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Melbourne in May: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Take a look at past year’s weather for Melbourne in May and see if it is worth visiting.
Check flight prices to Melbourne on Avionero:
May

Weather in Melbourne in May 2025

OK Weather
Mild
🌧️
Rainy
🌊
Fresh water
Melbourne in May usually sees fair weather conditions, with an average daily high temperature of +16°C and roughly 4 sunny days. However, you should prepare for about 16 rainy days with an average precipitation of 52 mm. The weather is changeable so pack for every eventuality. Search flights in one click on Avionero.

Average weather

☀️
+16°C
Avg. max. temperature
+2°C
Min.
+27°C
Max.
52 mm
Total precipitation
75%
Avg. humidity
4 m/s
Avg. wind
4 ☀️
Sunny Days
10 ⛅️
Cloudy
16 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Melbourne has OK weather in May.

Average temperature in Melbourne in May

Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Melbourne for May based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The temperature in May is +16°C on average, with a range between a maximum of +22°C during the day and a minimum of +5°C at night.

The average maximum temperature goes down 6% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +18°C to +17°C.

Is Melbourne warm or cold in May?

Melbourne is typically mild in May.

Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +20°C to +16°C. The minimum temperature also goes down from +12°C to +10°C.

Pack a light jacket as it will be warm in the day and cool in the evenings.

Take a look at how May is compared to other months in Melbourne:

Water temperature in Melbourne in May

Water in Melbourne in May is Fresh. It varies from +16°C to +18°C, with an average of +17°C. Note that the air temperature is lower than the water temperature, averaging around +16°C.

In May, water temperatures are average relative to the rest of the year:

The warmest water temperatures in Melbourne are reached in February, when the average sea temperature rises to +19°C. The coldest water temperatures are in September, with an average of +15°C.

Can you swim in Melbourne in May?

Water temperature (+17°C) in Melbourne in May might be suited for short swims and acclimatized swimmers might find it refreshing.
🦭
Cold
Below +16°C
🏄‍♂️
Fresh
16°C - 21°C
🏊
Comfortable
21°C - 25°C
👙
Warm
25°C - 28°C
🔥
Very warm
+28°C and up
Think of bringing a full-body or shorty wetsuit (3mm-5mm thickness) to provide insulation and maintain body heat.

Climate in Melbourne in May

Melbourne weather looks like this, on average, in May and the surrounding months.
AprilMayJune
Avg. temperature
+20°C+16°C+14°C
Min. temperature
+3°C+2°C-1°C
Max. temperature
+34°C+27°C+21°C
Rainfall
54 mm52 mm54 mm
Wind
4 m/s4 m/s4 m/s
Avg. water temperature
+18°C+17°C+16°C
Humidity
70%75%78%
Air pressure
1019 HPa1019 HPa1019 HPa
Sunny days
644
Cloudy days
91010
Rainy days
141617
Snowy days
000

May typically has worse weather conditions compared to April. It’s getting colder in May. From +20°C in the day, the average maximum temperature lowers to +16°C. As May arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 54 mm to 52 mm. Humidity rises from 70% to 75%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during May, staying around 4 m/s. The days becoming less sunny, going from 6 sunny days in April to 4 in May.

June brings much the same weather, it remains ok.

Wind

Wind speed in Melbourne in May based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The average wind speed is 4 m/s getting up to 7 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in Melbourne is gradually increasing during May, going from 2 m/s to 6 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during May in Melbourne 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 106 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 20 mm, which is considered light 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 galoshes.
Here’s how May is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
Melbourne wettest month is October, where a typical day has a 52% chance of precipitation and 65 mm of rainfall per day. February, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 31% chance of precipitation and 37 mm of rainfall per day.

How was the weather last May in Melbourne?

This is the weather in Melbourne in May 2023:
1 May
☁️
+18°C
2 May
☁️
+19°C
3 May
☁️
+16°C
4 May
☁️
+16°C
5 May
☁️
+17°C
6 May
🌧️
+12°C
7 May
🌧️
+13°C
8 May
🌧️
+15°C
9 May
🌧️
+16°C
10 May
☁️
+15°C
11 May
☀️
+18°C
12 May
☁️
+18°C
13 May
☀️
+16°C
14 May
☀️
+21°C
15 May
☀️
+22°C
16 May
☁️
+14°C
17 May
☁️
+15°C
18 May
☁️
+14°C
19 May
🌧️
+15°C
20 May
🌧️
+15°C
21 May
☁️
+15°C
22 May
☁️
+16°C
23 May
☁️
+16°C
24 May
☁️
+16°C
25 May
☀️
+15°C
26 May
☁️
+14°C
27 May
🌧️
+15°C
28 May
☁️
+15°C
29 May
☁️
+17°C
30 May
☁️
+18°C
31 May
☁️
+17°C
In May 2023 Melbourne had 5 sunny days, 19 cloudy days, and 7 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +16°C, with an absolute maximum of +22°C and a minimum of +12°C. The average humidity was 81%, with a maximum of 100% and a minimum of 51%. The average wind speed was 4 m/s, with a maximum of 13 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in May?

Climate Change over Years

This is how Melbourne climate have been changing during last 43 years period.

The climate in Melbourne in May has not changed much over the last 43 years.

The average temperature was the lowest in 1986 (+17°C) and the highest in 2014 (+21°C). The driest year was 2006 with only 349 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2022 with 1214 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Melbourne in May:

Is May a good time to visit Melbourne?

It’s always a good time to visit Melbourne, 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 Melbourne in May?

May has mild temperatures in Melbourne. Not ideal for sunbathing, but still good for daytime outdoor activities, but plan for cool evenings. Pack a light jacket and shorts!

Can you swim in Melbourne in May?

In general, you can swim in Melbourne in May, if you want to, at an average water temperature of +17°C. But it will feel quite cool, and some precautions are necessary to ensure your comfort and safety.

Is Melbourne rainy in May?

Melbourne 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 Melbourne in May?

Usually, it’s not very sunny in Melbourne in May, often it’s pretty cloudy. Pack for any eventuality; layering can help reduce the number of bulky items needed.

Other cities in Australia

Check out the weather for other cities in Australia.

Monthly weather in Melbourne

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Melbourne, 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.