Cairns weather in May
Cairns in May averages 21°C (69°F) and 21 mm of rain.
Of the twelve months in Cairns, May is the fourth coldest and the fifth driest.
- Average temp
- 21°C (69°F)
16–25°C · 61–77°F
- Rainfall
- 21 mm
Not much rain
- Sunshine
- —
What is Cairns like in May?
Daytime
Days are warm, typically in the mid-20s°C or above.
Rain
Rain is usually light.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What should I pack for Cairns in May?
A layer for the evening
Evenings cool off noticeably once the sun is down.
Comfortable walking shoes you can rinse
Dry warm weather is walking weather, and dust gets into everything.
May compared with April and June
May in Cairns is 1.7°C cooler than April and 10 mm drier than it, which averages 22°C (72°F).
May in Cairns is 1.8°C warmer than June and about as wet as it, which averages 19°C (66°F).
Daylight in Cairns in May
On 15 May the sun is up for 11 hours 19 minutes in Cairns, rising about 06:33 and setting about 17:52 local time.
May ends 18 minutes shorter than it begins, so the last week of the month is a different length of day from the first.
That is 1 hour 49 minutes short of December, the longest-lit month here.
Where to stay in Cairns
Dates are a starting point for May.
Travel guides for Cairns
What to read before you book.
Cairns weather by month
TemperatureRainfall
How May compares with the rest of the year
May is highlighted. Every other month links to its own page.
| Month | Average | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|
| January | 25°C / 77°F | 227 mm |
| February | 25°C / 77°F | 278 mm |
| March | 24°C / 75°F | 172 mm |
| April | 22°C / 72°F | 32 mm |
| May | 21°C / 69°F | 21 mm |
| June | 19°C / 66°F | 12 mm |
| July | 18°C / 65°F | 14 mm |
| August | 19°C / 66°F | 12 mm |
| September | 21°C / 70°F | 9 mm |
| October | 23°C / 74°F | 25 mm |
| November | 24°C / 76°F | 59 mm |
| December | 25°C / 78°F | 128 mm |
Check another month
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FAQs about Cairns in May
May climate averages for Cairns, 1991–2020.
Cairns averages 21°C (69°F) in May, ranging from about 16°C (61°F) at night to 25°C (77°F) in the afternoon. That is a 1991–2020 average, so an individual week can run either side of it.
Barely. May sees only about 21 mm, so rain is unlikely to affect your plans.
Yes. May averages 21°C (69°F) against 19°C (66°F) in June — 1.8°C warmer.
May is 1.7°C cooler than April, and 10 mm drier.
Yes. May falls inside the most comfortable stretch of the year here, May to October, on temperature and rainfall together.
This page does not show today's weather. It is a 1991–2020 climate normal from Meteostat — a long-run average of what May is usually like, which is what you want when booking months ahead. For today or the coming week, check a live forecast.
About 11 hours 19 minutes of daylight in mid-May, against 13 hours 8 minutes in December and 11 hours 7 minutes in June.
On 15 May, sunrise is about 06:33 and sunset about 17:52 local time. Both shift across the month — the month ends 18 minutes shorter than it starts.
