May is one of the cooler months of the year in Tauranga, with average highs near 16.6°C and lows around 12.9°C (mean 14.8°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 112 mm of rainfall and 80% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Tauranga. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Tauranga was 2016 — when the month averaged 16.5°C — while the coldest was 1992 at 12.4°C. Typical May days reach 16.6°C with nights near 12.9°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Tauranga, averaging 112 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2023 with 281 mm, while the driest was 2007 at 27 mm.
Relative humidity in Tauranga during May averages 80%. The most humid May was 2023 at 85%, and the least humid was 2008 at 77%.
May receives about 2.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Tauranga. The sunniest Mays were 2007, 2014 and 2024, among others at 2.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1988 at 2.1.
Average wind speed in Tauranga during May is 4.6 m/s. The windiest May was 1994 at 6.1 m/s, while the calmest was 1997 at 3.6 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 14.3°C | 14.4°C | 14.9°C | 15.1°C | 15.2°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg High | 16.3°C | 16.2°C | 16.7°C | 16.9°C | 17.0°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg Low | 12.4°C | 12.6°C | 13.1°C | 13.2°C | 13.5°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 99 mm | 105 mm | 101 mm | 114 mm | 158 mm | +59 mm |
May temperatures in Tauranga have risen by about 1.1°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 6.8°C (2013) to a record high of 21°C (2016).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 112 mm, with a wettest year of 281 mm.
A good time to visit Tauranga
May is a good time to visit Tauranga, with days averaging 16.6°C and nights around 12.9°C (mean 14.8°C, close to Tauranga'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 | 17.5°C | 15.7°C | 13.8°C | 19.4°C | 11.0°C | 153 mm | 79% | 4.1 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2024 | 15.9°C | 13.9°C | 11.9°C | 18.4°C | 7.1°C | 150 mm | 79% | 4.3 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2023 🌧️ | 17.3°C | 15.8°C | 14.3°C | 19.8°C | 9.3°C | 281 mm | 85% | 5.4 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2022 | 17.6°C | 15.9°C | 14.1°C | 20.5°C | 10.4°C | 147 mm | 81% | 4.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2021 | 16.9°C | 15.1°C | 13.3°C | 20.0°C | 9.1°C | 112 mm | 79% | 4.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2020 | 16.8°C | 15.0°C | 13.3°C | 19.5°C | 9.8°C | 104 mm | 78% | 4.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2019 | 17.7°C | 15.8°C | 13.9°C | 19.6°C | 11.3°C | 58 mm | 78% | 3.9 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2018 | 17.0°C | 15.0°C | 13.0°C | 19.8°C | 7.7°C | 98 mm | 82% | 4.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2017 | 16.2°C | 14.4°C | 12.5°C | 19.5°C | 8.3°C | 138 mm | 79% | 4.2 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2016 🔥 | 18.4°C | 16.5°C | 14.7°C | 21.0°C | 10.7°C | 108 mm | 82% | 4.7 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2015 | 16.7°C | 14.7°C | 12.8°C | 19.8°C | 9.1°C | 78 mm | 78% | 4.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2014 | 16.8°C | 14.8°C | 12.8°C | 20.2°C | 7.6°C | 42 mm | 77% | 3.7 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2013 | 16.7°C | 15.0°C | 13.3°C | 19.8°C | 6.8°C | 149 mm | 81% | 4.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2012 | 15.9°C | 13.7°C | 11.4°C | 18.4°C | 7.1°C | 90 mm | 79% | 4.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2011 | 17.5°C | 15.8°C | 14.2°C | 19.9°C | 9.4°C | 178 mm | 84% | 4.8 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2010 | 16.6°C | 15.0°C | 13.5°C | 19.0°C | 9.5°C | 195 mm | 79% | 4.2 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2009 | 14.9°C | 12.9°C | 10.9°C | 18.6°C | 6.9°C | 84 mm | 81% | 5.1 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2008 | 15.9°C | 14.2°C | 12.5°C | 17.9°C | 10.1°C | 114 mm | 77% | 4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2007 | 17.7°C | 15.8°C | 13.8°C | 20.5°C | 10.9°C | 27 mm | 81% | 3.8 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2006 | 16.5°C | 14.7°C | 12.9°C | 19.5°C | 8.3°C | 106 mm | 82% | 4.6 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2005 | 17.4°C | 15.6°C | 13.7°C | 19.2°C | 9.4°C | 180 mm | 85% | 4.6 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2004 | 16.5°C | 15.0°C | 13.4°C | 20.1°C | 10.1°C | 149 mm | 85% | 4.6 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2003 | 17.1°C | 15.5°C | 13.8°C | 18.9°C | 9.3°C | 81 mm | 79% | 4.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2002 | 16.9°C | 15.1°C | 13.4°C | 19.6°C | 8.8°C | 67 mm | 79% | 5.8 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2001 | 16.8°C | 15.2°C | 13.6°C | 19.8°C | 7.7°C | 154 mm | 84% | 5.6 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2000 | 17.3°C | 15.4°C | 13.4°C | 20.6°C | 11.0°C | 54 mm | 82% | 4.6 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1999 | 17.4°C | 15.5°C | 13.7°C | 19.3°C | 9.3°C | 60 mm | 78% | 3.8 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1998 | 17.2°C | 15.2°C | 13.3°C | 19.6°C | 9.5°C | 57 mm | 80% | 4.9 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1997 | 16.6°C | 15.2°C | 13.8°C | 18.0°C | 12.0°C | 135 mm | 80% | 3.6 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1996 | 16.0°C | 13.9°C | 11.9°C | 18.9°C | 7.9°C | 129 mm | 79% | 5.1 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1995 | 16.5°C | 14.9°C | 13.2°C | 19.3°C | 10.0°C | 163 mm | 81% | 4.6 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1994 | 16.6°C | 14.6°C | 12.6°C | 19.5°C | 8.3°C | 80 mm | 81% | 6.1 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1993 | 15.7°C | 13.8°C | 12.0°C | 18.2°C | 7.8°C | 64 mm | 81% | 4.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1992 ❄️ | 14.1°C | 12.4°C | 10.7°C | 17.2°C | 7.8°C | 155 mm | 82% | 5 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1991 | 15.1°C | 13.4°C | 11.7°C | 17.0°C | 9.2°C | 69 mm | 82% | 4.1 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1990 | 16.5°C | 14.7°C | 12.9°C | 19.0°C | 10.7°C | 140 mm | 80% | 5.3 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1989 | 16.5°C | 14.6°C | 12.7°C | 20.1°C | 7.5°C | 172 mm | 82% | 4.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1988 | 16.8°C | 14.8°C | 12.8°C | 19.6°C | 9.7°C | 109 mm | 84% | 4.9 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1987 | 16.2°C | 14.1°C | 12.1°C | 18.0°C | 9.5°C | 82 mm | 80% | 3.7 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1986 | 16.6°C | 14.7°C | 12.7°C | 18.7°C | 8.9°C | 134 mm | 80% | 4.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1985 | 15.7°C | 14.0°C | 12.2°C | 19.1°C | 8.7°C | 95 mm | 80% | 4.2 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1984 | 16.1°C | 14.2°C | 12.3°C | 18.7°C | 7.3°C | 96 mm | 79% | 4.8 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1983 | 15.8°C | 13.7°C | 11.6°C | 19.0°C | 7.8°C | 64 mm | 81% | 5.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 16.3°C | 14.3°C | 12.4°C | 18.7°C | 10.1°C | 80 mm | 78% | 4.8 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 16.3°C | 14.6°C | 12.9°C | 19.6°C | 10.1°C | 59 mm | 78% | 4.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 16.6°C with lows near 12.9°C (mean 14.8°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 112 mm of rainfall in Tauranga, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 281 mm in 2023.
The hottest May reached 21°C in 2016. The coldest dipped to 6.8°C in 2013.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.1°C. Daytime highs moved from 16°C to 17°C and overnight lows from 12.3°C to 13.5°C over the same span.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Tauranga and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 16.6°C daytime highs and 12.9°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 6th coolest month in Tauranga, averaging 14.8°C.
For May in Tauranga, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 16.6°C and lows of 12.9°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 80% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 4.6 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 6.1 m/s (1994).
The wettest May on record was 2023 with 281 mm. On average, May sees 112 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 Tauranga 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.
