May is one of the warmer months of the year in Carterton, with average highs near 16°C and lows around 6.5°C (mean 11.3°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 62 mm of rainfall and 81% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Carterton. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Carterton was 2024 — when the month averaged 13°C — while the coldest was 1996 at 8.5°C. Typical May days reach 16°C with nights near 6.5°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Carterton, averaging 62 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2007 with 117 mm, while the driest was 2020 at 6 mm.
Relative humidity in Carterton during May averages 81%. The most humid May was 1981 at 86%, and the least humid was 1990 at 77%.
May receives about 4.9 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Carterton. The sunniest May was 2020 at 6.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1984 and 1986 at 4.2.
Average wind speed in Carterton during May is 3 m/s. The windiest May was 1986 at 4 m/s, while the calmest was 2004 at 2.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 10.5°C | 11.1°C | 11.6°C | 11.2°C | 11.9°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg High | 15.1°C | 16.1°C | 16.1°C | 16.1°C | 16.9°C | +1.8°C |
| Avg Low | 6.0°C | 6.2°C | 7.0°C | 6.5°C | 7.0°C | +1°C |
| Avg Rain | 66 mm | 49 mm | 72 mm | 64 mm | 59 mm | -8 mm |
May temperatures in Carterton have risen by about 1.8°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -2.1°C (1982) to a record high of 25.5°C (2005).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 62 mm, with a wettest year of 117 mm.
A good time to visit Carterton
May is a good time to visit Carterton, with days averaging 16°C and nights around 6.5°C (mean 11.3°C, warmer than Carterton's yearly average) and moderate rainfall. July and August 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 | 12.6°C | 7.0°C | 24.3°C | 1.0°C | 23 mm | 79% | 2.9 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2024 🔥 | 17.6°C | 13.0°C | 8.5°C | 22.4°C | 5.8°C | 87 mm | 84% | 2.4 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2023 | 17.3°C | 12.2°C | 7.1°C | 19.6°C | 3.8°C | 55 mm | 82% | 2.7 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2022 | 17.2°C | 12.5°C | 7.8°C | 21.7°C | 5.1°C | 65 mm | 83% | 2.7 m/s | 5 |
| 2021 | 13.6°C | 9.6°C | 5.5°C | 21.3°C | 1.3°C | 115 mm | 83% | 3.2 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2020 | 17.4°C | 11.6°C | 5.9°C | 22.5°C | -0.6°C | 6 mm | 77% | 2.8 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2019 | 15.9°C | 10.9°C | 6.0°C | 20.8°C | 0.3°C | 38 mm | 80% | 2.4 m/s | 5 |
| 2018 | 18.0°C | 12.6°C | 7.1°C | 24.0°C | -0.6°C | 68 mm | 81% | 2.3 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2017 | 17.4°C | 12.6°C | 7.8°C | 24.5°C | 2.0°C | 65 mm | 82% | 3 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2016 | 16.8°C | 11.6°C | 6.4°C | 22.5°C | 1.1°C | 60 mm | 82% | 3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2015 | 14.6°C | 10.2°C | 5.9°C | 18.6°C | 1.8°C | 77 mm | 81% | 3.6 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2014 | 15.9°C | 11.6°C | 7.4°C | 22.0°C | 0.4°C | 96 mm | 83% | 2.9 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2013 | 14.2°C | 9.6°C | 4.9°C | 19.8°C | -0.2°C | 71 mm | 82% | 3.3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2012 | 16.4°C | 11.6°C | 6.8°C | 24.3°C | 0.6°C | 69 mm | 81% | 2.9 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2011 | 16.2°C | 11.5°C | 6.7°C | 20.2°C | 0.3°C | 48 mm | 78% | 3.9 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2010 | 15.2°C | 10.3°C | 5.5°C | 23.8°C | -0.5°C | 43 mm | 80% | 2.5 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2009 | 16.3°C | 11.7°C | 7.2°C | 22.6°C | 3.0°C | 49 mm | 81% | 3.5 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2008 | 17.6°C | 12.6°C | 7.6°C | 23.6°C | 1.4°C | 89 mm | 82% | 3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2007 🌧️ | 15.7°C | 11.4°C | 7.2°C | 22.2°C | 2.6°C | 117 mm | 83% | 3.3 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2006 | 16.2°C | 11.9°C | 7.5°C | 23.4°C | 3.6°C | 112 mm | 83% | 3.3 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2005 | 15.3°C | 10.6°C | 5.8°C | 25.5°C | -0.2°C | 37 mm | 79% | 3.5 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2004 | 16.4°C | 11.8°C | 7.2°C | 21.4°C | 2.5°C | 45 mm | 82% | 2.2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2003 | 15.5°C | 11.2°C | 6.9°C | 25.3°C | 2.2°C | 60 mm | 83% | 3.3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2002 | 15.4°C | 11.3°C | 7.2°C | 22.6°C | 1.4°C | 86 mm | 83% | 3.7 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2001 | 17.0°C | 11.8°C | 6.5°C | 23.0°C | 0.6°C | 42 mm | 83% | 2.8 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2000 | 15.9°C | 11.3°C | 6.6°C | 22.2°C | 2.8°C | 81 mm | 84% | 3.1 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1999 | 16.7°C | 12.3°C | 7.9°C | 21.9°C | 4.5°C | 51 mm | 83% | 3.2 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1998 | 17.3°C | 12.4°C | 7.5°C | 22.2°C | 0.9°C | 25 mm | 82% | 2.9 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1997 | 16.0°C | 10.8°C | 5.7°C | 22.7°C | 0.6°C | 69 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1996 ❄️ | 13.0°C | 8.5°C | 3.9°C | 19.6°C | -2.1°C | 56 mm | 79% | 3.6 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1995 | 15.9°C | 10.8°C | 5.7°C | 23.4°C | -0.8°C | 45 mm | 79% | 2.9 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1994 | 14.4°C | 9.9°C | 5.5°C | 18.8°C | 1.4°C | 76 mm | 82% | 2.9 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1993 | 15.8°C | 10.9°C | 6.1°C | 21.8°C | 0.5°C | 65 mm | 81% | 3.9 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1992 | 18.6°C | 12.9°C | 7.3°C | 24.2°C | 1.0°C | 65 mm | 77% | 3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1991 | 15.7°C | 10.7°C | 5.8°C | 21.6°C | 0.2°C | 16 mm | 79% | 2.8 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1990 | 18.0°C | 12.2°C | 6.4°C | 24.4°C | 3.3°C | 18 mm | 77% | 2.4 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1989 | 18.2°C | 12.7°C | 7.2°C | 23.4°C | 2.3°C | 19 mm | 80% | 2.6 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1988 | 16.0°C | 11.3°C | 6.7°C | 21.4°C | 2.5°C | 59 mm | 82% | 3 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1987 | 14.2°C | 9.5°C | 4.7°C | 19.6°C | -1.1°C | 43 mm | 82% | 3.2 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1986 | 14.2°C | 10.1°C | 6.0°C | 18.8°C | 3.1°C | 78 mm | 84% | 4 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1985 | 15.4°C | 10.8°C | 6.2°C | 20.4°C | 2.6°C | 84 mm | 82% | 3 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1984 | 14.3°C | 9.6°C | 4.8°C | 20.3°C | 0.3°C | 69 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1983 | 13.3°C | 9.6°C | 6.0°C | 17.9°C | 3.2°C | 113 mm | 85% | 2.9 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 15.7°C | 10.6°C | 5.5°C | 21.2°C | -2.1°C | 31 mm | 79% | 2.8 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 14.6°C | 10.6°C | 6.6°C | 20.5°C | 0.4°C | 101 mm | 86% | 3.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 16°C with lows near 6.5°C (mean 11.3°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 62 mm of rainfall in Carterton, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 117 mm in 2007.
The hottest May reached 25.5°C in 2005. The coldest dipped to -2.1°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.8°C. Daytime highs moved from 14.7°C to 16.8°C and overnight lows from 5.8°C to 7.2°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Carterton and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 16°C daytime highs and 6.5°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Carterton, averaging 11.3°C.
For May in Carterton, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 16°C and lows of 6.5°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 81% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 3 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 4 m/s (1986).
The wettest May on record was 2007 with 117 mm. On average, May sees 62 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 Carterton 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.
