Port Douglas weather in May

In May, Port Douglas sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 73 mm of rain across 13.6 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 24°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in May, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of May to 11 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Port Douglas's 7th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Port Douglas's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
8th warmest
Overnight low
21°
5th coldest
Rainfall
73 mm
13.6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
6:37 AM – 5:51 PM
Cloud cover
56%
7th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
4.32 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.4
out of 10

Port Douglas is town in the Shire of Douglas, Queensland, Australia.

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 24°C through the month.

A typical May day in Port Douglas reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12522
22522
32522
42522
52522
62522
72522
82522
92422
102422
112421
122421
132421
142421
152421
162421
172421
182421
192421
202421
212421
222421
232421
242421
252421
262420
272420
282320
292320
302320
312320

How May really feels in Port Douglas

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.

Port Douglas weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 8th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 25°33623.312.94.2
Feb28° / 25°33222.512.64.0
Mar27° / 24°3222212.14.6
Apr26° / 23°15817.711.65.5
May24° / 21°7313.611.26.4
Jun23° / 20°5711.7116.6
Jul22° / 19°5210.311.16.8
Aug22° / 19°479.111.47.1
Sep24° / 20°287.311.97.6
Oct25° / 22°5710.112.47.1
Nov27° / 23°9414.412.86.1
Dec28° / 24°20318.8135.2

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 25% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 44%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15644
25743
35644
45644
55644
65545
75644
85644
95545
105545
115644
125644
135644
145644
155644
165644
175644
185644
195644
205644
215644
225644
235644
245644
255644
265644
275743
285743
295842
305842
315842

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Port Douglas gets around 73 mm of rain over 13.6 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 44% and peaks near 52% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
152
251
351
450
550
649
749
848
948
1047
1146
1245
1345
1444
1543
1642
1741
1841
1940
2040
2140
2240
2340
2440
2540
2640
2740
2841
2941
3042
3142

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the muggy band about 62% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 77% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
10185833
20185932
30196030
401106128
501106227
602116225
702126323
802136322
902146420
1003146419
1103156517
1203166516
1303176515
1404176415
1504186414
1604196413
1715206212
1815216112
1915216211
2015226111
2116226110
221623619
231623619
242623618
252723608
262723617
273723607
283723616
293723625
303723625
314823614

Wind in May

Winds average 14 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min at the start of May to 11 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:33 AM to 6:43 AM, and sunset from 5:58 PM to 5:48 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:335:58
211.46:335:57
311.46:335:57
411.46:345:56
511.46:345:56
611.36:345:55
711.36:355:55
811.36:355:54
911.36:355:54
1011.36:355:54
1111.36:365:53
1211.36:365:53
1311.36:365:52
1411.36:375:52
1511.26:375:52
1611.26:375:51
1711.26:385:51
1811.26:385:51
1911.26:385:50
2011.26:395:50
2111.26:395:50
2211.26:395:50
2311.26:405:50
2411.26:405:49
2511.16:405:49
2611.16:415:49
2711.16:415:49
2811.16:425:49
2911.16:425:49
3011.16:425:49
3111.16:435:48

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.32 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.94 kWh/m² to a high of 6.7 kWh/m² in November across the year — May's 4.32 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.7Bright
24.7Bright
34.6Bright
44.6Bright
54.6Bright
64.5Bright
74.5Bright
84.5Bright
94.5Bright
104.4Bright
114.4Bright
124.4Bright
134.4Bright
144.3Bright
154.3Bright
164.3Bright
174.3Bright
184.3Bright
194.3Bright
204.2Bright
214.2Bright
224.2Bright
234.2Bright
244.2Bright
254.2Bright
264.2Bright
274.1Bright
284.1Bright
294.1Bright
304.1Bright
314.1Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Port Douglas

In seasonPeak

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

Port Douglas sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Port Douglas's monsoon runs December–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Port Douglas?

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

6.4
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
5.5
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Port Douglas for sightseeing.

What to pack for Port Douglas in May

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

In May, Port Douglas sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 21°C. Worth packing: light clothes and rain gear. About 14 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Port Douglas in May

The nearest coast averages about 26°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 21 km away) is warmest in February at about 29°C and coldest in July near 24°C.

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

22°24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr27Warm
May26Warm
Jun24Warm
Jul24Refreshing
Aug24Refreshing
Sep25Warm
Oct26Warm
Nov27Warm
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Port Douglas in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Port Douglas peaks around February 12 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeFeb 12UV 16Jun 21UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May9Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Port Douglas?

Port Douglas sits at 16.5°S, 145.5°E, 0 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Cairns, 58 km away.

TownsvilleKirwanAirlie BeachMackayMount IsaPort MoresbyDaru

Topography around Port Douglas

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Port Douglas has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 75 m around an average of 2 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,038 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,372 m.

The land around Port Douglas is covered by water (69%) and mangroves (21%) within 3 km, water (55%) and trees (32%) within 16 km, and trees (45%) and water (41%) within 80 km.

3 km
75 m
16 km
1,038 m
80 km
1,372 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
May weather nearby: Cairns 58 km · Townsville 340 km · Kirwan 341 km · Airlie Beach 543 km · Mackay 649 km · Mount Isa 786 km · Port Moresby 800 km · Daru 859 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 Port Douglas (-16.4838°, 145.4673°, 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).