May is one of the warmer months of the year in Thanjavur, with average highs near 40.6°C and lows around 25.3°C (mean 33°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 65 mm of rainfall and 63% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Thanjavur. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Thanjavur was 2019 — when the month averaged 34.6°C — while the coldest was 2015 at 30°C. Typical May days reach 40.6°C with nights near 25.3°C. The long-term trend is cooling, about 0.2°C per decade.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 33.4°C | 33.1°C | 32.8°C | 32.9°C | 32.6°C | -0.8°C |
| Avg High | 41.3°C | 40.9°C | 40.5°C | 40.4°C | 40.0°C | -1.3°C |
| Avg Low | 25.5°C | 25.3°C | 25.2°C | 25.4°C | 25.1°C | -0.4°C |
| Avg Rain | 35 mm | 55 mm | 78 mm | 73 mm | 92 mm | +58 mm |
May temperatures in Thanjavur have fallen by about 0.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 22.1°C (2015) to a record high of 43.1°C (1986).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 65 mm, with a wettest year of 261 mm.
A quieter season to visit Thanjavur
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of January and December tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Thanjavur. That said, May — with days averaging 40.6°C and nights around 25.3°C (mean 33°C) and moderate rainfall (65 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the warmth, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | High | Low | Avg | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37.4°C | 24.9°C | 31.2°C | 122 mm | 68% | 2.9 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2024 | 42.5°C | 25.4°C | 33.9°C | 121 mm | 68% | 2.7 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2023 | 38.9°C | 24.6°C | 31.7°C | 125 mm | 73% | 2.7 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2022 | 39.7°C | 25.1°C | 32.4°C | 86 mm | 65% | 3.1 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2021 | 39.6°C | 24.6°C | 32.1°C | 71 mm | 66% | 3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2020 | 41.9°C | 26.1°C | 34.0°C | 30 mm | 57% | 3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2019 🔥 | 42.3°C | 26.9°C | 34.6°C | 16 mm | 58% | 3.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2018 | 38.5°C | 25.4°C | 32.0°C | 63 mm | 67% | 2.6 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2017 | 40.2°C | 26.7°C | 33.5°C | 36 mm | 62% | 2.9 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2016 | 41.8°C | 25.0°C | 33.4°C | 176 mm | 66% | 2.9 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2015 ❄️ | 38.0°C | 22.1°C | 30.0°C | 125 mm | 71% | 2.8 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2014 | 39.1°C | 25.5°C | 32.3°C | 131 mm | 69% | 2.9 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2013 | 42.0°C | 25.7°C | 33.9°C | 29 mm | 57% | 3.5 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2012 | 41.0°C | 25.9°C | 33.5°C | 52 mm | 64% | 3.2 m/s | 6 |
| 2011 | 39.8°C | 25.0°C | 32.4°C | 34 mm | 62% | 3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2010 | 40.9°C | 26.0°C | 33.4°C | 74 mm | 65% | 3.1 m/s | 6 |
| 2009 | 41.4°C | 25.2°C | 33.3°C | 35 mm | 61% | 3.1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2008 | 40.8°C | 24.8°C | 32.8°C | 48 mm | 62% | 3.4 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2007 | 41.6°C | 26.0°C | 33.8°C | 35 mm | 60% | 3.2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2006 | 41.2°C | 25.1°C | 33.1°C | 73 mm | 65% | 3.4 m/s | 6 |
| 2005 | 39.5°C | 25.6°C | 32.5°C | 53 mm | 70% | 2.7 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2004 🌧️ | 36.3°C | 24.2°C | 30.2°C | 261 mm | 78% | 3.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2003 | 40.6°C | 25.3°C | 32.9°C | 102 mm | 65% | 3.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2002 | 41.6°C | 25.6°C | 33.6°C | 68 mm | 64% | 3.6 m/s | 6 |
| 2001 | 40.4°C | 25.5°C | 33.0°C | 46 mm | 60% | 3.4 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2000 | 41.4°C | 24.3°C | 32.8°C | 61 mm | 58% | 3 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1999 | 39.9°C | 24.5°C | 32.2°C | 77 mm | 67% | 3.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1998 | 41.2°C | 24.4°C | 32.8°C | 63 mm | 60% | 3.2 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1997 | 41.5°C | 25.5°C | 33.5°C | 38 mm | 58% | 3.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1996 | 40.9°C | 25.7°C | 33.3°C | 16 mm | 60% | 3.4 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1995 | 38.7°C | 24.1°C | 31.4°C | 153 mm | 69% | 3 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1994 | 40.6°C | 25.3°C | 32.9°C | 67 mm | 64% | 3.3 m/s | 6 |
| 1993 | 41.7°C | 25.6°C | 33.7°C | 27 mm | 57% | 3.3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1992 | 42.0°C | 25.9°C | 33.9°C | 31 mm | 57% | 3.3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1991 | 41.5°C | 26.8°C | 34.1°C | 3 mm | 59% | 3.3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1990 | 41.0°C | 25.3°C | 33.1°C | 76 mm | 61% | 3.9 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1989 | 42.2°C | 26.1°C | 34.1°C | 20 mm | 54% | 3.8 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1988 | 41.1°C | 26.1°C | 33.6°C | 46 mm | 59% | 3.3 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1987 | 40.7°C | 25.3°C | 33.0°C | 9 mm | 56% | 2.9 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1986 | 43.1°C | 25.4°C | 34.3°C | 17 mm | 52% | 3.7 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1985 | 42.3°C | 24.8°C | 33.6°C | 13 mm | 55% | 3.6 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1984 | 40.4°C | 25.1°C | 32.8°C | 5 mm | 59% | 3.3 m/s | 6 |
| 1983 | 41.9°C | 26.6°C | 34.3°C | 52 mm | 59% | 3.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 39.6°C | 25.7°C | 32.7°C | 63 mm | 61% | 2.8 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 40.0°C | 24.8°C | 32.4°C | 87 mm | 65% | 3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 40.6°C with lows near 25.3°C (mean 33°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 65 mm of rainfall in Thanjavur, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 261 mm in 2004.
The hottest May reached 43.1°C in 1986. The coldest dipped to 22.1°C in 2015.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have fallen by about 0.9°C. Daytime highs moved from 40.8°C to 39.6°C and overnight lows from 25.4°C to 24.9°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Thanjavur and one of the drier months, so plan for around 40.6°C daytime highs and 25.3°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 12th coolest month in Thanjavur, averaging 33°C.
For May in Thanjavur, pack light, breathable clothing and sun protection, with typical highs of 40.6°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 3.2 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 3.9 m/s (1990).
The wettest May on record was 2004 with 261 mm. On average, May sees 65 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 Thanjavur 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.
