Rockhampton weather in May

In May, Rockhampton sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 29 mm of rain across 3.2 wet days and about 10.9 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 27°C in the first days to 24°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 54% of the time in May, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 06 min at the start of May to 10 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Rockhampton's 7th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Rockhampton's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
9th warmest
Overnight low
15°
5th coldest
Rainfall
29 mm
3.2 wet days
Daylight
10 h 54 min
6:28 AM – 5:21 PM
Cloud cover
41%
7th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
4.05 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.1
out of 10

Rockhampton is city in Queensland, Australia.

Founded
1858

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 27°C in the first days to 24°C by the end.

A typical May day in Rockhampton reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 3°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12717
22717
32716
42716
52716
62616
72616
82616
92616
102615
112615
122615
132615
142615
152615
162615
172515
182514
192514
202514
212514
222514
232514
242514
252514
262514
272514
282514
292414
302414
312413

How May really feels in Rockhampton

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.

Rockhampton 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
Jan31° / 23°991113.34.4
Feb31° / 23°12211.512.84.4
Mar30° / 21°757.212.25.4
Apr28° / 18°374.211.57.0
May26° / 15°293.210.98.1
Jun23° / 12°293.410.68.4
Jul23° / 11°242.610.78.6
Aug24° / 11°222.311.28.8
Sep27° / 14°202.411.98.2
Oct29° / 17°354.712.56.7
Nov30° / 20°506.113.15.6
Dec31° / 22°859.513.44.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 54% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 27%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17129
27129
37129
47129
57129
67129
77228
87327
97327
107327
117426
127426
137327
147327
157426
167426
177426
187426
197426
207426
217426
227426
237327
247327
257327
267228
277228
287228
297129
307129
317129

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Rockhampton gets around 29 mm of rain over 3.2 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 11% and peaks near 13% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
113
213
313
412
512
611
711
810
910
1010
119
129
139
149
159
169
1710
1810
1910
2010
2110
2210
2310
2410
2511
2611
2711
2811
2911
3011
3111

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the comfortable band about 33% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 8% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1192835161
2212935151
3222934141
4233033131
5243132121
6253232111
7263331101
827343091
927352991
1028352880
1129362780
1230362680
1330362580
1431362570
1532362470
1633362470
1734352370
1835352370
1936352370
2037342270
2138342260
2238342260
2339332350
2440332350
2540322340
2641322440
2741312430
2841312430
2941312430
3042322430
3142322430

Wind in May

Winds average 10 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 11 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 06 min at the start of May to 10 h 42 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 6:21 AM to 6:35 AM, and sunset from 5:29 PM to 5:16 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.16:215:29
211.16:215:29
311.16:225:28
411.16:225:27
511.16:235:27
611.06:235:26
711.06:245:25
811.06:245:25
911.06:255:24
1011.06:255:24
1111.06:265:23
1210.96:265:23
1310.96:265:22
1410.96:275:21
1510.96:275:21
1610.96:285:21
1710.96:285:20
1810.86:295:20
1910.86:295:19
2010.86:305:19
2110.86:305:18
2210.86:315:18
2310.86:315:18
2410.86:325:17
2510.76:325:17
2610.76:335:17
2710.76:335:17
2810.76:345:16
2910.76:345:16
3010.76:355:16
3110.76:355:16

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.05 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.61 kWh/m² to a high of 6.78 kWh/m² in December across the year — May's 4.05 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.4Bright
24.3Bright
34.3Bright
44.3Bright
54.3Bright
64.2Bright
74.2Bright
84.2Bright
94.2Bright
104.2Bright
114.1Bright
124.1Bright
134.1Bright
144.1Bright
154.0Bright
164.0Bright
174.0Bright
184.0Moderate
194.0Moderate
204.0Moderate
213.9Moderate
223.9Moderate
233.9Moderate
243.9Moderate
253.9Moderate
263.8Moderate
273.8Moderate
283.8Moderate
293.8Moderate
303.8Moderate
313.7Moderate
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Rockhampton

In seasonPeak

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

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

Rockhampton's rainy season runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Rockhampton?

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

8.1
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
7.5
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Rockhampton in May

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

In May, Rockhampton sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 15°C. Worth packing: light clothes. About 3 days see rain.

light clothes

Sea temperature near Rockhampton in May

The nearest coast averages about 23°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 38 km away) is warmest in February at about 28°C and coldest in July near 20°C.

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

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb28Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr25Warm
May23Refreshing
Jun21Refreshing
Jul20Refreshing
Aug20Refreshing
Sep22Refreshing
Oct24Refreshing
Nov25Warm
Dec27Warm

UV index in Rockhampton in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Rockhampton peaks around February 11 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeFeb 11UV 15Jun 21UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr10Very high
May7High
Jun6High
Jul6High
Aug7Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct12Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Rockhampton 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 Rockhampton is worst in September — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.2× the cleanest month (July, 5 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodGoodSep 1518 µg/m³Jul 115 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb6Good
Mar6Good
Apr5Good
May6Good
Jun6Good
Jul5Good
Aug11Good
Sep20Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov13Moderate
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Rockhampton?

Rockhampton sits at 23.4°S, 150.5°E, 13 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Gladstone, 93 km away.

BundabergMackayHervey BayMaryboroughGympieAirlie BeachNoosa

Topography around Rockhampton

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Rockhampton has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 62 m around an average of 13 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 602 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 733 m.

The land around Rockhampton is covered by artificial surfaces (42%), trees (28%) and grassland (22%) within 3 km, grassland (53%) and trees (38%) within 16 km, and trees (45%) and grassland (33%) within 80 km.

3 km
62 m
16 km
602 m
80 km
733 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Gladstone 93 km · Bundaberg 249 km · Mackay 283 km · Hervey Bay 312 km · Maryborough 327 km · Gympie 381 km · Airlie Beach 392 km · Noosa 425 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 Rockhampton (-23.3803°, 150.506°, elevation 13 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).