Taranaki Weather in May

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

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New Plymouth Stratford Hawera Oakura

Thinking about venturing to Taranaki, 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 Taranaki in May

Taranaki, New Zealand is a region in New Zealand. May in Taranaki generally has mild temperatures, with precipitation levels ranging from high to heavy.

Temperatures

You can expect mild maximum daytime temperatures of around 16°C (61°F) and nighttime temperatures around 12°C (54°F) in New Plymouth.

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

Precipitation

In May, precipitation varies across different areas. From high rainfall in Hawera with an average of 105 mm (4.1 in) to heavy rainfall in New Plymouth with 177 mm (7 in).

Average sunshine

Most areas see decent amounts of sunshine this month. New Plymouth gets around 146 hours of sunlight, providing a pleasant balance of sun and clouds. If you'd prefer more guaranteed sunshine, our weather planner can show you sunnier spots around the world.

Explore Taranaki by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Taranaki — and find the best time to visit. (based on New Plymouth)

January21°C (70°F) February21°C (70°F) March20°C (68°F) April18°C (64°F) May16°C (61°F) June15°C (59°F) This monthJuly14°C (57°F) August14°C (57°F) September15°C (59°F) October16°C (61°F) November17°C (63°F) December19°C (66°F)
Best Time to Visit Taranaki →

Best Places to Visit in Taranaki in May

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

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 Taranaki

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

Temperature range in Taranaki (May)

Precipitation variation in Taranaki (May)

New Plymouth

In May New Plymouth generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 16°C (61°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 12°C (54°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
18°C (64°F)
16°C (61°F)
15°C (59°F)
Min temperature
13°C (55°F)
12°C (54°F)
10°C (50°F)
Monthly sun hours
178 hours
146 hours
117 hours
Monthly rainfall
155 mm (6.1 in)
177 mm (7 in)
185 mm (7.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
15 days
15 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
unpleasant
poor
Climate in New Plymouth →

Stratford

In May Stratford generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 16°C (61°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 8°C (46°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
19°C (66°F)
16°C (61°F)
14°C (57°F)
Min temperature
10°C (50°F)
8°C (46°F)
6°C (43°F)
Monthly sun hours
178 hours
146 hours
117 hours
Monthly rainfall
125 mm (4.9 in)
121 mm (4.8 in)
133 mm (5.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
17 days
18 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
unpleasant
unpleasant
Climate in Stratford →

Hawera

In May Hawera generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 16°C (61°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 10°C (50°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
19°C (66°F)
16°C (61°F)
14°C (57°F)
Min temperature
12°C (54°F)
10°C (50°F)
8°C (46°F)
Monthly sun hours
178 hours
146 hours
117 hours
Monthly rainfall
113 mm (4.4 in)
105 mm (4.1 in)
119 mm (4.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
17 days
18 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
unpleasant
unpleasant
Climate in Hawera →

Oakura

In May Oakura generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 16°C (61°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 11°C (52°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
18°C (64°F)
16°C (61°F)
15°C (59°F)
Min temperature
13°C (55°F)
11°C (52°F)
10°C (50°F)
Monthly sun hours
178 hours
146 hours
117 hours
Monthly rainfall
157 mm (6.2 in)
175 mm (6.9 in)
186 mm (7.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
15 days
18 days
19 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
unpleasant
poor
Climate in Oakura →

Okato

In May Okato generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 16°C (61°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 11°C (52°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
18°C (64°F)
16°C (61°F)
15°C (59°F)
Min temperature
13°C (55°F)
11°C (52°F)
10°C (50°F)
Monthly sun hours
178 hours
146 hours
117 hours
Monthly rainfall
153 mm (6 in)
170 mm (6.7 in)
181 mm (7.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
15 days
19 days
19 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
unpleasant
poor
Climate in Okato →

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

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
New Plymouth 16°C (61°F) 12°C (54°F) 177 mm (7 in)
Stratford 16°C (61°F) 8°C (46°F) 121 mm (4.8 in)
Hawera 16°C (61°F) 10°C (50°F) 105 mm (4.1 in)
Oakura 16°C (61°F) 11°C (52°F) 175 mm (6.9 in)
Okato 16°C (61°F) 11°C (52°F) 170 mm (6.7 in)

Taranaki weather in May: frequently asked questions

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

May in Taranaki, New Zealand brings unpleasant weather. In New Plymouth, daytime temperatures are typically around 16°C (61°F) and nighttime lows hover near 12°C (54°F).

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

Average temperatures in Taranaki, New Zealand during May range from a nighttime low near 12°C (54°F) to a daytime high around 16°C (61°F) in New Plymouth.

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

Expect plenty of rainfall. New Plymouth records an average of 177 mm (7 in) in May, putting it among the wetter months for Taranaki, New Zealand.

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

Given the typically unpleasant weather conditions in New Plymouth, May may not be the ideal time to visit Taranaki, New Zealand.

On average, the best time to visit Taranaki, New Zealand is in January, February and March with generally pleasant weather in New Plymouth. The weather in June and July, on the other hand, tends to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Taranaki.

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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