Mount Isa weather in May

In May, Mount Isa sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 7 mm of rain across 1 wet days and about 11 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 8th-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 70% 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 Mount Isa's 6th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mount Isa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
9th warmest
Overnight low
15°
4th coldest
Rainfall
7 mm
1 wet days
Daylight
11 hours
7:08 AM – 6:09 PM
Cloud cover
27%
6th clearest
Wind
18 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
4.87 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.2
out of 10

Mount Isa is city in Queensland, Australia.

Air quality
Good
PM10 29.5 µg/m³ · 2019
Founded
1923

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 Mount Isa reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 31°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)
12917
22917
32916
42916
52916
62916
72816
82816
92816
102815
112815
122815
132815
142815
152715
162715
172715
182714
192714
202714
212714
222714
232714
242714
252614
262613
272613
282613
292613
302613
312613

How May really feels in Mount Isa

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.

Mount Isa weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 9th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan35° / 24°10410.113.12.4
Feb35° / 24°878.912.72.8
Mar34° / 22°614.512.13.5
Apr32° / 19°141.311.55.3
May27° / 15°71118.2
Jun25° / 11°60.810.89.2
Jul25° / 10°20.510.99.4
Aug27° / 12°20.411.38.8
Sep31° / 16°60.911.95.9
Oct34° / 20°121.812.53.8
Nov36° / 22°275132.5
Dec36° / 24°627.513.22.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 70% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 19%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18119
28119
38119
48119
58119
68119
78119
88119
98119
108119
118119
128119
138119
148119
158119
168020
178020
188020
198020
208020
218119
228119
238119
248119
258218
268218
278218
288218
298317
308317
318317

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Mount Isa gets around 7 mm of rain over 1 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 3% and peaks near 4% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
13
23
33
43
53
63
73
84
94
104
114
124
134
144
154
164
174
184
194
204
214
223
233
243
253
263
273
283
293
303
312

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 91% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
18965
28965
39064
49064
59064
69064
79073
89073
99073
108983
119082
129082
139082
149082
159082
169082
178983
188983
199082
209172
219172
229262
239262
249352
259352
269352
279352
289442
299442
309541
319541

Wind in May

Winds average 18 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 18 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
118light breeze
218light breeze
318light breeze
418light breeze
518light breeze
618light 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
3018light breeze
3118light 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 7:02 AM to 7:14 AM, and sunset from 6:17 PM to 6:05 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.37:026:17
211.27:026:16
311.27:026:15
411.27:036:15
511.27:036:14
611.27:046:14
711.27:046:13
811.17:046:13
911.17:056:12
1011.17:056:12
1111.17:066:11
1211.17:066:11
1311.17:066:10
1411.07:076:10
1511.07:076:09
1611.07:086:09
1711.07:086:08
1811.07:096:08
1911.07:096:08
2011.07:096:07
2111.07:106:07
2210.97:106:07
2310.97:116:06
2410.97:116:06
2510.97:126:06
2610.97:126:06
2710.97:126:05
2810.97:136:05
2910.97:136:05
3010.97:146:05
3110.87:146:05

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.87 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.45 kWh/m² to a high of 7.41 kWh/m² in November across the year — May's 4.87 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.1Bright
85.1Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
124.9Bright
134.9Bright
144.9Bright
154.8Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.7Bright
204.7Bright
214.7Bright
224.7Bright
234.7Bright
244.7Bright
254.6Bright
264.6Bright
274.6Bright
284.6Bright
294.6Bright
304.6Bright
314.6Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Mount Isa?

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

8.2
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
8.6
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Mount Isa in May

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

In May, Mount Isa sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 15°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Mount Isa 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 Mount Isa peaks around February 8 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 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 highExtremeFeb 8UV 16Jun 21UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul7High
Aug9Very high
Sep10Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov14Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Mount Isa 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 Mount Isa is worst in October — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (March, 11 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateOct 1525 µg/m³Mar 1011 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan14Moderate
Feb11Good
Mar11Good
Apr17Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun18Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug19Moderate
Sep22Moderate
Oct26Moderate
Nov20Moderate
Dec24Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Mount Isa?

Mount Isa sits at 20.7°S, 139.5°E, 363 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Alice Springs, 666 km away.

Alice SpringsKirwanTownsvilleCairnsPort DouglasAirlie BeachUluruMackay

Topography around Mount Isa

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Mount Isa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 243 m around an average of 364 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 341 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 433 m.

The land around Mount Isa is covered by grassland (33%), artificial surfaces (29%) and bare terrain (20%) within 3 km, grassland (80%) within 16 km, and grassland (84%) within 80 km.

3 km
243 m
16 km
341 m
80 km
433 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Alice Springs 666 km · Kirwan 771 km · Townsville 781 km · Cairns 783 km · Port Douglas 786 km · Airlie Beach 961 km · Uluru 1,005 km · Mackay 1,005 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 Mount Isa (-20.7252°, 139.4973°, elevation 363 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. 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).