Byron Bay weather in May

In May, Byron Bay sees average daytime highs of 22°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 87 mm of rain across 10.4 wet days and about 10.6 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 22°C in the first days to 21°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in May, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 54 min at the start of May to 10 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Byron Bay's 4th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Byron Bay's year-round climate.

Daytime high
22°
9th warmest
Overnight low
14°
5th coldest
Rainfall
87 mm
10.4 wet days
Daylight
10 h 36 min
7:24 AM – 5:59 PM
Cloud cover
44%
4th clearest
Wind
11 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
3.4 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

Byron Bay is town in New South Wales, Australia.

Density
1/km²
people per km²

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 22°C in the first days to 21°C by the end.

A typical May day in Byron Bay reaches about 22°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 24°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12316
22316
32316
42215
52215
62215
72215
82215
92215
102215
112215
122214
132214
142214
152214
162214
172114
182114
192114
202114
212114
222114
232113
242113
252113
262113
272113
282113
292113
302113
312113

Byron Bay weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 9th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 21°14013.613.66.0
Feb27° / 21°13813.7135.7
Mar26° / 20°12815.312.26.0
Apr24° / 17°7812.511.36.6
May22° / 14°8710.410.66.8
Jun20° / 12°1029.710.26.5
Jul19° / 11°50710.47.0
Aug20° / 11°556.4117.4
Sep22° / 14°406.811.87.6
Oct24° / 16°789.512.77.3
Nov25° / 18°10411.113.46.7
Dec27° / 20°10912.513.86.2

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 33%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16535
26535
36634
46634
56733
66733
76733
86832
96832
106832
116832
126832
136931
146931
156931
167030
177030
187030
196931
206931
216931
226832
236832
246832
256832
266733
276634
286634
296535
306436
316436

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Byron Bay gets around 87 mm of rain over 10.4 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 34% and peaks near 41% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
141
241
340
440
539
639
738
837
937
1036
1136
1235
1335
1434
1533
1633
1732
1832
1931
2031
2130
2230
2330
2429
2529
2629
2729
2829
2929
3029
3130

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the comfortable band about 41% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
11739377
21840356
32041336
42142315
52343295
62444275
72645254
82845244
92945223
103145213
113345193
123545182
133645172
143844162
154043161
164242151
174341151
184540151
194639141
204738141
214838141
224837141
234937130
244937130
255137120
265038120
275038120
285138110
295138110
305139100
315139100

Wind in May

Winds average 11 km/h in May, the calmest month.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 11 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1511calm
1611calm
1711calm
1811calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 54 min at the start of May to 10 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 36 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 7:15 AM to 7:33 AM, and sunset from 6:10 PM to 5:53 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.97:156:10
210.97:166:09
310.97:166:09
410.87:176:08
510.87:186:07
610.87:186:06
710.87:196:05
810.77:206:05
910.77:206:04
1010.77:216:03
1110.77:216:02
1210.77:226:02
1310.67:236:01
1410.67:236:00
1510.67:246:00
1610.67:245:59
1710.67:255:59
1810.57:265:58
1910.57:265:57
2010.57:275:57
2110.57:285:56
2210.57:285:56
2310.47:295:55
2410.47:295:55
2510.47:305:55
2610.47:305:54
2710.47:315:54
2810.47:325:54
2910.47:325:53
3010.37:335:53
3110.37:335:53

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 3.4 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.92 kWh/m² to a high of 6.81 kWh/m² in December across the year — May's 3.4 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.7Moderate
23.7Moderate
33.7Moderate
43.6Moderate
53.6Moderate
63.6Moderate
73.6Moderate
83.5Moderate
93.5Moderate
103.5Moderate
113.5Moderate
123.5Moderate
133.5Moderate
143.4Moderate
153.4Moderate
163.4Moderate
173.4Moderate
183.4Moderate
193.4Moderate
203.3Moderate
213.3Moderate
223.3Moderate
233.3Moderate
243.3Moderate
253.2Moderate
263.2Moderate
273.2Moderate
283.2Moderate
293.2Moderate
303.1Moderate
313.1Moderate
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Byron Bay

In seasonPeak

None of Byron Bay's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Byron Bay sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Cyclone
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Byron Bay?

Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.8
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
4.4
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Byron Bay for sightseeing.

What to pack for Byron Bay in May

From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In May, Byron Bay sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 14°C. Worth packing: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

rain gear

Sea temperature near Byron Bay in May

The nearest coast averages about 24°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in February at about 26°C and coldest in August near 21°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

20°22°24°26°28°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr25Warm
May24Refreshing
Jun22Refreshing
Jul21Refreshing
Aug21Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct22Refreshing
Nov24Refreshing
Dec25Warm

UV index in Byron Bay in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 5 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Byron Bay peaks around January 21 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 4 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 21UV 13Jun 18UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr8Very high
May5Moderate
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug6High
Sep7Very high
Oct10Very high
Nov11Extreme
Dec13Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Byron Bay?

Byron Bay sits at 28.6°S, 153.6°E, 0 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Banora Point, 49 km away.

Topography around Byron Bay

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Byron Bay.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Byron Bay has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 91 m around an average of 8 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 263 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,197 m.

The land around Byron Bay is covered by water (40%) and trees (38%) within 3 km, water (58%) and trees (22%) within 16 km, and water (39%) and trees (38%) within 80 km.

3 km
91 m
16 km
263 m
80 km
1,197 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Banora Point 49 km · Palm Beach 61 km · Robina 68 km · Surfers Paradise 74 km · Gold Coast 74 km · Nerang 78 km · Southport 79 km · Labrador 81 km

Australia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type I
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 90% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$65,130
2025
Happiness
6.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
0.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
4.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
none 38%Roman Catholic 20%Protestant 18%other Christian 4%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Byron Bay (-28.6499°, 153.6125°, elevation 0 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).