May is one of the warmer months of the year in Nelson, with average highs near 14°C and lows around 6.2°C (mean 10.1°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 71 mm of rainfall and 84% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Nelson. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Nelson was 2024 — when the month averaged 12.8°C — while the coldest was 1996 at 7.5°C. Typical May days reach 14°C with nights near 6.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
May is one of the drier months in Nelson, averaging 71 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2021 with 138 mm, while the driest was 1991 at 19 mm.
Relative humidity in Nelson during May averages 84%. The most humid May was 2024 at 87%, and the least humid was 2025 at 79%.
May receives about 4.9 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Nelson. The sunniest Mays were 2020 and 2025 at 5.9 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1993 at 4.1.
Average wind speed in Nelson during May is 3.3 m/s. The windiest May was 2011 at 4.7 m/s, while the calmest was 1990 at 2.3 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 | 10.3°C | 10.0°C | 11.0°C | +1.5°C |
| Avg High | 13.4°C | 14.1°C | 14.2°C | 13.9°C | 15.1°C | +1.7°C |
| Avg Low | 5.5°C | 5.8°C | 6.6°C | 6.1°C | 7.0°C | +1.5°C |
| Avg Rain | 67 mm | 64 mm | 81 mm | 72 mm | 72 mm | +5 mm |
May temperatures in Nelson have risen by about 1.8°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -1.3°C (1996) to a record high of 24.4°C (2012).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 71 mm, with a wettest year of 138 mm.
A good time to visit Nelson
May is a good time to visit Nelson, with days averaging 14°C and nights around 6.2°C (mean 10.1°C, warmer than Nelson'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 | 16.4°C | 11.6°C | 6.8°C | 21.2°C | 2.2°C | 51 mm | 79% | 3.2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2024 🔥 | 16.5°C | 12.8°C | 9.0°C | 20.4°C | 6.7°C | 101 mm | 87% | 2.7 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2023 | 15.9°C | 11.5°C | 7.2°C | 18.9°C | 4.6°C | 40 mm | 84% | 2.5 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2022 | 14.6°C | 11.2°C | 7.8°C | 18.9°C | 5.6°C | 79 mm | 86% | 3.4 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2021 🌧️ | 12.1°C | 8.6°C | 5.1°C | 19.2°C | 0.3°C | 138 mm | 85% | 2.9 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2020 | 14.9°C | 10.4°C | 5.9°C | 21.3°C | 0.4°C | 22 mm | 80% | 3.3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2019 | 13.4°C | 9.6°C | 5.9°C | 18.8°C | 1.3°C | 61 mm | 83% | 2.9 m/s | 5 |
| 2018 | 16.4°C | 11.6°C | 6.9°C | 21.9°C | 1.1°C | 39 mm | 82% | 2.9 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2017 | 15.7°C | 11.4°C | 7.1°C | 23.7°C | 2.3°C | 56 mm | 83% | 3.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2016 | 14.8°C | 10.6°C | 6.3°C | 20.6°C | 1.2°C | 45 mm | 84% | 3.4 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2015 | 11.6°C | 8.5°C | 5.4°C | 14.9°C | -0.7°C | 123 mm | 85% | 4.2 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2014 | 14.1°C | 10.7°C | 7.3°C | 20.1°C | 1.4°C | 104 mm | 85% | 3.2 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2013 | 12.5°C | 8.9°C | 5.2°C | 18.9°C | 1.1°C | 90 mm | 85% | 3.8 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2012 | 14.2°C | 9.9°C | 5.6°C | 24.4°C | -1.3°C | 70 mm | 83% | 3 m/s | 5 |
| 2011 | 13.2°C | 10.0°C | 6.8°C | 17.3°C | 0.7°C | 94 mm | 84% | 4.7 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2010 | 13.0°C | 9.0°C | 5.0°C | 23.3°C | -0.5°C | 35 mm | 82% | 2.6 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2009 | 13.7°C | 10.1°C | 6.6°C | 21.7°C | 2.3°C | 92 mm | 85% | 4.2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2008 | 16.2°C | 11.6°C | 7.0°C | 22.3°C | 2.1°C | 35 mm | 82% | 3.4 m/s | 5 |
| 2007 | 13.4°C | 10.0°C | 6.7°C | 17.6°C | 4.4°C | 81 mm | 84% | 3.5 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2006 | 14.1°C | 10.3°C | 6.5°C | 20.9°C | 3.0°C | 132 mm | 84% | 3.5 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2005 | 13.1°C | 9.5°C | 5.9°C | 18.4°C | 1.3°C | 66 mm | 82% | 3.7 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2004 | 14.4°C | 10.6°C | 6.8°C | 18.3°C | 4.0°C | 46 mm | 84% | 2.5 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2003 | 13.5°C | 10.3°C | 7.2°C | 22.5°C | 2.4°C | 121 mm | 86% | 3.8 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2002 | 13.6°C | 10.2°C | 6.9°C | 20.6°C | 1.4°C | 119 mm | 86% | 4 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2001 | 15.2°C | 10.7°C | 6.2°C | 20.5°C | 1.1°C | 48 mm | 83% | 2.8 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2000 | 14.4°C | 10.2°C | 6.0°C | 21.2°C | 3.1°C | 69 mm | 84% | 3.3 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1999 | 14.8°C | 11.0°C | 7.3°C | 20.5°C | 4.0°C | 92 mm | 85% | 3.7 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1998 | 15.6°C | 11.3°C | 7.1°C | 22.4°C | 0.2°C | 50 mm | 84% | 3.2 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1997 | 14.2°C | 9.7°C | 5.3°C | 21.3°C | 0.0°C | 93 mm | 83% | 2.9 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1996 ❄️ | 11.5°C | 7.5°C | 3.6°C | 18.4°C | -1.3°C | 67 mm | 82% | 3.5 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1995 | 13.6°C | 9.8°C | 5.9°C | 20.1°C | -0.9°C | 68 mm | 82% | 3.2 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1994 | 12.8°C | 8.8°C | 4.7°C | 18.0°C | -0.1°C | 43 mm | 82% | 3.8 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1993 | 13.6°C | 9.6°C | 5.6°C | 17.8°C | 1.0°C | 122 mm | 84% | 4.1 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1992 | 15.6°C | 11.3°C | 6.9°C | 21.9°C | 2.4°C | 52 mm | 84% | 3.9 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1991 | 13.5°C | 9.4°C | 5.4°C | 17.6°C | 0.2°C | 19 mm | 83% | 3 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1990 | 15.5°C | 10.9°C | 6.2°C | 22.4°C | 2.9°C | 37 mm | 81% | 2.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1989 | 14.8°C | 10.6°C | 6.5°C | 21.7°C | 1.9°C | 28 mm | 83% | 2.9 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1988 | 14.5°C | 10.3°C | 6.1°C | 18.9°C | 1.8°C | 63 mm | 83% | 3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1987 | 12.4°C | 8.5°C | 4.5°C | 17.6°C | -0.3°C | 46 mm | 84% | 3.4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1986 | 12.3°C | 9.1°C | 6.0°C | 17.8°C | 2.5°C | 123 mm | 87% | 4.6 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1985 | 13.5°C | 9.6°C | 5.6°C | 18.5°C | 1.0°C | 60 mm | 84% | 3.2 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1984 | 13.6°C | 9.0°C | 4.3°C | 18.3°C | -0.2°C | 34 mm | 79% | 2.6 m/s | 5 |
| 1983 | 12.0°C | 8.7°C | 5.4°C | 16.5°C | 2.7°C | 103 mm | 86% | 3.2 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 13.6°C | 9.4°C | 5.3°C | 20.3°C | -0.7°C | 41 mm | 81% | 3.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 13.5°C | 9.9°C | 6.2°C | 20.0°C | -0.9°C | 108 mm | 87% | 3.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 14°C with lows near 6.2°C (mean 10.1°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 71 mm of rainfall in Nelson, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 138 mm in 2021.
The hottest May reached 24.4°C in 2012. The coldest dipped to -1.3°C in 1996.
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 13.2°C to 15.1°C and overnight lows from 5.4°C to 7.2°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Nelson and one of the drier months, so plan for around 14°C daytime highs and 6.2°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Nelson, averaging 10.1°C.
For May in Nelson, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 14°C and lows of 6.2°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 84% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 3.3 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 4.7 m/s (2011).
The wettest May on record was 2021 with 138 mm. On average, May sees 71 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 Nelson 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.
