Port Hedland weather in May

In May, Port Hedland sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 22 mm of rain across 2.3 wet days and about 11 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 30°C in the first days to 27°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 72% 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 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Port Hedland's 8th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Port Hedland's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
8th warmest
Overnight low
22°
5th coldest
Rainfall
22 mm
2.3 wet days
Daylight
11 hours
6:31 AM – 5:33 PM
Cloud cover
26%
8th clearest
Wind
17 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
4.82 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.4
out of 10

Port Hedland is port city in Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Density
204/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 30°C in the first days to 27°C by the end.

A typical May day in Port Hedland reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 31°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
23024
33024
43023
53023
63023
73023
82923
92923
102922
112922
122922
132922
142922
152822
162822
172822
182821
192821
202821
212821
222821
232821
242721
252721
262721
272721
282721
292721
302720
312720

How May really feels in Port Hedland

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 Hedland 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
Jan32° / 28°705.113.14.8
Feb32° / 28°100612.74.5
Mar33° / 28°804.512.14.3
Apr32° / 26°231.511.55.1
May28° / 22°222.3117.4
Jun25° / 19°232.110.88.7
Jul25° / 18°110.910.99.2
Aug26° / 18°40.611.39.2
Sep28° / 21°20.311.98.4
Oct30° / 24°10.112.56.7
Nov31° / 26°10.2136.1
Dec32° / 27°29213.25.4

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 72% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 8% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 19%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17426
27426
37624
47624
57624
67723
77822
87822
98020
108020
118119
128218
138317
148317
158317
168317
178416
188416
198317
208317
218317
228317
238317
248317
258317
268218
278218
288119
298119
308020
318020

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Port Hedland gets around 22 mm of rain over 2.3 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 7% and peaks near 8% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
16
26
37
47
57
67
78
88
98
108
118
128
138
148
158
168
178
188
198
208
218
227
237
247
257
267
276
287
297
307
317

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 29% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 30% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
116142130181
217142229171
319142229151
420142328141
522152327131
623152326120
725152425110
826162424100
92716242390
102817252290
112817252180
122917252170
132918262070
143018262060
153018262060
163019261960
173019261950
183019261950
193019261950
203119261850
213120261850
223120251950
233219251950
243219241950
253319231950
263419231950
273519221950
283618211950
293718201950
303818201950
313917191950

Wind in May

Winds average 17 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
316light breeze
416light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1917light breeze
2017light breeze
2117light breeze
2217light breeze
2317light breeze
2417light breeze
2517light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 18 min at the start of May to 10 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 24 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:25 AM to 6:37 AM, and sunset from 5:41 PM to 5:29 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.36:255:41
211.36:255:40
311.26:255:40
411.26:265:39
511.26:265:38
611.26:275:38
711.26:275:37
811.26:275:37
911.16:285:36
1011.16:285:36
1111.16:295:35
1211.16:295:35
1311.16:295:34
1411.16:305:34
1511.16:305:33
1611.06:315:33
1711.06:315:33
1811.06:315:32
1911.06:325:32
2011.06:325:32
2111.06:335:31
2211.06:335:31
2311.06:345:31
2410.96:345:30
2510.96:345:30
2610.96:355:30
2710.96:355:30
2810.96:365:30
2910.96:365:29
3010.96:365:29
3110.96:375:29

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.82 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.26 kWh/m² to a high of 8.06 kWh/m² in November across the year — May's 4.82 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.1Bright
65.1Bright
75.1Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
134.9Bright
144.9Bright
154.9Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.8Bright
204.7Bright
214.7Bright
224.7Bright
234.6Bright
244.6Bright
254.6Bright
264.5Bright
274.5Bright
284.5Bright
294.5Bright
304.4Bright
314.4Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Port Hedland

In seasonPeak

None of Port Hedland'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 Hedland 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 Port Hedland?

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

7.4
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
8.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Port Hedland in May

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

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

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Port Hedland 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 March at about 30°C and coldest in August near 22°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
Jan30Tropical
Feb30Tropical
Mar30Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May26Warm
Jun24Refreshing
Jul23Refreshing
Aug22Refreshing
Sep24Refreshing
Oct26Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Port Hedland 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 Port Hedland peaks around January 24 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highVery highExtremeJan 24UV 15Jun 18UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr10Very high
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul7Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep10Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec15Extreme

Air quality in Port Hedland 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 Port Hedland is worst in January — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.0× the cleanest month (July, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateJan 1617 µg/m³Jul 246 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan17Moderate
Feb14Moderate
Mar9Good
Apr7Good
May7Good
Jun6Good
Jul6Good
Aug6Good
Sep8Good
Oct10Good
Nov11Good
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Port Hedland?

Port Hedland sits at 20.3°S, 118.6°E, 5 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Karratha, 190 km away.

BroomeGeraldtonKalgoorlieWaingapuTambolakaKupangTaliwang

Topography around Port Hedland

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Port Hedland has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 15 m around an average of 3 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 26 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 189 m.

The land around Port Hedland is covered by water (41%) within 3 km, water (54%) and grassland (23%) within 16 km, and grassland (44%) and water (34%) within 80 km.

3 km
15 m
16 km
26 m
80 km
189 m
shrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
May weather nearby: Karratha 190 km · Broome 463 km · Geraldton 1,024 km · Kalgoorlie 1,195 km · Waingapu 1,198 km · Tambolaka 1,212 km · Kupang 1,248 km · Taliwang 1,300 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 Hedland (-20.3121°, 118.6106°, elevation 5 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).