Karratha weather in May

In May, Karratha sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 25 mm of rain across 2.6 wet days and about 11 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 29°C in the first days to 26°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 71% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 18 min at the start of May to 10 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Karratha's 8th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Karratha's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
8th warmest
Overnight low
22°
5th coldest
Rainfall
25 mm
2.6 wet days
Daylight
11 hours
6:38 AM – 5:39 PM
Cloud cover
27%
8th clearest
Wind
18 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
4.77 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.8
out of 10

Karratha is town in Western 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 29°C in the first days to 26°C by the end.

A typical May day in Karratha reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 3°C cooler than April and about 3°C warmer than June.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13024
22924
32924
42924
52923
62923
72923
82923
92823
102823
112823
122822
132822
142822
152822
162822
172722
182722
192722
202722
212722
222721
232721
242721
252721
262621
272621
282621
292621
302621
312621

How May really feels in Karratha

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Karratha weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 8th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 27°453.913.15.0
Feb32° / 28°814.912.74.8
Mar32° / 28°683.412.14.8
Apr31° / 26°251.711.55.8
May28° / 22°252.6117.8
Jun25° / 19°312.710.88.7
Jul24° / 18°121.310.99.3
Aug25° / 19°30.511.39.5
Sep27° / 20°20.211.99.1
Oct29° / 23°10.212.57.7
Nov30° / 25°10.2136.8
Dec31° / 26°201.213.25.8

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 71% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 9% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 20%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27723
37723
47723
57822
67921
77921
87921
98020
108020
118119
128218
138218
148317
158317
168218
178218
188218
198218
208218
218119
228119
238119
248119
258119
268119
278119
288020
298020
307822
317822

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Karratha gets around 25 mm of rain over 2.6 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 8% and peaks near 11% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
17
28
38
48
58
68
78
88
98
108
118
128
137
147
157
167
177
188
198
208
218
228
239
249
259
269
279
289
2910
3010
3111

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 28% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 26% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1131727339
2151826329
3161926308
4171926298
5192026278
6202027267
7222126247
8232126237
9252225217
10262225206
11272325206
12282325196
13292324185
14292424185
15302424185
16302424175
17302423175
18312423175
19312423175
20312423175
21322522165
22322522165
23322521165
24332521165
25332521165
26342520155
27352520155
28362420155
29372419155
30382319155
31392319145

Wind in May

Winds average 18 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 17 km/h on the calmest days to 19 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
117light breeze
217light breeze
317light breeze
417light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
718light breeze
818light breeze
918light breeze
1018light breeze
1118light breeze
1218light breeze
1318light breeze
1418light breeze
1518light breeze
1618light breeze
1718light breeze
1818light breeze
1918light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2518light breeze
2618light breeze
2718light breeze
2818light breeze
2918light breeze
3019light breeze
3119light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 18 min at the start of May to 10 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 30 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:32 AM to 6:45 AM, and sunset from 5:47 PM to 5:35 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.36:325:47
211.26:335:47
311.26:335:46
411.26:335:45
511.26:345:45
611.26:345:44
711.26:355:44
811.16:355:43
911.16:355:43
1011.16:365:42
1111.16:365:42
1211.16:375:41
1311.16:375:41
1411.06:385:40
1511.06:385:40
1611.06:385:39
1711.06:395:39
1811.06:395:39
1911.06:405:38
2011.06:405:38
2111.06:405:38
2210.96:415:37
2310.96:415:37
2410.96:425:37
2510.96:425:36
2610.96:435:36
2710.96:435:36
2810.96:435:36
2910.96:445:36
3010.96:445:35
3110.86:455:35

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.77 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.19 kWh/m² to a high of 8.16 kWh/m² in November across the year — May's 4.77 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.1Bright
45.1Bright
55.1Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
114.9Bright
124.9Bright
134.9Bright
144.8Bright
154.8Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.7Bright
204.7Bright
214.7Bright
224.6Bright
234.6Bright
244.5Bright
254.5Bright
264.5Bright
274.5Bright
284.4Bright
294.4Bright
304.3Bright
314.3Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Karratha

In seasonPeak

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

Karratha 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 Karratha?

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

7.8
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
8.4
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Karratha for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Karratha in May

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

In May, Karratha sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Karratha in May

The nearest coast averages about 27°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 13 km away) is warmest in March at about 30°C and coldest in August near 23°C.

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

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb30Tropical
Mar30Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May27Warm
Jun24Warm
Jul23Refreshing
Aug23Refreshing
Sep24Refreshing
Oct25Warm
Nov27Warm
Dec28Warm

UV index in Karratha in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Karratha peaks around December 23 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeDec 23UV 15Jun 19UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr10Very high
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul7Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep10Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec15Extreme

Air quality in Karratha 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 Karratha is worst in December — around 49 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 7.0× the cleanest month (July, 7 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorModerateGoodModeratePoorDec 2048 µg/m³Jul 207 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan43Poor
Feb31Moderate
Mar23Moderate
Apr11Good
May9Good
Jun8Good
Jul7Good
Aug7Good
Sep11Good
Oct20Moderate
Nov32Moderate
Dec49Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Karratha?

Karratha sits at 20.7°S, 116.8°E, 20 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Port Hedland, 190 km away.

BroomeGeraldtonKalgoorlieEllenbrookLandsdaleBallajuraDuncraig

Topography around Karratha

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Karratha has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 123 m around an average of 23 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 170 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 377 m.

The land around Karratha is covered by grassland (54%) within 3 km, grassland (51%) and water (31%) within 16 km, and grassland (48%) and water (44%) within 80 km.

3 km
123 m
16 km
170 m
80 km
377 m
shrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Port Hedland 190 km · Broome 645 km · Geraldton 922 km · Kalgoorlie 1,205 km · Ellenbrook 1,230 km · Landsdale 1,235 km · Ballajura 1,238 km · Duncraig 1,238 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 Karratha (-20.7376°, 116.8463°, elevation 20 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).