Weather in May in New Zealand
Planning a getaway to New Zealand this May and curious about the weather you should prepare for? Discover all the vital details you need on this page, solving your puzzle:
What is the weather like in New Zealand in May?
New Zealand offers a broad spectrum of weather patterns. In May, one might encounter temperatures that range from cold to pleasant, and precipitation levels ranging from moderate to heavy.
Temperatures
During the day the temperature is cold in Mount Cook Village at 6°C and pleasant in Mangonui at 19°C. As night falls, temperatures generally drop to 12°C in Mangonui and -2°C in Mount Cook Village.To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of New Zealand, check out the map below.
Precipitation
In May, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Christchurch with an average of 54 mm to heavy rainfall in Haast with 349 mm.Average sunshine
Auckland enjoys a balanced 140 hours of sunlight. Ensuring it's neither too overcast nor too sunny.For more details on the yearly climate, visit our New Zealand climate page.
Where to go in New Zealand in May
perfect weather
pleasant
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Select a Month of Interest
Check the conditions for any month of the year.
For a detailed overview over the year and the best time to visit New Zealand, check out our New Zealand's climate page.
Popular destinations
What is the weather like in May for the 5 most popular destinations in New Zealand?
Auckland
In May Auckland generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 18°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 12°C and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.
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Christchurch
In May Christchurch generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 15°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 6°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.
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Queenstown
In May Queenstown generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Rotorua
In May Rotorua generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 16°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 8°C and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.
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Taupo
In May Taupo generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 15°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 6°C and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.
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Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in New Zealand.
Is May the best time to visit New Zealand?
In our opinion, May is a good time to visit New Zealand with overall tolerable weather in Auckland. However, the weather conditions may vary depending on your destination.
Generally speaking, January, February, March, April and November provide perfect weather in Auckland. On the other hand, the months of June, July, August and September tend to have unpleasant weather conditions.
Interested in more climate information?
We have much more information about the climate in New Zealand.
Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to New Zealand? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in New Zealand.
Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.