May is one of the cooler months of the year in Wanaka, with average highs near 7.2°C and lows around 0.7°C (mean 4°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 137 mm of rainfall and 92% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Wanaka. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Wanaka was 2023 — when the month averaged 6.3°C — while the coldest were 1988 and 2009 at 1.4°C. Typical May days reach 7.2°C with nights near 0.7°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Wanaka, averaging 137 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1995 with 243 mm, while the driest was 2024 at 31 mm.
Relative humidity in Wanaka during May averages 92%. The most humid May was 2000 at 94%, and the least humid was 1981 at 89%.
May receives about 1.8 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Wanaka. The sunniest Mays were 1992 and 2024 at 2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2000 and 2009 at 1.5.
Average wind speed in Wanaka during May is 2.1 m/s. The windiest May was 1990 at 3 m/s, while the calmest was 2008 at 1.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 3.2°C | 3.6°C | 3.9°C | 4.3°C | 5.1°C | +1.9°C |
| Avg High | 6.3°C | 6.8°C | 7.1°C | 7.7°C | 8.5°C | +2.2°C |
| Avg Low | 0.0°C | 0.5°C | 0.6°C | 0.9°C | 1.7°C | +1.7°C |
| Avg Rain | 152 mm | 155 mm | 120 mm | 136 mm | 113 mm | -39 mm |
May temperatures in Wanaka have risen by about 2.1°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -10.5°C (1988) to a record high of 15.6°C (2023).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 137 mm, with a wettest year of 243 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.5°C per decade while lows rose 0.3°C per decade, widening the gap between day and night.
A good time to visit Wanaka
May is a good time to visit Wanaka, with days averaging 7.2°C and nights around 0.7°C (mean 4°C, cooler than Wanaka'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 | 8.7°C | 5.3°C | 1.8°C | 13.6°C | -2.5°C | 131 mm | 90% | 2.4 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2024 | 6.4°C | 3.0°C | -0.4°C | 9.6°C | -3.5°C | 31 mm | 90% | 1.5 m/s | 2 |
| 2023 🔥 | 9.3°C | 6.3°C | 3.2°C | 15.6°C | -2.4°C | 225 mm | 93% | 2.1 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2022 | 9.6°C | 6.2°C | 2.7°C | 14.4°C | -3.2°C | 92 mm | 91% | 1.9 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2021 | 8.4°C | 4.5°C | 0.6°C | 15.5°C | -3.8°C | 109 mm | 90% | 2.1 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2020 | 8.8°C | 5.4°C | 2.0°C | 12.6°C | -1.7°C | 90 mm | 90% | 1.9 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2019 | 9.9°C | 6.2°C | 2.5°C | 14.4°C | -2.0°C | 153 mm | 91% | 2.2 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2018 | 7.3°C | 3.6°C | 0.0°C | 14.6°C | -4.4°C | 86 mm | 91% | 2.2 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2017 | 8.2°C | 4.4°C | 0.7°C | 12.1°C | -4.3°C | 101 mm | 92% | 1.6 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2016 | 7.8°C | 4.6°C | 1.3°C | 14.3°C | -3.1°C | 225 mm | 93% | 2.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2015 | 6.8°C | 3.5°C | 0.1°C | 13.8°C | -3.6°C | 114 mm | 91% | 2.5 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2014 | 8.2°C | 4.5°C | 0.8°C | 12.5°C | -4.4°C | 192 mm | 91% | 2.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2013 | 7.5°C | 3.9°C | 0.4°C | 15.2°C | -4.4°C | 89 mm | 91% | 1.9 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2012 | 7.1°C | 3.8°C | 0.4°C | 11.6°C | -3.6°C | 99 mm | 92% | 1.9 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2011 | 7.5°C | 4.8°C | 2.2°C | 14.2°C | -3.6°C | 158 mm | 92% | 2.2 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2010 | 7.0°C | 3.9°C | 0.9°C | 11.8°C | -2.8°C | 142 mm | 92% | 2.1 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2009 | 4.2°C | 1.4°C | -1.3°C | 9.5°C | -4.0°C | 189 mm | 91% | 2.1 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2008 | 5.8°C | 2.6°C | -0.6°C | 9.9°C | -4.4°C | 107 mm | 93% | 1.4 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2007 | 9.0°C | 5.4°C | 1.7°C | 12.5°C | -1.8°C | 132 mm | 92% | 2.9 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2006 | 7.1°C | 4.0°C | 0.9°C | 11.9°C | -3.0°C | 85 mm | 92% | 1.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2005 | 7.0°C | 3.7°C | 0.3°C | 12.1°C | -4.3°C | 113 mm | 92% | 2.1 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2004 | 7.3°C | 4.3°C | 1.3°C | 11.4°C | -2.7°C | 143 mm | 94% | 2.4 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2003 | 7.7°C | 4.2°C | 0.7°C | 12.5°C | -3.5°C | 135 mm | 91% | 2.2 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2002 | 7.6°C | 4.3°C | 0.9°C | 13.1°C | -4.6°C | 57 mm | 90% | 2.4 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2001 | 7.1°C | 4.1°C | 1.0°C | 14.0°C | -5.2°C | 80 mm | 91% | 1.7 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2000 | 7.7°C | 4.6°C | 1.5°C | 12.2°C | -3.4°C | 155 mm | 94% | 2.2 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1999 | 9.0°C | 5.6°C | 2.3°C | 12.7°C | -1.2°C | 101 mm | 93% | 2.7 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1998 | 7.5°C | 4.0°C | 0.6°C | 12.2°C | -3.3°C | 92 mm | 92% | 2 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1997 | 7.9°C | 4.8°C | 1.8°C | 13.9°C | -1.1°C | 116 mm | 94% | 2 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1996 | 6.7°C | 3.2°C | -0.3°C | 10.6°C | -3.8°C | 119 mm | 92% | 2.2 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1995 🌧️ | 7.1°C | 4.2°C | 1.3°C | 12.2°C | -3.1°C | 243 mm | 92% | 2.2 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1994 | 5.6°C | 2.8°C | 0.0°C | 10.8°C | -4.3°C | 233 mm | 93% | 2.1 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1993 | 6.7°C | 3.4°C | 0.1°C | 10.2°C | -3.5°C | 214 mm | 93% | 2 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1992 | 4.5°C | 1.5°C | -1.5°C | 11.3°C | -3.9°C | 109 mm | 92% | 2 m/s | 2 |
| 1991 | 6.6°C | 3.3°C | 0.1°C | 9.9°C | -2.2°C | 136 mm | 92% | 1.8 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1990 | 6.6°C | 3.6°C | 0.5°C | 11.2°C | -3.5°C | 187 mm | 92% | 3 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1989 | 7.0°C | 3.8°C | 0.6°C | 12.2°C | -4.2°C | 135 mm | 93% | 1.9 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1988 ❄️ | 4.9°C | 1.4°C | -2.0°C | 10.5°C | -10.5°C | 179 mm | 89% | 2 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1987 | 7.9°C | 4.8°C | 1.7°C | 12.7°C | -2.4°C | 154 mm | 91% | 2.6 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1986 | 6.6°C | 3.4°C | 0.2°C | 11.7°C | -4.0°C | 163 mm | 92% | 2 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1985 | 7.0°C | 3.9°C | 0.9°C | 12.4°C | -3.7°C | 83 mm | 90% | 1.7 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1984 | 5.3°C | 2.2°C | -0.8°C | 9.8°C | -3.8°C | 155 mm | 90% | 1.8 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1983 | 5.0°C | 2.0°C | -1.0°C | 10.8°C | -4.3°C | 211 mm | 92% | 2.6 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 6.2°C | 3.2°C | 0.2°C | 10.9°C | -4.5°C | 168 mm | 93% | 2.6 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 7.1°C | 3.9°C | 0.6°C | 12.1°C | -2.9°C | 117 mm | 89% | 1.5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 7.2°C with lows near 0.7°C (mean 4°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 137 mm of rainfall in Wanaka, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 243 mm in 1995.
The hottest May reached 15.6°C in 2023. The coldest dipped to -10.5°C in 1988.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 2.1°C. Daytime highs moved from 6.1°C to 8.5°C and overnight lows from 0°C to 1.6°C over the same span.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Wanaka and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 7.2°C daytime highs and 0.7°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 5th coolest month in Wanaka, averaging 4°C.
For May in Wanaka, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 7.2°C and lows of 0.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 92% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 2.1 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 3 m/s (1990).
The wettest May on record was 1995 with 243 mm. On average, May sees 137 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 Wanaka 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.
