SeasonMapPort Douglas (Great Barrier Reef) weather in May
Australia
May in Port Douglas: hot, rainy, with clean air — an excellent time to visit.
#7 of 12 months in Port Douglas · #652 of 1383 destinations to visit in May · comfort 82/100 (tier A)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Port Douglas in May
Other months in Port Douglas
Port Douglas's forum calls October one of the best months — warm, ahead of the wet season's humidity, with reliable reef conditions. The catch regulars flag: stinger season starts around October and runs into the following year's autumn, so ocean swimming without a stinger suit is off the table even on an otherwise perfect-looking day.
Add your own note from Port Douglas's card on the map.
Port Douglas climate normals — May
| Daytime high | 28°C / 82°F | 🥵 hot |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 23°C / 73°F | |
| Feels like (high) | 30°C / 86°F | |
| Sea temperature | 26°C / 78°F | 😎 warm sea |
| Rainfall | 99 mm / 3.9 in | 🌧 rainy |
| Rainy days | 12 days | |
| Humidity | 85% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 21°C / 70°F | |
| Sunshine | 9.9 h/day | |
| Daylight | 11.3 h | |
| Wind | 19 km/h / 12 mph | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 43 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Port Douglas in May
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Peak crowdsDry season, Port Douglas Carnivale(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Port Douglas's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Fair weatherPort Douglas's weather peaks August–October, best around September.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Port Douglas in May
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Dry season
1 May – 31 OctCrowdedMay to October is when the reef boats run almost every day, the Daintree road is dependable and the town is full. It is also when the rates and the restaurant queues are at their highest.
- Festival
Port Douglas Carnivale
22–24 MayMajor festivalCrowdedA long weekend in May with a street parade down Macrossan Street, a beach day and a lot of long tables. Ten thousand people in a town of three and a half thousand. Source ↗
- Hazard
Stinger season
1 Nov – 31 MayInsect seasonBox jellyfish and irukandji are in the water from November to May. Four Mile Beach gets a netted enclosure for the season and swimming outside it is a bad idea, however inviting it looks. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Port Douglas — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Port Douglas?
Port Douglas in May — FAQ
- Is May a good time to visit Port Douglas?
- May in Port Douglas: hot, rainy, with clean air — an excellent time to visit. It ranks #7 of 12 months for Port Douglas on SeasonMap's comfort score (82/100).
- What is the weather like in Port Douglas in May?
- In May, Port Douglas averages a daily high of 27.7°C and a low of 22.8°C, with about 98.7 mm of rain over roughly 12.4 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Port Douglas in May?
- Port Douglas has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 43 in May.
Other months in Port Douglas
Compare Port Douglas in May
Warmer or cooler than Port Douglas in May
Similar destinations in Oceania — May
Within 300 km: Cairns' Dry season on 1 May – 31 Oct.