Paihia

Bay of Islands Weather in May

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand in May.

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Paihia Russell Kerikeri Opua

Thinking about venturing to the Bay of Islands, New Zealand this May and curious about the weather conditions to expect? This page holds all the key information you seek, responding to your question:

What to Expect in the Bay of Islands in May

The Bay of Islands, New Zealand is a region in New Zealand. May in the Bay of Islands generally has pleasant temperatures, with moderate precipitation.

Temperatures

You can expect pleasant maximum daytime temperatures of around 19°C (66°F) and nighttime temperatures around 13°C (55°F) in Paihia.

To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, check out the map below.

Precipitation

May is a moderate rainy month with an average rainfall of around 91 mm (3.6 in) in Paihia.

Explore the Bay of Islands by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in the Bay of Islands - and find the best time to visit. (based on Paihia)

January24°C (75°F) February24°C (75°F) March23°C (73°F) April21°C (70°F) May19°C (66°F) June17°C (63°F) This monthJuly16°C (61°F) August16°C (61°F) September17°C (63°F) October18°C (64°F) November20°C (68°F) December22°C (72°F)
Best Time to Visit the Bay of Islands →

Best Places to Visit in the Bay of Islands in May

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across the Bay of Islands.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in the Bay of Islands

What is the weather like in May for some of the most popular destinations in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand?

Temperature range in the Bay of Islands (May)

Precipitation variation in the Bay of Islands (May)

Paihia

In May Paihia generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 19°C (66°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 13°C (55°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are very good that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
21°C (70°F)
19°C (66°F)
17°C (63°F)
Min temperature
14°C (57°F)
13°C (55°F)
11°C (52°F)
Monthly rainfall
86 mm (3.4 in)
91 mm (3.6 in)
111 mm (4.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
13 days
14 days
16 days
Weather conditions
excellent
very good
mixed
Climate in Paihia →

Russell

In May Russell generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 19°C (66°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 13°C (55°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are very good that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
21°C (70°F)
19°C (66°F)
17°C (63°F)
Min temperature
15°C (59°F)
13°C (55°F)
11°C (52°F)
Monthly rainfall
87 mm (3.4 in)
92 mm (3.6 in)
113 mm (4.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
13 days
14 days
16 days
Weather conditions
excellent
very good
mixed
Climate in Russell →

Kerikeri

In May Kerikeri generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 19°C (66°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 12°C (54°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are very good that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
21°C (70°F)
19°C (66°F)
17°C (63°F)
Min temperature
14°C (57°F)
12°C (54°F)
10°C (50°F)
Monthly rainfall
88 mm (3.5 in)
92 mm (3.6 in)
112 mm (4.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
16 days
17 days
Weather conditions
excellent
very good
mixed
Climate in Kerikeri →

Opua

In May Opua generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 19°C (66°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 12°C (54°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are very good that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
21°C (70°F)
19°C (66°F)
17°C (63°F)
Min temperature
14°C (57°F)
12°C (54°F)
11°C (52°F)
Monthly rainfall
86 mm (3.4 in)
92 mm (3.6 in)
111 mm (4.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
13 days
14 days
16 days
Weather conditions
excellent
very good
mixed
Climate in Opua →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in the Bay of Islands, in New Zealand.

In our records: New Zealand May extremes

Notable May records observed across cities in New Zealand in our climate database (1976 – 2026). Historic readings can vary in quality, so treat these as illustrative.

  • In our records, the coldest May daytime high in New Zealand was -6°C (21°F) in Franz Josef on May 28, 2013.

Popular cities in May

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in the Bay of Islands in May.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Paihia 19°C (66°F) 13°C (55°F) 91 mm (3.6 in)
Russell 19°C (66°F) 13°C (55°F) 92 mm (3.6 in)
Kerikeri 19°C (66°F) 12°C (54°F) 92 mm (3.6 in)
Opua 19°C (66°F) 12°C (54°F) 92 mm (3.6 in)

The Bay of Islands weather in May: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand in May?

May in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand brings very good weather. In Paihia, daytime temperatures are typically around 19°C (66°F) and nighttime lows hover near 13°C (55°F).

What is the average temperature in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand in May?

Daytime temperatures in Paihia peak at roughly 19°C (66°F) in May, dropping to about 13°C (55°F) overnight.

Does the Bay of Islands, New Zealand get a lot of rain in May?

Not particularly. Paihia averages just 91 mm (3.6 in) of rain in May, making it a mostly dry month for the Bay of Islands, New Zealand.

Is May a Good Time to Visit the Bay of Islands, New Zealand?

Given the typically very good weather conditions in Paihia, May might be a good time to visit the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. It's worth noting that weather conditions might differ depending on the location you visit.

On average, the best time to visit the Bay of Islands, New Zealand is in January, February, March, April, November and December with generally excellent weather in Paihia. On the other hand, the weather in June, July and August tend to be mixed.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in the Bay of Islands.

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.

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