Hawke's Bay Weather in May

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand in May.

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Napier Hastings Havelock North Clive

Considering a trip to Hawke's Bay, New Zealand this May and wondering about the expected weather conditions? Find all the crucial information you need right here, addressing your question:

What to Expect in Hawke's Bay in May

Hawke's Bay, New Zealand is a region in New Zealand. May in Hawke's Bay generally has mild temperatures, with moderate precipitation.

Temperatures

You can expect mild maximum daytime temperatures of around 17°C (63°F) and nighttime temperatures around 10°C (50°F) in Napier.

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

Precipitation

In May, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Fernhill with an average of 61 mm (2.4 in) to moderate rainfall in Wairoa with 89 mm (3.5 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine is fairly consistent across many areas. Napier receives about 155 hours of sunlight in May, providing a good balance between sunny spells and cloud cover. If you're after more sunshine hours, take a look at our weather planner for other sun-rich destinations worldwide.

Explore Hawke's Bay by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Hawke's Bay — and find the best time to visit. (based on Napier)

January24°C (75°F) February23°C (73°F) March22°C (72°F) April20°C (68°F) May17°C (63°F) June15°C (59°F) This monthJuly14°C (57°F) August15°C (59°F) September16°C (61°F) October18°C (64°F) November20°C (68°F) December22°C (72°F)
Best Time to Visit Hawke's Bay →

Best Places to Visit in Hawke's Bay in May

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across Hawke's Bay.

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 Hawke's Bay

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

Temperature range in Hawke's Bay (May)

Precipitation variation in Hawke's Bay (May)

Napier

In May Napier generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 17°C (63°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 10°C (50°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
20°C (68°F)
17°C (63°F)
15°C (59°F)
Min temperature
12°C (54°F)
10°C (50°F)
8°C (46°F)
Monthly sun hours
175 hours
155 hours
133 hours
Monthly rainfall
91 mm (3.6 in)
67 mm (2.6 in)
86 mm (3.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
10 days
10 days
12 days
Weather conditions
perfect
tolerable
tolerable
Climate in Napier →

Hastings

In May Hastings generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 17°C (63°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 9°C (48°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
20°C (68°F)
17°C (63°F)
15°C (59°F)
Min temperature
11°C (52°F)
9°C (48°F)
7°C (45°F)
Monthly sun hours
175 hours
155 hours
133 hours
Monthly rainfall
84 mm (3.3 in)
62 mm (2.4 in)
82 mm (3.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
9 days
10 days
12 days
Weather conditions
perfect
tolerable
tolerable
Climate in Hastings →

Havelock North

In May Havelock North generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 17°C (63°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 9°C (48°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
20°C (68°F)
17°C (63°F)
15°C (59°F)
Min temperature
12°C (54°F)
9°C (48°F)
7°C (45°F)
Monthly sun hours
175 hours
155 hours
133 hours
Monthly rainfall
83 mm (3.3 in)
63 mm (2.5 in)
83 mm (3.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
9 days
10 days
12 days
Weather conditions
perfect
tolerable
tolerable
Climate in Havelock North →

Clive

In May Clive generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 17°C (63°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 10°C (50°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
20°C (68°F)
17°C (63°F)
15°C (59°F)
Min temperature
12°C (54°F)
10°C (50°F)
8°C (46°F)
Monthly sun hours
175 hours
155 hours
133 hours
Monthly rainfall
87 mm (3.4 in)
65 mm (2.6 in)
84 mm (3.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
10 days
10 days
12 days
Weather conditions
perfect
tolerable
tolerable
Climate in Clive →

Eskdale

In May Eskdale generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 17°C (63°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 9°C (48°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
19°C (66°F)
17°C (63°F)
15°C (59°F)
Min temperature
11°C (52°F)
9°C (48°F)
7°C (45°F)
Monthly sun hours
175 hours
155 hours
133 hours
Monthly rainfall
101 mm (4 in)
72 mm (2.8 in)
92 mm (3.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
10 days
10 days
12 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
tolerable
tolerable
Climate in Eskdale →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Hawke's Bay, 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 Hawke's Bay in May.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Napier 17°C (63°F) 10°C (50°F) 67 mm (2.6 in)
Hastings 17°C (63°F) 9°C (48°F) 62 mm (2.4 in)
Havelock North 17°C (63°F) 9°C (48°F) 63 mm (2.5 in)
Clive 17°C (63°F) 10°C (50°F) 65 mm (2.6 in)
Eskdale 17°C (63°F) 9°C (48°F) 72 mm (2.8 in)
Wairoa 17°C (63°F) 10°C (50°F) 89 mm (3.5 in)

Hawke's Bay weather in May: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand in May?

May in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand brings tolerable weather. In Napier, daytime temperatures are typically around 17°C (63°F) and nighttime lows hover near 10°C (50°F).

What is the average temperature in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand in May?

Daytime temperatures in Napier peak at roughly 17°C (63°F) in May, dropping to about 10°C (50°F) overnight.

Does Hawke's Bay, New Zealand get a lot of rain in May?

May is on the drier side in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Napier averages only about 67 mm (2.6 in), with most days staying dry.

Is May a Good Time to Visit Hawke's Bay, New Zealand?

In our view, May might not be the best time to travel to Hawke's Bay, New Zealand with often tolerable weather in Napier.

Generally speaking, January, February, March, April, November and December provide perfect weather in Napier. On the other hand, the months of May, June, July, August and September tend to have tolerable weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Hawke's Bay.

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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