New Zealand weather in May
Thinking about venturing to 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 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.
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.
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. Most areas experience a moderate amount of sunshine, with approximately 140 hours of sunlight expected in Auckland. This makes it neither too gloomy nor overly bright.
For a closer look at May's conditions in New Zealand, see the map below. For a more detailed look at New Zealand's yearly weather, check out our New Zealand climate page.
Where to go in New Zealand in May
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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.
Interested in the weather conditions in a specific month? Select the month below.
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 climate conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.