North Island New Zealand Weather in May

Average Temperatures in the North Island in May

May is autumn in New Zealand, and so average temperatures in the North Island do, on the whole, start to become cold. This depends dramatically, however, on where exactly you are – for example, the subalpine region around Taupo regularly sees nightly low temperatures below 5°C (41°F), while average daily high temperatures for Kaitaia and the subtropical Northland region still approach 20°C (68°F).

Here’s a look at what average temperatures to expect in different parts of the North Island during May:

Average Sunshine Hours Per day in the North Island in May

As a shoulder season and link between autumn and winter, May sees a lot of variation in terms of sunshine and daylight hours as the month goes on. In some places, like the Bay of Plenty (Rotorua) and Hawke’s Bay (Napier), you can still expect around 150 sunshine hours for the month, or around 5 average sunshine hours per day. In other areas, this is less. 

However, wth the days getting shorter now, too, the ratio of how much sun to expect during the day can still be quite high. Again, it depends where you plan to go:

Average rainfall in the North Island in May

In many parts of the North Island, the end of May marks the arrival of the rainiest period of the year through winter. However, this is far from being the case everywhere, since New Zealand’s uniquely diverse geography and climate create drastic differences, in terms of rainfall, between different areas. Also, for things like seeing the Huka Falls (near Taupo) in full flight, or visiting a native New Zealand temperate rainforest, rain can be a very good thing indeed!

Best Things to do in the North Island in May 

See the world-famous Waitomo Caves

May is a great time to visit one of New Zealand’s utterly unique natural attractions at Waitomo, whatever way you want to do it. Underneath the sleepy township and lush forests of Waitomo is an ancient subterranean labyrinth of limestone caves, dripping in gangly stalagmites and stalactites, where millions of glow-worms light up this underground network of caves and waterways with an otherworldly aura. You can choose to experience this on a leisurely walking and boat tour, or a unique black-water rafting and tubing trip down the rapids of the underground river!

Explore the Martinborough wine region

It may not be as famous in wine circles around the world as its South Island cousin, Marlborough, but Martinborough and the Wairarapa wine region has its own reputation for producing top-shelf vintages. Better yet, it gets less fuss and smaller crowds at this time of year. In particular, the region’s free-draining soils and cool, dry climate have made it perfect for producing some of the very best New World Pinot Noir anywhere, while its many small-scale and boutique wine-makers also produce outstanding Sauvignon Blanc and aromatic wines. With over 20 cellar doors and vineyards within a few kilometres of Martinborough’s town centre, it’s the ideal base for treating yourself to a tasting tour.

Start organising your North Island holiday

Like the sound of a North Island holiday in May? Take a look at the different North Island tour packages and self-drive itinerary options provided by First Light Travel. 

Contact FLT’s travel advisers directly, online, to customise your own version. If you still have questions, the many articles on FLT’s dedicated New Zealand travel blog could help to answer them.

Read our Google Reviews to see what our guests have to say about us!