May is one of the warmer months of the year in Nanaimo, with average highs near 16°C and lows around 8.3°C (mean 12.2°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 52 mm of rainfall and 76% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Nanaimo. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Nanaimo was 2023 — when the month averaged 15.3°C — while the coldest were 1984 and 1999 at 9.6°C. Typical May days reach 16°C with nights near 8.3°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
May is one of the drier months in Nanaimo, averaging 52 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1984 with 131 mm, while the driest was 1992 at 8 mm.
Relative humidity in Nanaimo during May averages 76%. The most humid May was 2022 at 81%, and the least humid was 1992 at 71%.
May receives about 5.1 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Nanaimo. The sunniest May was 2018 at 6.1 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2011 and 2022 at 4.2.
Average wind speed in Nanaimo during May is 1.4 m/s. The windiest Mays were 1984, 1999 and 2022 at 1.6 m/s, while the calmest was 2015 at 1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 11.5°C | 12.4°C | 11.9°C | 12.9°C | 12.3°C | +0.8°C |
| Avg High | 15.4°C | 16.3°C | 15.7°C | 16.7°C | 16.0°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg Low | 7.6°C | 8.5°C | 8.1°C | 9.0°C | 8.5°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg Rain | 68 mm | 52 mm | 44 mm | 46 mm | 54 mm | -15 mm |
May temperatures in Nanaimo have risen by about 0.6°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 2.6°C (1988) to a record high of 29.3°C (2005).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 52 mm, with a wettest year of 131 mm.
A good time to visit Nanaimo
May is a good time to visit Nanaimo, with days averaging 16°C and nights around 8.3°C (mean 12.2°C, warmer than Nanaimo's yearly average) and moderate rainfall. August and July 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 | 15.1°C | 11.5°C | 8.0°C | 21.7°C | 5.2°C | 55 mm | 79% | 1.5 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2024 | 15.8°C | 11.9°C | 7.9°C | 24.9°C | 4.3°C | 49 mm | 78% | 1.5 m/s | 5 |
| 2023 🔥 | 19.8°C | 15.3°C | 10.9°C | 28.8°C | 5.8°C | 32 mm | 74% | 1.1 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2022 | 13.1°C | 9.9°C | 6.8°C | 18.6°C | 3.5°C | 86 mm | 81% | 1.6 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2021 | 15.9°C | 12.1°C | 8.3°C | 21.6°C | 5.2°C | 32 mm | 76% | 1.4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2020 | 16.4°C | 12.8°C | 9.3°C | 24.2°C | 4.9°C | 68 mm | 75% | 1.4 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2019 | 19.0°C | 14.6°C | 10.2°C | 25.2°C | 6.4°C | 28 mm | 74% | 1.1 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2018 | 19.2°C | 14.7°C | 10.2°C | 29.2°C | 7.5°C | 14 mm | 75% | 1.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2017 | 16.6°C | 12.7°C | 8.8°C | 27.6°C | 5.3°C | 65 mm | 78% | 1.2 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2016 | 17.9°C | 14.0°C | 10.1°C | 23.5°C | 7.2°C | 33 mm | 74% | 1.3 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2015 | 18.7°C | 14.7°C | 10.7°C | 24.4°C | 4.9°C | 21 mm | 76% | 1 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2014 | 16.8°C | 13.2°C | 9.6°C | 22.6°C | 6.5°C | 55 mm | 79% | 1.2 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2013 | 16.4°C | 12.7°C | 9.1°C | 25.7°C | 5.6°C | 71 mm | 78% | 1.1 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2012 | 15.0°C | 11.2°C | 7.3°C | 22.4°C | 3.8°C | 49 mm | 74% | 1.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2011 | 13.5°C | 10.1°C | 6.7°C | 19.5°C | 3.8°C | 65 mm | 80% | 1.4 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2010 | 14.4°C | 10.8°C | 7.2°C | 20.2°C | 2.9°C | 60 mm | 76% | 1.5 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2009 | 15.9°C | 11.6°C | 7.4°C | 24.8°C | 4.2°C | 43 mm | 74% | 1.4 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2008 | 16.3°C | 12.2°C | 8.1°C | 24.1°C | 4.1°C | 24 mm | 76% | 1.2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2007 | 16.0°C | 11.9°C | 7.9°C | 25.4°C | 4.0°C | 32 mm | 75% | 1.3 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2006 | 16.3°C | 12.4°C | 8.5°C | 24.5°C | 3.6°C | 37 mm | 73% | 1.3 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2005 | 17.4°C | 13.8°C | 10.2°C | 29.3°C | 7.4°C | 88 mm | 78% | 1.4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2004 | 17.0°C | 13.2°C | 9.4°C | 22.7°C | 5.9°C | 37 mm | 75% | 1.2 m/s | 5 |
| 2003 | 14.7°C | 11.2°C | 7.6°C | 19.3°C | 4.0°C | 34 mm | 77% | 1.3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2002 | 14.2°C | 10.6°C | 7.1°C | 18.9°C | 2.7°C | 39 mm | 76% | 1.4 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2001 | 14.9°C | 11.1°C | 7.2°C | 23.8°C | 4.2°C | 39 mm | 75% | 1.4 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2000 | 14.1°C | 10.7°C | 7.2°C | 20.8°C | 4.5°C | 69 mm | 78% | 1.4 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1999 | 13.1°C | 9.6°C | 6.1°C | 22.0°C | 3.1°C | 49 mm | 77% | 1.6 m/s | 5 |
| 1998 | 16.6°C | 12.8°C | 9.1°C | 25.6°C | 6.0°C | 68 mm | 79% | 1.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1997 | 17.4°C | 13.6°C | 9.7°C | 26.3°C | 4.8°C | 78 mm | 77% | 1.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1996 | 13.8°C | 10.4°C | 7.0°C | 19.5°C | 3.4°C | 68 mm | 76% | 1.5 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1995 | 18.3°C | 13.9°C | 9.6°C | 24.4°C | 5.5°C | 25 mm | 73% | 1.3 m/s | 6 |
| 1994 | 16.7°C | 12.6°C | 8.5°C | 21.4°C | 5.0°C | 37 mm | 74% | 1.4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1993 | 17.6°C | 13.7°C | 9.8°C | 26.3°C | 4.3°C | 101 mm | 79% | 1.4 m/s | 5 |
| 1992 | 18.3°C | 13.9°C | 9.5°C | 25.2°C | 4.5°C | 8 mm | 71% | 1.3 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1991 | 15.5°C | 11.6°C | 7.7°C | 21.2°C | 5.6°C | 41 mm | 77% | 1.4 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1990 | 15.4°C | 11.8°C | 8.2°C | 19.9°C | 6.0°C | 47 mm | 78% | 1.5 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1989 | 16.2°C | 12.1°C | 8.1°C | 21.0°C | 5.1°C | 54 mm | 76% | 1.4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1988 | 14.7°C | 11.0°C | 7.3°C | 21.8°C | 2.6°C | 91 mm | 77% | 1.4 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1987 | 16.2°C | 12.0°C | 7.7°C | 23.7°C | 5.3°C | 71 mm | 76% | 1.5 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1986 | 14.7°C | 11.0°C | 7.2°C | 27.5°C | 3.9°C | 104 mm | 80% | 1.4 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1985 | 15.7°C | 11.6°C | 7.6°C | 25.0°C | 3.3°C | 38 mm | 75% | 1.3 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1984 ❄️ 🌧️ | 13.0°C | 9.6°C | 6.1°C | 21.5°C | 4.0°C | 131 mm | 80% | 1.6 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1983 | 17.5°C | 13.3°C | 9.1°C | 28.5°C | 5.7°C | 32 mm | 74% | 1.4 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 15.9°C | 11.6°C | 7.3°C | 23.0°C | 3.1°C | 20 mm | 73% | 1.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 15.0°C | 11.4°C | 7.8°C | 20.5°C | 3.6°C | 74 mm | 78% | 1.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 16°C with lows near 8.3°C (mean 12.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 52 mm of rainfall in Nanaimo, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 131 mm in 1984.
The hottest May reached 29.3°C in 2005. The coldest dipped to 2.6°C in 1988.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 0.6°C. Daytime highs moved from 15.4°C to 15.9°C and overnight lows from 7.6°C to 8.4°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Nanaimo and one of the drier months, so plan for around 16°C daytime highs and 8.3°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Nanaimo, averaging 12.2°C.
For May in Nanaimo, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 16°C and lows of 8.3°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 76% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 1.4 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 1.6 m/s (1984).
The wettest May on record was 1984 with 131 mm. On average, May sees 52 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 Nanaimo 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.
