Queenstown in May usually sees fair weather conditions, with an average daily high temperature of +50°F and roughly 0 sunny days. However, you should prepare for about 15 rainy days with an average precipitation of 117 mm. The weather is changeable so pack for every eventuality. Search flightsin one click on Avionero.
Average weather
☀️
+50°F
Avg. max. temperature
+18°F
Min.
+64°F
Max.
117 mm
Total precipitation
89%
Avg. humidity
1 m/s
Avg. wind
0 ☀️
Sunny Days
13 ⛅️
Cloudy
15 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Queenstown has OK weather in May.
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Average temperature in Queenstown in May
Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Queenstown for May based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
The temperature in May is +54°F on average, with a range between a maximum of +64°F during the day and a minimum of +30°F at night.
The average maximum temperature goes down 26% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +63°F to +54°F.
Is Queenstown warm or cold in May?
Queenstown is typically chill in May.
Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +57°F to +50°F. The minimum temperature also goes down from +43°F to +37°F.
Pack a jumper and a jacket as there will be cooler temperatures.
Take a look at how May is compared to other months in Queenstown:
Climate in Queenstown in May
Queenstown weather looks like this, on average, in May and the surrounding months.
April
May
June
Avg. temperature
+57°F
+50°F
+43°F
Min. temperature
+23°F
+18°F
+19°F
Max. temperature
+73°F
+64°F
+61°F
Rainfall
94 mm
117 mm
88 mm
Wind
1 m/s
1 m/s
0 m/s
Humidity
82%
89%
92%
Air pressure
1016 HPa
1014 HPa
1014 HPa
Sunny days
1
0
0
Cloudy days
14
13
14
Rainy days
14
15
11
Snowy days
1
3
5
May weather is still as ok as in April.It’s getting colder in May. From +57°F in the day, the average maximum temperature lowers to +50°F.Prepare for more rain. Average rainfall goes from 94 mm to 117 mm.Humidity rises from 82% to 89%.The average wind speed doesn’t change much during May, staying around 1 m/s.The days becoming less sunny, going from 1 sunny days in April to 0 in May.
Next month (June) brings a further decline in the weather.
Wind speed in Queenstown in May based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
The average wind speed is 1 m/s getting up to 2 m/s which is a light breeze; barely moving the tree leaves.
The average wind speed in Queenstown is gradually increasing during May, going from 1 m/s to 1 m/s over the course of the month.
Rain
Amount of rainfall in mm during May in Queenstown based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
A chance of rain on a typical day in May stands at 65%, leading to total precipitation of around 173 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 34 mm, which is moderate rain.May is a pretty wet month with over 20 rainy days, so don’t forget to pack an umbrella, raincoat, and a pair of wellies.
Here’s how May is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
Queenstown wettest month is December, where a typical day has a 68% chance of precipitation and 137 mm of rainfall per day. July, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 29% chance of precipitation and 78 mm of rainfall per day.
Snow
Amount of snow in mm during May in Queenstown based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
The chance of snow on a typical day in May is 0%, for a monthly total of around 2 mm.
Here’s how May is compared with other months in the amount of snow, total mm:
How was the weather last May in Queenstown?
This is the weather in Queenstown in May 2023:
1 May
☁️
+62°F
2 May
🌧️
+61°F
3 May
☁️
+64°F
4 May
☁️
+62°F
5 May
☁️
+58°F
6 May
☁️
+63°F
7 May
☁️
+59°F
8 May
🌧️
+60°F
9 May
🌧️
+62°F
10 May
🌧️
+46°F
11 May
☁️
+49°F
12 May
☁️
+52°F
13 May
☁️
+50°F
14 May
☁️
+48°F
15 May
☁️
+51°F
16 May
🌧️
+56°F
17 May
🌧️
+53°F
18 May
☁️
+43°F
19 May
☁️
+46°F
20 May
☁️
+47°F
21 May
☁️
+47°F
22 May
☁️
+49°F
23 May
☁️
+49°F
24 May
☁️
+56°F
25 May
🌧️
+59°F
26 May
☁️
+55°F
27 May
☁️
+51°F
28 May
☁️
+51°F
29 May
🌧️
+54°F
30 May
☁️
+49°F
31 May
🌧️
+53°F
In May 2023 Queenstown had 0 sunny days, 22 cloudy days, and 9 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +54°F, with an absolute maximum of +64°F and a minimum of +43°F. The average humidity was 89%, with a maximum of 100% and a minimum of 61%. The average wind speed was 1 m/s, with a maximum of 3 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in May?
Climate Change Over the Years
This is how Queenstown climate has changed over the last 43 years.
The climate in Queenstown in May has not changed that much over the last 43 years.
The average temperature was the lowest in 1992 (+51°F) and the highest in 2020 (+58°F). The driest year was 2017 with only 1002 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 1988 with 1607 mm.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the weather in Queenstown in May:
Is May a good time to visit Queenstown?
It’s always a good time to visit Queenstown, but the weather is changeable in May, so plan a mix of indoor and outdoor activities and exploring, and pack for every eventuality.
Can you sunbathe in Queenstown in May?
Not really, May is not the best time to sunbathe, unless you visit a local solarium.
Is Queenstown rainy in May?
Queenstown is often rainy in May. You may get a bit damp when outside, so pack an umbrella, and maybe even a raincoat.
Is it sunny in Queenstown in May?
Usually, it’s not very sunny in Queenstown in May, often it’s pretty cloudy. Pack for any eventuality; layering can help reduce the number of bulky items needed.
Other cities in New Zealand
Check out the weather for other cities in New Zealand.
For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Queenstown, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2023.
For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.
