Cessnock weather in May

In May, Cessnock sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 9°C, with 39 mm of rain across 6.7 wet days and about 10.3 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 22°C in the first days to 19°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 42 min at the start of May to 10 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Cessnock's 4th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cessnock's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
9th warmest
Overnight low
5th coldest
Rainfall
39 mm
6.7 wet days
Daylight
10 h 18 min
7:41 AM – 6:00 PM
Cloud cover
45%
4th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
3.01 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.1
out of 10

Cessnock is city in New South Wales, Australia.

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 19°C by the end.

A typical May day in Cessnock reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 9°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 17°C and 24°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 4°C cooler than April and about 3°C warmer than June.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12211
22211
32211
42211
52110
62110
72110
82110
92110
102110
112110
122110
132110
142010
15209
16209
17209
18209
19209
20209
21209
22209
23209
24199
25199
26199
27199
28199
29199
30198
31198

Cessnock weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 18°6910.113.95.1
Feb29° / 18°829.913.25.6
Mar27° / 16°6710.312.26.6
Apr24° / 12°447.311.27.4
May20° / 396.710.37.1
Jun17° / 526.89.96.3
Jul17° / 345.410.16.4
Aug19° / 304.610.87.3
Sep22° / 365.911.87.7
Oct25° / 12°537.812.87.4
Nov27° / 14°739.513.76.6
Dec28° / 16°741014.15.8

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% 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 37%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16040
26040
36040
46139
56139
66238
76238
86238
96337
106436
116436
126436
136436
146436
156436
166436
176436
186436
196535
206535
216535
226535
236436
246436
256436
266436
276337
286337
296238
306238
316139

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Cessnock gets around 39 mm of rain over 6.7 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 22% and peaks near 25% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
123
222
322
422
522
621
721
821
920
1020
1120
1219
1319
1419
1520
1620
1720
1821
1921
2021
2122
2222
2322
2423
2523
2623
2724
2824
2924
3024
3125

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 84% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
169265
271245
373225
474215
575205
678184
779174
880164
982153
1082153
1183143
1285132
1385132
1486122
1586122
1687121
1787121
1888111
1988111
2088111
2189101
2289101
2389101
249190
259190
269190
279190
289190
299190
309190
319190

Wind in May

Winds average 9 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 42 min at the start of May to 10 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 42 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 7:30 AM to 7:51 AM, and sunset from 6:13 PM to 5:52 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.77:306:13
210.77:316:12
310.77:326:11
410.67:326:10
510.67:336:09
610.67:346:08
710.57:356:08
810.57:356:07
910.57:366:06
1010.57:376:05
1110.47:386:04
1210.47:386:03
1310.47:396:03
1410.47:406:02
1510.37:416:01
1610.37:416:00
1710.37:426:00
1810.37:435:59
1910.27:445:58
2010.27:445:58
2110.27:455:57
2210.27:465:56
2310.27:465:56
2410.17:475:55
2510.17:485:55
2610.17:485:54
2710.17:495:54
2810.17:505:54
2910.07:505:53
3010.07:515:53
3110.07:515:52

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 3.01 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.49 kWh/m² to a high of 6.52 kWh/m² in January across the year — May's 3.01 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.4Moderate
23.3Moderate
33.3Moderate
43.3Moderate
53.3Moderate
63.2Moderate
73.2Moderate
83.2Moderate
93.2Moderate
103.1Moderate
113.1Moderate
123.1Moderate
133.1Moderate
143.0Moderate
153.0Moderate
163.0Moderate
173.0Moderate
183.0Moderate
192.9Moderate
202.9Moderate
212.9Moderate
222.9Moderate
232.8Moderate
242.8Moderate
252.8Moderate
262.8Moderate
272.7Moderate
282.7Moderate
292.7Moderate
302.7Moderate
312.6Moderate
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Cessnock

In seasonPeak

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

Cessnock 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 Cessnock?

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

7.1
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
3.8
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Cessnock for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Cessnock in May

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

In May, Cessnock sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 9°C. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 7 days see rain.

Sea temperature near Cessnock in May

The nearest coast averages about 21°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 41 km away) is warmest in February at about 23°C and coldest in August near 18°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Nov 16 to Jun 7 — about 6.7 months when the water holds above 20°C.

16°18°20°22°24°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan23Refreshing
Feb23Refreshing
Mar23Refreshing
Apr22Refreshing
May21Refreshing
Jun20Cool
Jul19Cool
Aug18Cool
Sep18Cool
Oct19Cool
Nov20Refreshing
Dec21Refreshing

UV index in Cessnock in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Cessnock peaks around January 17 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 17UV 13Jun 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar9Very high
Apr6High
May4Moderate
Jun2Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug4Moderate
Sep6High
Oct8Very high
Nov10Very high
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Cessnock in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Cessnock is worst in December — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.3× the cleanest month (June, 5 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateDec 1621 µg/m³Jun 205 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb7Good
Mar7Good
Apr6Good
May6Good
Jun5Good
Jul6Good
Aug7Good
Sep8Good
Oct8Good
Nov11Good
Dec23Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Cessnock?

Cessnock sits at 32.8°S, 151.4°E, 71 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Maitland, 22 km away.

Topography around Cessnock

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Cessnock has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 70 m around an average of 82 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 587 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,482 m.

The land around Cessnock is covered by trees (46%), artificial surfaces (26%) and grassland (25%) within 3 km, trees (63%) and grassland (32%) within 16 km, and trees (58%) and grassland (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
70 m
16 km
587 m
80 km
1,482 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Maitland 22 km · Newcastle 41 km · Central Coast 66 km · Umina Beach 77 km · Muswellbrook 77 km · Pittwater 93 km · Hornsby 100 km · Wahroonga 101 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 Cessnock (-32.8321°, 151.3562°, elevation 71 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. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).