May is one of the cooler months of the year in Kaikoura, with average highs near 13°C and lows around 9°C (mean 11°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 69 mm of rainfall and 80% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Kaikoura. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Kaikoura was 2022 — when the month averaged 12.6°C — while the coldest was 1992 at 8.6°C. Typical May days reach 13°C with nights near 9°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Kaikoura, averaging 69 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2010 with 146 mm, while the driest was 2007 at 20 mm.
Relative humidity in Kaikoura during May averages 80%. The most humid May was 2023 at 85%, and the least humid was 1988 at 74%.
May receives about 2 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Kaikoura. The sunniest Mays were 2014, 2015 and 2019, among others at 2.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2023 at 1.7.
Average wind speed in Kaikoura during May is 3.3 m/s. The windiest May was 2009 at 4.2 m/s, while the calmest was 1997 at 2.6 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 10.6°C | 10.8°C | 11.0°C | 11.3°C | 11.6°C | +1°C |
| Avg High | 12.6°C | 12.8°C | 13.0°C | 13.3°C | 13.6°C | +1°C |
| Avg Low | 8.6°C | 8.8°C | 9.0°C | 9.3°C | 9.5°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg Rain | 72 mm | 73 mm | 59 mm | 69 mm | 78 mm | +6 mm |
May temperatures in Kaikoura have risen by about 1.2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 4.2°C (2017) to a record high of 19.4°C (2021).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 69 mm, with a wettest year of 146 mm.
A good time to visit Kaikoura
May is a good time to visit Kaikoura, with days averaging 13°C and nights around 9°C (mean 11°C, cooler than Kaikoura's yearly average) and moderate 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 | 13.8°C | 11.5°C | 9.2°C | 16.9°C | 6.7°C | 81 mm | 82% | 3.3 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2024 | 11.9°C | 9.9°C | 7.9°C | 14.8°C | 5.6°C | 64 mm | 79% | 3 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2023 | 14.1°C | 12.5°C | 10.9°C | 18.2°C | 7.0°C | 69 mm | 85% | 3.2 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2022 🔥 | 14.8°C | 12.6°C | 10.5°C | 19.0°C | 7.2°C | 67 mm | 81% | 2.9 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2021 | 13.6°C | 11.6°C | 9.5°C | 19.4°C | 6.6°C | 137 mm | 80% | 3.2 m/s | 2 |
| 2020 | 13.4°C | 11.3°C | 9.3°C | 18.1°C | 6.4°C | 47 mm | 82% | 2.9 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2019 | 14.8°C | 12.5°C | 10.2°C | 18.4°C | 6.5°C | 38 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2018 | 12.7°C | 11.0°C | 9.4°C | 17.1°C | 6.1°C | 93 mm | 81% | 3.6 m/s | 2 |
| 2017 | 12.3°C | 10.3°C | 8.3°C | 15.5°C | 4.2°C | 65 mm | 83% | 3.2 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2016 | 14.3°C | 12.4°C | 10.4°C | 19.1°C | 6.4°C | 89 mm | 78% | 3.4 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2015 | 13.3°C | 11.0°C | 8.8°C | 18.4°C | 4.5°C | 43 mm | 76% | 3.5 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2014 | 13.5°C | 11.2°C | 9.0°C | 17.0°C | 5.6°C | 48 mm | 79% | 2.9 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2013 | 13.1°C | 11.1°C | 9.2°C | 19.0°C | 4.5°C | 60 mm | 81% | 3.3 m/s | 2 |
| 2012 | 12.3°C | 10.3°C | 8.4°C | 16.9°C | 6.2°C | 27 mm | 80% | 3.2 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2011 | 14.0°C | 12.1°C | 10.1°C | 17.6°C | 6.0°C | 75 mm | 82% | 2.9 m/s | 2 |
| 2010 🌧️ | 12.7°C | 10.9°C | 9.1°C | 17.4°C | 5.2°C | 146 mm | 84% | 3.2 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2009 | 10.5°C | 8.8°C | 7.1°C | 15.3°C | 5.0°C | 80 mm | 80% | 4.2 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2008 | 11.6°C | 9.8°C | 8.0°C | 15.8°C | 5.9°C | 44 mm | 81% | 3.3 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2007 | 15.0°C | 12.5°C | 10.0°C | 17.4°C | 7.7°C | 20 mm | 77% | 2.9 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2006 | 12.5°C | 10.9°C | 9.3°C | 16.8°C | 5.3°C | 80 mm | 85% | 3.3 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2005 | 13.2°C | 11.1°C | 8.9°C | 17.5°C | 5.3°C | 91 mm | 82% | 3 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2004 | 13.0°C | 11.3°C | 9.7°C | 18.9°C | 7.0°C | 78 mm | 83% | 3.3 m/s | 2 |
| 2003 | 13.4°C | 11.2°C | 9.0°C | 18.0°C | 6.5°C | 65 mm | 80% | 3 m/s | 2 |
| 2002 | 13.7°C | 11.4°C | 9.2°C | 18.3°C | 5.2°C | 40 mm | 78% | 3.9 m/s | 2 |
| 2001 | 13.1°C | 11.3°C | 9.5°C | 18.9°C | 4.8°C | 33 mm | 81% | 3.5 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2000 | 13.8°C | 11.5°C | 9.3°C | 17.6°C | 6.5°C | 61 mm | 80% | 3 m/s | 2 |
| 1999 | 14.1°C | 12.1°C | 10.0°C | 18.5°C | 7.1°C | 61 mm | 79% | 3.1 m/s | 2 |
| 1998 | 13.3°C | 11.3°C | 9.3°C | 17.0°C | 6.0°C | 49 mm | 79% | 3.4 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1997 | 13.2°C | 11.3°C | 9.3°C | 16.3°C | 6.8°C | 86 mm | 82% | 2.6 m/s | 2 |
| 1996 | 12.8°C | 10.7°C | 8.7°C | 16.5°C | 4.4°C | 56 mm | 78% | 3.2 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1995 | 12.6°C | 10.8°C | 9.0°C | 16.6°C | 5.4°C | 123 mm | 83% | 3.3 m/s | 2 |
| 1994 | 12.7°C | 10.9°C | 9.0°C | 17.5°C | 6.4°C | 68 mm | 78% | 3.8 m/s | 2 |
| 1993 | 12.5°C | 10.4°C | 8.3°C | 15.6°C | 5.2°C | 103 mm | 82% | 3.1 m/s | 2 |
| 1992 ❄️ | 10.5°C | 8.6°C | 6.8°C | 14.9°C | 4.6°C | 88 mm | 79% | 3.9 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1991 | 12.4°C | 10.4°C | 8.4°C | 14.1°C | 6.9°C | 26 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1990 | 13.5°C | 11.2°C | 8.8°C | 17.4°C | 5.7°C | 75 mm | 77% | 3.4 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1989 | 13.0°C | 11.1°C | 9.3°C | 16.7°C | 4.4°C | 78 mm | 83% | 3.5 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1988 | 12.7°C | 10.3°C | 7.8°C | 17.2°C | 4.4°C | 70 mm | 74% | 3.1 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1987 | 13.0°C | 11.0°C | 8.9°C | 16.0°C | 6.2°C | 118 mm | 81% | 2.8 m/s | 2 |
| 1986 | 13.4°C | 11.1°C | 8.9°C | 17.6°C | 5.5°C | 48 mm | 79% | 3 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1985 | 12.2°C | 10.4°C | 8.7°C | 18.0°C | 5.7°C | 60 mm | 82% | 3 m/s | 2 |
| 1984 | 11.9°C | 10.0°C | 8.0°C | 16.8°C | 5.4°C | 67 mm | 78% | 3.4 m/s | 2 |
| 1983 | 12.0°C | 9.9°C | 7.8°C | 16.6°C | 4.8°C | 52 mm | 78% | 4.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 13.2°C | 11.1°C | 9.0°C | 16.5°C | 6.8°C | 39 mm | 75% | 3.6 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 12.3°C | 10.5°C | 8.8°C | 18.2°C | 6.0°C | 112 mm | 80% | 3.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 13°C with lows near 9°C (mean 11°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 69 mm of rainfall in Kaikoura, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 146 mm in 2010.
The hottest May reached 19.4°C in 2021. The coldest dipped to 4.2°C in 2017.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.2°C. Daytime highs moved from 12.3°C to 13.6°C and overnight lows from 8.5°C to 9.6°C over the same span.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Kaikoura and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 13°C daytime highs and 9°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 5th coolest month in Kaikoura, averaging 11°C.
For May in Kaikoura, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 13°C and lows of 9°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 80% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 3.3 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 4.2 m/s (2009).
The wettest May on record was 2010 with 146 mm. On average, May sees 69 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 Kaikoura 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.
