May is one of the cooler months of the year in Queenstown, with average highs near 11°C and lows around 5°C (mean 8°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 168 mm of rainfall and 92% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Queenstown. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Queenstown was 2007 — when the month averaged 9.7°C — while the coldest was 2006 at 6.2°C. Typical May days reach 11°C with nights near 5°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
May is a relatively wet time of year in Queenstown, averaging 168 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1994 with 388 mm, while the driest was 2001 at 63 mm.
Relative humidity in Queenstown during May averages 92%. The most humid May was 2012 at 95%, and the least humid was 2024 at 89%.
May receives about 1.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Queenstown. The sunniest May was 1984 at 1.9 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2012, 2015 and 2016, among others at 1.4.
Average wind speed in Queenstown during May is 2.1 m/s. The windiest Mays were 2000 and 2016 at 2.9 m/s, while the calmest was 1991 at 1.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 8.2°C | 7.8°C | 8.1°C | 7.9°C | 8.0°C | -0.2°C |
| Avg High | 11.4°C | 10.6°C | 11.1°C | 10.8°C | 11.1°C | -0.3°C |
| Avg Low | 5.1°C | 5.0°C | 5.0°C | 5.1°C | 4.9°C | -0.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 174 mm | 178 mm | 172 mm | 175 mm | 126 mm | -48 mm |
May temperatures in Queenstown have stayed relatively stable across the record.
May has ranged from a record low of -1.5°C (2006) to a record high of 20.5°C (1985).
Rainfall in May is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 168 mm, with a wettest year of 388 mm.
A good time to visit Queenstown
May is a good time to visit Queenstown, with days averaging 11°C and nights around 5°C (mean 8°C, cooler than Queenstown's yearly average) and higher rainfall. February and January 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 | 11.8°C | 8.6°C | 5.5°C | 18.1°C | 1.9°C | 73 mm | 90% | 2.1 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2024 | 12.4°C | 8.5°C | 4.6°C | 16.0°C | -0.2°C | 74 mm | 89% | 1.8 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2023 | 9.9°C | 7.4°C | 4.8°C | 12.7°C | -0.3°C | 198 mm | 92% | 2.4 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2022 | 11.4°C | 8.3°C | 5.3°C | 16.4°C | 0.7°C | 163 mm | 91% | 2 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2021 | 11.2°C | 7.8°C | 4.3°C | 18.0°C | -1.5°C | 112 mm | 90% | 2.3 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2020 | 10.1°C | 7.6°C | 5.1°C | 14.2°C | -1.2°C | 138 mm | 93% | 2.3 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2019 | 11.0°C | 8.3°C | 5.6°C | 17.9°C | 1.1°C | 149 mm | 93% | 2.3 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2018 | 11.0°C | 8.1°C | 5.3°C | 16.3°C | 1.0°C | 192 mm | 90% | 2.5 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2017 | 11.1°C | 8.0°C | 5.0°C | 15.6°C | 1.9°C | 136 mm | 92% | 1.9 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2016 | 11.0°C | 8.3°C | 5.7°C | 14.6°C | 0.3°C | 229 mm | 92% | 2.9 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2015 | 9.7°C | 7.1°C | 4.4°C | 14.6°C | 0.9°C | 271 mm | 94% | 2.7 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2014 | 11.4°C | 8.5°C | 5.6°C | 14.8°C | 0.4°C | 176 mm | 93% | 2.1 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2013 | 11.4°C | 8.0°C | 4.6°C | 18.9°C | -0.6°C | 142 mm | 91% | 1.9 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2012 | 10.0°C | 7.8°C | 5.5°C | 15.5°C | 1.6°C | 221 mm | 95% | 2.2 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2011 | 9.8°C | 7.1°C | 4.4°C | 15.5°C | -0.4°C | 107 mm | 93% | 1.8 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2010 | 11.2°C | 7.8°C | 4.4°C | 16.2°C | -1.4°C | 125 mm | 91% | 1.8 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2009 | 11.1°C | 8.1°C | 5.2°C | 15.0°C | -0.8°C | 180 mm | 92% | 2.2 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2008 | 11.1°C | 8.2°C | 5.3°C | 15.0°C | -1.2°C | 128 mm | 93% | 1.8 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2007 🔥 | 12.6°C | 9.7°C | 6.8°C | 18.0°C | 3.7°C | 324 mm | 92% | 2.8 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2006 ❄️ | 9.5°C | 6.2°C | 2.8°C | 13.6°C | -1.5°C | 155 mm | 93% | 2.1 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2005 | 10.4°C | 7.8°C | 5.2°C | 16.9°C | 1.2°C | 152 mm | 92% | 2.3 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2004 | 10.3°C | 7.3°C | 4.3°C | 14.6°C | 0.0°C | 225 mm | 93% | 2.4 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2003 | 12.4°C | 8.9°C | 5.4°C | 16.0°C | 0.1°C | 123 mm | 92% | 1.8 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2002 | 12.0°C | 8.5°C | 5.1°C | 19.0°C | 0.5°C | 91 mm | 90% | 1.7 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2001 | 11.3°C | 7.7°C | 4.2°C | 14.4°C | -0.8°C | 63 mm | 91% | 1.5 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2000 | 10.5°C | 8.1°C | 5.7°C | 15.1°C | 1.1°C | 277 mm | 93% | 2.9 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1999 | 11.8°C | 9.3°C | 6.9°C | 16.6°C | 1.6°C | 191 mm | 94% | 2.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1998 | 10.8°C | 7.8°C | 4.7°C | 14.6°C | 0.8°C | 146 mm | 93% | 2.1 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1997 | 10.7°C | 7.7°C | 4.8°C | 18.6°C | 2.3°C | 191 mm | 93% | 1.8 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1996 | 10.5°C | 7.9°C | 5.4°C | 16.4°C | 0.5°C | 100 mm | 93% | 2.1 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1995 | 9.9°C | 7.0°C | 4.2°C | 14.8°C | 0.9°C | 114 mm | 94% | 1.8 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1994 🌧️ | 9.6°C | 7.1°C | 4.5°C | 13.9°C | -1.2°C | 388 mm | 93% | 2.8 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1993 | 10.5°C | 8.0°C | 5.5°C | 14.4°C | 1.3°C | 179 mm | 94% | 2.1 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1992 | 11.0°C | 8.0°C | 4.9°C | 17.2°C | -0.4°C | 179 mm | 92% | 1.8 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1991 | 11.0°C | 7.8°C | 4.5°C | 15.3°C | 0.4°C | 82 mm | 93% | 1.4 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1990 | 10.1°C | 7.5°C | 4.9°C | 15.8°C | -1.3°C | 206 mm | 93% | 2.2 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1989 | 11.5°C | 8.1°C | 4.6°C | 16.2°C | -0.3°C | 149 mm | 91% | 1.9 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1988 | 12.5°C | 9.3°C | 6.2°C | 19.7°C | 0.4°C | 153 mm | 92% | 1.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1987 | 11.3°C | 8.1°C | 5.0°C | 16.5°C | 0.6°C | 225 mm | 92% | 2.1 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1986 | 10.9°C | 7.8°C | 4.7°C | 17.7°C | 0.2°C | 141 mm | 92% | 1.7 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1985 | 11.5°C | 8.3°C | 5.1°C | 20.5°C | 0.3°C | 186 mm | 92% | 1.8 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1984 | 11.4°C | 8.1°C | 4.8°C | 15.6°C | -1.1°C | 156 mm | 92% | 2 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1983 | 11.8°C | 8.5°C | 5.1°C | 16.3°C | 0.6°C | 162 mm | 92% | 2 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 10.3°C | 7.9°C | 5.5°C | 15.5°C | 0.5°C | 277 mm | 92% | 2.6 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 11.1°C | 7.8°C | 4.5°C | 15.7°C | 0.3°C | 120 mm | 92% | 1.8 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 11°C with lows near 5°C (mean 8°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 168 mm of rainfall in Queenstown, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 388 mm in 1994.
The hottest May reached 20.5°C in 1985. The coldest dipped to -1.5°C in 2006.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have held steady by about 0°C — but days and nights have moved in opposite directions. Daytime highs rose from 11.2°C to 11.3°C while overnight lows fell from 5°C to 4.9°C, widening the gap between day and night.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Queenstown and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 11°C daytime highs and 5°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 5th coolest month in Queenstown, averaging 8°C.
For May in Queenstown, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 11°C and lows of 5°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 92% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 2.1 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 2.9 m/s (2000).
The wettest May on record was 1994 with 388 mm. On average, May sees 168 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 Queenstown 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.
