Te Anau

Southland Weather in May

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

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Te Anau Invercargill Half-moon Bay Gore

Planning a getaway to Southland, 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 to Expect in Southland in May

Southland, New Zealand is a region in New Zealand. May in Southland generally has temperatures that range from cold to mild, with precipitation levels ranging from moderate to heavy.

Temperatures

During the day the temperature is cold in Garston at 9°C (48°F) and mild in Invercargill at 13°C (55°F). As night falls, temperatures generally drop to 6°C (43°F) in Invercargill and 1°C (34°F) in Garston.

To explore the conditions in Southland, New Zealand in more detail, check the map below.

Precipitation

In May, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Gore with an average of 98 mm (3.9 in) to heavy rainfall in Te Anau with 185 mm (7.3 in).

Explore Southland by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Southland — and find the best time to visit. (based on Te Anau)

January17°C (63°F) February17°C (63°F) March15°C (59°F) April13°C (55°F) May10°C (50°F) June7°C (45°F) This monthJuly7°C (45°F) August8°C (46°F) September10°C (50°F) October12°C (54°F) November13°C (55°F) December16°C (61°F)
Best Time to Visit Southland →

Best Places to Visit in Southland in May

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

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 Southland

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

Temperature range in Southland (May)

Precipitation variation in Southland (May)

Te Anau

In May Te Anau generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 10°C (50°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 3°C (37°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
13°C (55°F)
10°C (50°F)
7°C (45°F)
Min temperature
5°C (41°F)
3°C (37°F)
1°C (34°F)
Monthly rainfall
163 mm (6.4 in)
185 mm (7.3 in)
154 mm (6.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
14 days
13 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Te Anau →

Invercargill

In May Invercargill generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 13°C (55°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 6°C (43°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
16°C (61°F)
13°C (55°F)
11°C (52°F)
Min temperature
8°C (46°F)
6°C (43°F)
4°C (39°F)
Monthly sun hours
119 hours
88 hours
77 hours
Monthly rainfall
100 mm (3.9 in)
107 mm (4.2 in)
95 mm (3.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
18 days
22 days
20 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
unpleasant
Climate in Invercargill →

Half-moon Bay

In May Half-moon Bay generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 13°C (55°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 8°C (46°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
15°C (59°F)
13°C (55°F)
11°C (52°F)
Min temperature
9°C (48°F)
8°C (46°F)
6°C (43°F)
Monthly sun hours
119 hours
88 hours
77 hours
Monthly rainfall
107 mm (4.2 in)
114 mm (4.5 in)
102 mm (4 in)
Monthly rainy days
23 days
26 days
25 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Half-moon Bay →

Gore

In May Gore generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 12°C (54°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 4°C (39°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
15°C (59°F)
12°C (54°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
6°C (43°F)
4°C (39°F)
2°C (36°F)
Monthly sun hours
119 hours
88 hours
77 hours
Monthly rainfall
89 mm (3.5 in)
98 mm (3.9 in)
89 mm (3.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
15 days
19 days
16 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
unpleasant
poor
Climate in Gore →

Garston

In May Garston generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C (34°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
9°C (48°F)
5°C (41°F)
Min temperature
3°C (37°F)
1°C (34°F)
-2°C (28°F)
Monthly sun hours
145 hours
87 hours
72 hours
Monthly rainfall
110 mm (4.3 in)
124 mm (4.9 in)
109 mm (4.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
14 days
12 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Garston →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Southland, 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 Southland in May.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Te Anau 10°C (50°F) 3°C (37°F) 185 mm (7.3 in)
Invercargill 13°C (55°F) 6°C (43°F) 107 mm (4.2 in)
Half-moon Bay 13°C (55°F) 8°C (46°F) 114 mm (4.5 in)
Gore 12°C (54°F) 4°C (39°F) 98 mm (3.9 in)
Garston 9°C (48°F) 1°C (34°F) 124 mm (4.9 in)
Manapouri 10°C (50°F) 3°C (37°F) 182 mm (7.2 in)

Southland weather in May: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Southland, New Zealand in May?

Expect poor weather across Southland, New Zealand in May. The popular destination of Te Anau averages 10°C (50°F) by day and 3°C (37°F) at night during this month.

What is the average temperature in Southland, New Zealand in May?

Daytime temperatures in Te Anau peak at roughly 10°C (50°F) in May, dropping to about 3°C (37°F) overnight.

Does Southland, New Zealand get a lot of rain in May?

Expect plenty of rainfall. Te Anau records an average of 185 mm (7.3 in) in May, putting it among the wetter months for Southland, New Zealand.

Is May a Good Time to Visit Southland, New Zealand?

In our opinion, May may not be the ideal time to visit Southland, New Zealand due to the typically poor weather in Te Anau.

On average, the best time to visit Southland, New Zealand is in February and March with generally unpleasant weather in Te Anau.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Southland.

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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