9°C | 23.5°C | 22.0°C | 26.7°C | 17.8°C | 51 mm | 77% | 5.8 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1984 | 25.3°C | 24.0°C | 22.6°C | 26.2°C | 21.3°C | 9 mm | 74% | 5.3 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1983 🌧️ | 25.2°C | 23.8°C | 22.5°C | 26.2°C | 19.1°C | 169 mm | 83% | 5.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 25.2°C | 23.7°C | 22.2°C | 26.3°C | 20.7°C | 17 mm | 72% | 4.6 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 25.1°C | 23.8°C | 22.6°C | 26.4°C | 19.1°C | 137 mm | 75% | 5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 25.4°C with lows near 22.4°C (mean 23.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 45 mm of rainfall in Townsville, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 169 mm in 1983.
The hottest May reached 30.2°C in 1996. The coldest dipped to 15.6°C in 2000.
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 25.1°C to 25.8°C and overnight lows from 22.4°C to 22.7°C over the same span.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Townsville and one of the drier months, so plan for around 25.4°C daytime highs and 22.4°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 5th coolest month in Townsville, averaging 23.9°C.
For May in Townsville, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 25.4°C and lows of 22.4°C.
Relative humidity in May averages 75% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in May is 4.9 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 5.9 m/s (2024).
The wettest May on record was 1983 with 169 mm. On average, May sees 45 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 Townsville 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.
