May is one of the cooler months of the year in Timaru, with average highs near 12.5°C and lows around 7.7°C (mean 10.1°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 59 mm of rainfall and 80% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Timaru. Across 45 years of records, the warmest Mays in Timaru were 2019 and 2023 — when the month averaged 12°C — while the coldest was 1992 at 7.7°C. Typical May days reach 12.5°C with nights near 7.7°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Timaru, averaging 59 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2010 with 161 mm, while the driest was 1999 at 13 mm.
Relative humidity in Timaru during May averages 80%. The most humid May was 2006 at 85%, and the least humid was 1988 at 75%.
May receives about 1.7 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Timaru. The sunniest Mays were 2018, 2021 and 2022, among others at 1.9 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1997 and 2011 at 1.5.
Average wind speed in Timaru during May is 3.6 m/s. The windiest May was 2009 at 4.7 m/s, while the calmest were 1981 and 2020 at 2.9 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 9.5°C | 9.9°C | 9.9°C | 10.4°C | 10.9°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg High | 11.8°C | 12.4°C | 12.2°C | 12.8°C | 13.5°C | +1.7°C |
| Avg Low | 7.2°C | 7.4°C | 7.6°C | 8.0°C | 8.4°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 81 mm | 55 mm | 52 mm | 58 mm | 43 mm | -38 mm |
May temperatures in Timaru have risen by about 1.6°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 2.5°C (1988) to a record high of 21.2°C (2021).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 59 mm, with a wettest year of 161 mm.
A good time to visit Timaru
May is a good time to visit Timaru, with days averaging 12.5°C and nights around 7.7°C (mean 10.1°C, cooler than Timaru'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 | 13.9°C | 11.2°C | 8.5°C | 17.5°C | 5.4°C | 47 mm | 80% | 3.7 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2024 | 11.5°C | 9.1°C | 6.7°C | 14.7°C | 4.9°C | 29 mm | 77% | 3.4 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2023 | 14.3°C | 12.0°C | 9.7°C | 20.0°C | 6.6°C | 61 mm | 83% | 3.2 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2022 | 14.5°C | 11.9°C | 9.2°C | 19.4°C | 4.8°C | 35 mm | 79% | 3.2 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2021 | 13.5°C | 10.7°C | 8.0°C | 21.2°C | 4.9°C | 70 mm | 78% | 3.7 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2020 | 13.2°C | 10.7°C | 8.2°C | 18.2°C | 5.7°C | 17 mm | 82% | 2.9 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2019 🔥 | 14.7°C | 12.0°C | 9.3°C | 18.9°C | 6.0°C | 48 mm | 80% | 3.4 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2018 | 12.2°C | 10.0°C | 7.7°C | 16.6°C | 4.3°C | 24 mm | 79% | 3.5 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2017 | 11.8°C | 9.5°C | 7.3°C | 15.5°C | 3.7°C | 37 mm | 83% | 3 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2016 | 14.0°C | 11.5°C | 9.0°C | 20.1°C | 5.1°C | 92 mm | 78% | 4.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2015 | 12.8°C | 10.1°C | 7.4°C | 18.3°C | 4.0°C | 24 mm | 77% | 3.9 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2014 | 13.0°C | 10.4°C | 7.9°C | 16.9°C | 4.1°C | 47 mm | 80% | 3.4 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2013 | 12.5°C | 10.1°C | 7.7°C | 18.0°C | 3.6°C | 51 mm | 80% | 3.9 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2012 | 12.3°C | 9.8°C | 7.3°C | 16.2°C | 4.8°C | 22 mm | 80% | 3.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2011 | 12.5°C | 10.4°C | 8.3°C | 16.5°C | 4.8°C | 75 mm | 84% | 3.4 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2010 🌧️ | 12.1°C | 10.1°C | 8.1°C | 17.2°C | 5.2°C | 161 mm | 82% | 3.7 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2009 | 10.0°C | 8.1°C | 6.2°C | 16.1°C | 3.9°C | 94 mm | 81% | 4.7 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2008 | 11.0°C | 8.8°C | 6.5°C | 14.6°C | 4.2°C | 25 mm | 81% | 3 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2007 | 14.1°C | 11.4°C | 8.7°C | 18.2°C | 5.9°C | 42 mm | 79% | 3.6 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2006 | 11.6°C | 9.6°C | 7.7°C | 14.4°C | 4.9°C | 76 mm | 85% | 3.3 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2005 | 12.3°C | 9.8°C | 7.3°C | 16.7°C | 4.4°C | 41 mm | 81% | 3 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2004 | 12.2°C | 10.1°C | 8.1°C | 17.0°C | 5.3°C | 76 mm | 82% | 3.8 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2003 | 12.7°C | 10.1°C | 7.6°C | 18.4°C | 5.3°C | 64 mm | 79% | 3.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2002 | 13.2°C | 10.6°C | 8.1°C | 19.0°C | 3.0°C | 25 mm | 77% | 4.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2001 | 12.2°C | 10.2°C | 8.2°C | 17.4°C | 3.3°C | 42 mm | 80% | 3.7 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2000 | 13.2°C | 10.6°C | 8.0°C | 18.5°C | 5.9°C | 40 mm | 81% | 3.4 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1999 | 14.6°C | 11.8°C | 9.0°C | 17.9°C | 6.6°C | 13 mm | 78% | 3.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1998 | 12.9°C | 10.3°C | 7.6°C | 17.3°C | 4.0°C | 56 mm | 80% | 3.8 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1997 | 12.4°C | 10.2°C | 7.9°C | 17.7°C | 5.6°C | 42 mm | 83% | 3 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1996 | 12.6°C | 9.8°C | 7.1°C | 16.8°C | 3.4°C | 34 mm | 78% | 3.7 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1995 | 12.8°C | 10.3°C | 7.9°C | 17.3°C | 4.3°C | 35 mm | 80% | 3.4 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1994 | 11.9°C | 9.6°C | 7.3°C | 16.6°C | 5.1°C | 78 mm | 79% | 3.9 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1993 | 12.0°C | 9.5°C | 7.0°C | 15.7°C | 4.4°C | 93 mm | 82% | 3.7 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1992 ❄️ | 9.8°C | 7.7°C | 5.5°C | 13.9°C | 3.3°C | 79 mm | 79% | 4.1 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1991 | 12.0°C | 9.6°C | 7.1°C | 13.8°C | 5.1°C | 36 mm | 81% | 3.4 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1990 | 13.0°C | 10.2°C | 7.4°C | 17.7°C | 4.0°C | 85 mm | 78% | 4.3 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1989 | 12.0°C | 9.7°C | 7.4°C | 17.2°C | 4.3°C | 78 mm | 84% | 3.5 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1988 | 11.1°C | 8.6°C | 6.0°C | 17.1°C | 2.5°C | 72 mm | 75% | 3.4 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1987 | 12.6°C | 10.4°C | 8.1°C | 15.9°C | 5.5°C | 108 mm | 82% | 3.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1986 | 12.2°C | 9.9°C | 7.6°C | 17.0°C | 4.6°C | 67 mm | 79% | 3.6 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1985 | 11.8°C | 9.8°C | 7.8°C | 16.7°C | 5.3°C | 50 mm | 80% | 3.1 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1984 | 11.1°C | 8.9°C | 6.7°C | 15.3°C | 4.7°C | 96 mm | 79% | 3.9 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1983 | 11.1°C | 8.6°C | 6.1°C | 16.1°C | 4.4°C | 106 mm | 80% | 4.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 12.2°C | 9.9°C | 7.7°C | 15.0°C | 5.5°C | 111 mm | 78% | 4.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 11.8°C | 9.7°C | 7.5°C | 17.0°C | 4.9°C | 42 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 12.5°C with lows near 7.7°C (mean 10.1°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 59 mm of rainfall in Timaru, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 161 mm in 2010.
The hottest May reached 21.2°C in 2021. The coldest dipped to 2.5°C in 1988.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.6°C. Daytime highs moved from 11.6°C to 13.5°C and overnight lows from 7.2°C to 8.4°C over the same span.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Timaru and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 12.5°C daytime highs and 7.7°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 5th coolest month in Timaru, averaging 10.1°C.
For May in Timaru, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 12.5°C and lows of 7.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 80% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 3.6 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 4.7 m/s (2009).
The wettest May on record was 2010 with 161 mm. On average, May sees 59 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 Timaru 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.
