May is one of the warmer months of the year in Madurai, with average highs near 36.1°C and lows around 25.3°C (mean 30.7°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 92 mm of rainfall and 63% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Madurai. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Madurai was 2019 — when the month averaged 33.6°C — while the coldest was 2004 at 27.8°C. Typical May days reach 36.1°C with nights near 25.3°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
May is about average for rainfall in Madurai, averaging 92 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2004 with 298 mm, while the driest was 1991 at 11 mm.
Relative humidity in Madurai during May averages 63%. The most humid May was 2004 at 78%, and the least humid was 1991 at 50%.
May receives about 5.9 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Madurai. The sunniest May was 2011 at 6.6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2024 at 5.2.
Average wind speed in Madurai during May is 2 m/s. The windiest May was 1990 at 2.4 m/s, while the calmest was 2023 at 1.5 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 30.9°C | 30.9°C | 30.4°C | 30.8°C | 30.3°C | -0.6°C |
| Avg High | 36.7°C | 36.5°C | 35.7°C | 36.1°C | 35.4°C | -1.3°C |
| Avg Low | 25.1°C | 25.3°C | 25.1°C | 25.6°C | 25.3°C | +0.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 72 mm | 80 mm | 110 mm | 95 mm | 104 mm | +32 mm |
May temperatures in Madurai have fallen by about 0.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 22.1°C (2022) to a record high of 42.7°C (1991).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 92 mm, with a wettest year of 298 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs fell about 0.3°C per decade while lows rose 0.1°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Madurai
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of January and December tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Madurai. That said, May — with days averaging 36.1°C and nights around 25.3°C (mean 30.7°C) and higher rainfall (92 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the warmth, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34.9°C | 30.2°C | 25.6°C | 38.3°C | 24.3°C | 114 mm | 68% | 2.1 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2024 | 35.7°C | 31.0°C | 26.2°C | 42.5°C | 24.2°C | 162 mm | 68% | 1.9 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2023 | 34.3°C | 29.6°C | 24.9°C | 38.1°C | 23.3°C | 98 mm | 72% | 1.5 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2022 | 35.7°C | 30.1°C | 24.4°C | 38.6°C | 22.1°C | 97 mm | 67% | 2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2021 | 34.6°C | 29.5°C | 24.4°C | 38.6°C | 22.8°C | 90 mm | 71% | 2.2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2020 | 37.1°C | 31.6°C | 26.2°C | 41.2°C | 24.5°C | 61 mm | 61% | 2.1 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2019 🔥 | 39.6°C | 33.6°C | 27.6°C | 41.6°C | 24.9°C | 25 mm | 50% | 1.8 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2018 | 33.8°C | 29.3°C | 24.9°C | 37.7°C | 23.5°C | 134 mm | 71% | 1.8 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2017 | 36.2°C | 30.9°C | 25.6°C | 40.2°C | 23.6°C | 106 mm | 63% | 1.9 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2016 | 36.8°C | 31.2°C | 25.7°C | 42.3°C | 23.5°C | 101 mm | 62% | 2.2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2015 | 33.6°C | 29.0°C | 24.4°C | 37.7°C | 23.2°C | 178 mm | 73% | 1.8 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2014 | 34.5°C | 29.6°C | 24.8°C | 38.2°C | 23.5°C | 162 mm | 70% | 1.8 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2013 | 37.6°C | 32.1°C | 26.6°C | 41.2°C | 24.4°C | 36 mm | 53% | 2.3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2012 | 35.2°C | 30.2°C | 25.2°C | 39.5°C | 23.3°C | 66 mm | 66% | 1.7 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2011 | 37.0°C | 31.1°C | 25.1°C | 40.3°C | 22.4°C | 67 mm | 59% | 1.8 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2010 | 36.5°C | 31.1°C | 25.7°C | 39.4°C | 24.8°C | 74 mm | 64% | 2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2009 | 37.4°C | 31.8°C | 26.2°C | 42.5°C | 23.8°C | 36 mm | 55% | 1.9 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2008 | 36.0°C | 30.3°C | 24.6°C | 39.9°C | 22.8°C | 56 mm | 62% | 1.8 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2007 | 37.2°C | 31.4°C | 25.6°C | 41.3°C | 23.8°C | 49 mm | 58% | 1.9 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2006 | 35.6°C | 30.5°C | 25.4°C | 41.6°C | 23.4°C | 138 mm | 63% | 2.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2005 | 35.4°C | 30.2°C | 25.0°C | 39.4°C | 23.5°C | 77 mm | 68% | 1.6 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2004 ❄️ 🌧️ | 32.0°C | 27.8°C | 23.6°C | 37.3°C | 22.6°C | 298 mm | 78% | 2 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2003 | 36.0°C | 30.6°C | 25.3°C | 40.8°C | 23.9°C | 129 mm | 65% | 2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2002 | 35.2°C | 30.1°C | 25.0°C | 40.7°C | 23.7°C | 134 mm | 68% | 2.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2001 | 35.3°C | 29.9°C | 24.4°C | 38.3°C | 22.4°C | 87 mm | 67% | 2 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2000 | 37.1°C | 31.5°C | 25.8°C | 41.3°C | 22.9°C | 94 mm | 55% | 1.9 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1999 | 33.3°C | 28.6°C | 23.9°C | 40.0°C | 22.6°C | 152 mm | 72% | 2 m/s | 6 |
| 1998 | 37.6°C | 31.9°C | 26.2°C | 40.9°C | 24.1°C | 87 mm | 61% | 2.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1997 | 36.5°C | 30.6°C | 24.8°C | 41.0°C | 22.9°C | 68 mm | 60% | 1.9 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1996 | 37.7°C | 31.5°C | 25.3°C | 40.7°C | 23.8°C | 15 mm | 59% | 1.6 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1995 | 35.2°C | 29.8°C | 24.3°C | 38.5°C | 22.3°C | 90 mm | 66% | 2.1 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1994 | 35.6°C | 30.3°C | 25.1°C | 39.3°C | 22.8°C | 139 mm | 66% | 1.8 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1993 | 37.5°C | 31.6°C | 25.7°C | 42.1°C | 23.9°C | 55 mm | 57% | 2.1 m/s | 6 |
| 1992 | 37.4°C | 31.4°C | 25.3°C | 41.5°C | 23.3°C | 63 mm | 58% | 2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1991 | 39.0°C | 33.1°C | 27.1°C | 42.7°C | 24.6°C | 11 mm | 50% | 2.1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1990 | 35.4°C | 30.2°C | 25.0°C | 40.7°C | 23.6°C | 121 mm | 64% | 2.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1989 | 37.4°C | 31.5°C | 25.6°C | 42.2°C | 23.2°C | 49 mm | 55% | 2.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1988 | 36.9°C | 31.1°C | 25.4°C | 39.8°C | 23.7°C | 51 mm | 61% | 2 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1987 | 37.1°C | 31.1°C | 25.1°C | 39.8°C | 23.9°C | 50 mm | 58% | 1.9 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1986 | 37.9°C | 31.7°C | 25.5°C | 41.4°C | 23.7°C | 45 mm | 55% | 2.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1985 | 37.4°C | 31.4°C | 25.4°C | 41.6°C | 23.7°C | 59 mm | 56% | 2.3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1984 | 36.7°C | 30.6°C | 24.5°C | 39.6°C | 23.4°C | 34 mm | 62% | 2.1 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1983 | 37.5°C | 31.8°C | 26.0°C | 42.3°C | 24.1°C | 74 mm | 56% | 1.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 34.9°C | 29.6°C | 24.3°C | 38.1°C | 22.5°C | 145 mm | 68% | 1.8 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 34.6°C | 29.5°C | 24.4°C | 38.6°C | 23.1°C | 143 mm | 68% | 1.8 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 36.1°C with lows near 25.3°C (mean 30.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 92 mm of rainfall in Madurai, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 298 mm in 2004.
The hottest May reached 42.7°C in 1991. The coldest dipped to 22.1°C in 2022.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have fallen by about 0.5°C — but days and nights have moved in opposite directions. Overnight lows rose from 24.9°C to 25.1°C while daytime highs eased from 36.2°C to 35°C, narrowing the gap between day and night.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Madurai and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 36.1°C daytime highs and 25.3°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 11th coolest month in Madurai, averaging 30.7°C.
For May in Madurai, pack light, breathable clothing and sun protection, with typical highs of 36.1°C and lows of 25.3°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 63% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in May is 2 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 2.4 m/s (1990).
The wettest May on record was 2004 with 298 mm. On average, May sees 92 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 Madurai 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.
