May is one of the cooler months of the year in Whangarei, with average highs near 17.7°C and lows around 13.2°C (mean 15.5°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 103 mm of rainfall and 80% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Whangarei. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Whangarei was 2016 — when the month averaged 17.7°C — while the coldest was 1992 at 13.3°C. Typical May days reach 17.7°C with nights near 13.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Whangarei, averaging 103 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2023 with 225 mm, while the driest was 2007 at 33 mm.
Relative humidity in Whangarei during May averages 80%. The most humid May was 2023 at 86%, and the least humid was 1998 at 77%.
May receives about 2.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Whangarei. The sunniest Mays were 1994, 2014 and 2024 at 2.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2002, 2004 and 2010, among others at 2.3.
Average wind speed in Whangarei during May is 5.4 m/s. The windiest May was 1994 at 6.6 m/s, while the calmest was 2007 at 4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 15.1°C | 15.2°C | 15.6°C | 15.8°C | 15.8°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg High | 17.4°C | 17.4°C | 17.8°C | 18.2°C | 17.9°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg Low | 12.8°C | 13.0°C | 13.4°C | 13.5°C | 13.8°C | +1°C |
| Avg Rain | 104 mm | 77 mm | 103 mm | 105 mm | 143 mm | +39 mm |
May temperatures in Whangarei have risen by about 0.8°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 6.5°C (2009) to a record high of 23.1°C (2016).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 103 mm, with a wettest year of 225 mm.
A good time to visit Whangarei
May is a good time to visit Whangarei, with days averaging 17.7°C and nights around 13.2°C (mean 15.5°C, close to Whangarei'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 | 18.2°C | 16.1°C | 14.0°C | 20.1°C | 10.9°C | 109 mm | 82% | 5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2024 | 17.3°C | 14.9°C | 12.6°C | 19.8°C | 8.7°C | 84 mm | 78% | 5.5 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2023 🌧️ | 18.2°C | 16.3°C | 14.5°C | 21.3°C | 11.0°C | 225 mm | 86% | 6.2 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2022 | 18.4°C | 16.2°C | 14.1°C | 21.3°C | 10.4°C | 136 mm | 82% | 5.1 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2021 | 17.8°C | 15.7°C | 13.6°C | 20.8°C | 10.3°C | 111 mm | 80% | 5.2 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2020 | 17.7°C | 15.7°C | 13.8°C | 20.2°C | 10.5°C | 190 mm | 81% | 5.7 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2019 | 19.1°C | 16.7°C | 14.3°C | 21.7°C | 11.5°C | 53 mm | 79% | 4.7 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2018 | 18.1°C | 15.8°C | 13.4°C | 20.9°C | 7.6°C | 87 mm | 81% | 5.3 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2017 | 17.6°C | 15.2°C | 12.8°C | 19.8°C | 8.2°C | 101 mm | 79% | 4.8 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2016 🔥 | 20.2°C | 17.7°C | 15.2°C | 23.1°C | 12.5°C | 90 mm | 79% | 5.7 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2015 | 17.8°C | 15.4°C | 13.0°C | 21.2°C | 9.1°C | 133 mm | 78% | 5.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2014 | 18.3°C | 15.5°C | 12.7°C | 21.9°C | 8.4°C | 47 mm | 79% | 4.4 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2013 | 17.9°C | 15.5°C | 13.1°C | 20.6°C | 8.1°C | 120 mm | 80% | 5.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2012 | 16.9°C | 14.7°C | 12.5°C | 19.8°C | 8.0°C | 101 mm | 79% | 5.8 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2011 | 18.1°C | 16.0°C | 13.9°C | 20.7°C | 9.0°C | 153 mm | 83% | 5.3 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2010 | 17.9°C | 15.8°C | 13.7°C | 21.0°C | 11.5°C | 159 mm | 79% | 5.9 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2009 | 16.4°C | 13.8°C | 11.3°C | 19.9°C | 6.5°C | 124 mm | 79% | 6 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2008 | 16.5°C | 14.6°C | 12.7°C | 18.5°C | 9.5°C | 95 mm | 79% | 4.9 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2007 | 18.8°C | 16.4°C | 14.0°C | 22.8°C | 10.5°C | 33 mm | 79% | 4 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2006 | 17.4°C | 15.3°C | 13.2°C | 19.7°C | 9.9°C | 96 mm | 82% | 5.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2005 | 19.1°C | 16.6°C | 14.1°C | 21.4°C | 9.6°C | 80 mm | 81% | 5.6 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2004 | 17.7°C | 15.6°C | 13.6°C | 22.1°C | 10.3°C | 152 mm | 83% | 5.5 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2003 | 18.0°C | 15.9°C | 13.7°C | 21.2°C | 10.5°C | 97 mm | 81% | 5.4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2002 | 18.1°C | 16.0°C | 14.0°C | 20.7°C | 10.7°C | 109 mm | 79% | 6.3 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2001 | 18.1°C | 16.1°C | 14.0°C | 21.2°C | 9.7°C | 154 mm | 83% | 6.2 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2000 | 18.2°C | 15.9°C | 13.5°C | 21.5°C | 11.2°C | 89 mm | 80% | 5.1 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1999 | 18.2°C | 16.0°C | 13.8°C | 20.7°C | 11.1°C | 53 mm | 82% | 4.9 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1998 | 18.7°C | 16.5°C | 14.3°C | 20.8°C | 11.9°C | 64 mm | 77% | 5.9 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1997 | 17.9°C | 15.9°C | 13.9°C | 20.0°C | 12.6°C | 93 mm | 80% | 4.9 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1996 | 16.9°C | 14.7°C | 12.5°C | 19.7°C | 9.6°C | 90 mm | 79% | 6.1 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1995 | 17.7°C | 15.6°C | 13.5°C | 20.0°C | 11.8°C | 113 mm | 81% | 5.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1994 | 18.1°C | 15.6°C | 13.1°C | 20.1°C | 9.1°C | 51 mm | 78% | 6.6 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1993 | 16.8°C | 14.7°C | 12.6°C | 18.9°C | 9.7°C | 105 mm | 80% | 5.6 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1992 ❄️ | 15.5°C | 13.3°C | 11.1°C | 19.2°C | 7.8°C | 96 mm | 80% | 6.2 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1991 | 16.3°C | 14.1°C | 11.9°C | 17.8°C | 10.0°C | 36 mm | 79% | 5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1990 | 17.8°C | 15.4°C | 13.0°C | 20.2°C | 10.5°C | 65 mm | 78% | 5.8 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1989 | 17.7°C | 15.1°C | 12.5°C | 21.9°C | 7.5°C | 61 mm | 80% | 4.8 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1988 | 17.9°C | 15.5°C | 13.2°C | 21.0°C | 9.9°C | 183 mm | 85% | 4.6 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1987 | 17.5°C | 14.9°C | 12.4°C | 19.4°C | 9.6°C | 63 mm | 79% | 4.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1986 | 17.9°C | 15.5°C | 13.0°C | 20.3°C | 9.1°C | 108 mm | 78% | 4.9 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1985 | 16.6°C | 14.5°C | 12.5°C | 18.6°C | 8.9°C | 124 mm | 79% | 5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1984 | 17.3°C | 15.3°C | 13.2°C | 20.0°C | 9.0°C | 175 mm | 79% | 5.6 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1983 | 16.6°C | 14.2°C | 11.8°C | 20.9°C | 8.4°C | 61 mm | 82% | 5.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 17.5°C | 15.2°C | 12.9°C | 19.7°C | 10.7°C | 56 mm | 80% | 5.5 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 17.7°C | 15.6°C | 13.4°C | 21.1°C | 10.1°C | 101 mm | 80% | 5.4 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 17.7°C with lows near 13.2°C (mean 15.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 103 mm of rainfall in Whangarei, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 225 mm in 2023.
The hottest May reached 23.1°C in 2016. The coldest dipped to 6.5°C in 2009.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 0.8°C. Daytime highs moved from 17.1°C to 18°C and overnight lows from 12.8°C to 13.8°C over the same span.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Whangarei and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 17.7°C daytime highs and 13.2°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 6th coolest month in Whangarei, averaging 15.5°C.
For May in Whangarei, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 17.7°C and lows of 13.2°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 80% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 5.4 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 6.6 m/s (1994).
The wettest May on record was 2023 with 225 mm. On average, May sees 103 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 Whangarei 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.
