Cairns weather in May
Temperature, sea and sunshine in May: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in May
Excellent
Best time to visit: May, August – November
What is the weather like in Cairns in May?
In May, Cairns is warm: daytime highs average 25 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 22 °C. The sea averages 25.8 °C – pleasant for swimming. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 46 mm in total. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, May is an excellent month for a holiday in Cairns.
May compared
How the weather changes from April to June. Tap a month to open it.
More details for May
- Daylight
- 11 h 20 min06:33 – 17:53
- UV index
- 8 · very highclear sky, noon (estimate)
- Muggy days
- 23 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 17 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 56 %on average
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC+10Australia/Brisbane
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %95 %
- Seaweight 25 %100 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %63 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %56 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in May
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Insect repellent
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Cairns in May: quick answers
Is Cairns hot in May?
Warm rather than hot: in May, daytime highs in Cairns average 25 °C and nights cool to about 22 °C.
Can you swim in Cairns in May?
Yes. In May the sea averages 25.8 °C – pleasant for swimming.
Does it rain much in Cairns in May?
Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 46 mm in total.
Cairns month by month
The whole year in CairnsAll destinations: Australia
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)