Wednesday 18 June 2025 - Monthly Climate Summary for Remote Islands and Antarctica - Product code IDCKGC1RR0
Remote Islands and Antarctica in May 2025
Jump to a map of the areas covered in this summary
Australia's Indian Ocean islands
- The monthly rainfall total at Christmas Island Aero was 523.6 mm, this was above the May average rainfall of 183.5 mm and the highest May rainfall total since 1978. The highest daily rainfall this month was 145.0 mm on 11 May, this was Christmas Island Aero's fourth-highest May daily rainfall on record.
- At Christmas Island Aero, the mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were equal to the May average.
- The monthly rainfall total at Cocos Island Airport was 194.2 mm, this was close to the May average rainfall of 191.8 mm.
- At Cocos Island Airport, the mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were 0.7 and 0.3 °C above the May average, respectively.
Australia's Pacific Ocean islands
- Norfolk Island Aero recorded a monthly rainfall total of 202.8 mm, this was above the May average rainfall of 128.6 mm and the stations highest total May rainfall since 2004.
- At Norfolk Island Aero, the mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were 1.7 and 2.2 °C above the May average, respectively.
- It was the warmest May on record for Norfolk Island Aero, the station also had its warmest May mean maximum temperature on record and warmest May mean minimum temperature on record.
- The monthly rainfall total at Lord Howe Island Aero was 161.0 mm, this was close to the May average rainfall of 150.7 mm.
- At Lord Howe Island Aero, the mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were 0.6 and 1.1 °C above the May average, respectively.
Australia's Antarctic and sub-Antarctic territories
- The strongest wind gust recorded at the Australian Antarctic stations during May was 141 km/h at Casey on the 3rd.
- Both mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures for May were below average at the Australian Antarctic stations.
- Casey had its lowest May mean minimum temperature since 2003, at -21.7 °C. The average for May is -18.3 °C.
- Monthly precipitation at Macquarie Island was 136.2 mm, this was above the May average rainfall of 87.5 mm.
- The mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures at Macquarie Island were 0.6 and 0.7 °C above the May average, respectively.
- The strongest wind gust recorded in May at Macquarie Island was 119 km/h on the evening of the 15th.
Extremes Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top
| Highest May total rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Observed (mm) |
Most recent higher |
Average for May |
|||
| Norfolk Island Aero | 202.8 | 219.4 | in 2004 | 129.2 | |
| Christmas Island Aero | 523.6 | 528.6 | in 1978 | 190.1 | |
note: there may be gaps in the historical record at some sites, so it is possible more recent higher values have gone unreported
| Record highest May mean maximum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May |
||
| Norfolk Island Aero | 22.7 | 22.3 | in 2022 | 87 | 21.0 |
| Record highest May daily minimum temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May |
|||
| Norfolk Island Aero | 21.9 | on the 19th | 21.5 | on 03 May 2004 | 87 | 16.2 |
| Record highest May mean minimum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May |
||
| Norfolk Island Aero | 18.4 | 18.1 | in 1999 | 87 | 16.2 |
| Lowest May mean minimum temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Observed (°C) |
Most recent lower |
Average for May |
|||
| Casey | -21.7 | -21.9 | in 2003 | -18.4 | |
note: there may be gaps in the historical record at some sites, so it is possible more recent lower values have gone unreported
| Record highest May mean temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May |
||
| Norfolk Island Aero | 20.6 | 20.2 | in 2022 | 87 | 18.6 |
Extremes Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for May 2025 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for May 2025 |
Diff from average |
Highest for May 2025 |
Mean for May 2025 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for May 2025 |
Total for May 2025 |
Average for May |
Rank of May 2025 |
Fraction of May average |
|||
| Offshore Islands | ||||||||||||
| Lord Howe Island Aero | 22.2 | +0.6 | 23.9 | 7th | 17.5 | +1.0 | 13.5 | 31st | 161.0 | 150.7 | average | 107% |
| Norfolk Island Aero | 22.7 | +1.7 | 24.7 | 8th | 18.3 | +2.1 | 15.8 | 28th | 202.8 | 128.6 | high | 158% |
| Christmas Island Aero | 27.9 | 0.0 | 29.8 | 31st | 23.9 | 0.0 | 21.7 | 11th | 523.6 | 183.5 | high | 285% |
| Cocos Island Airport | 30.0 | +0.7 | 31.8 | 16th | 25.5 | +0.3 | 23.3 | 24th | 194.2 | 191.8 | average | 101% |
| Antarctica and Macquarie Island | ||||||||||||
| Casey | -14.5 | -3.6 | -2.5 | 3rd | -21.7 | -3.3 | -30.0 | 27th | 23.2 | 25.6 | average | 91% |
| Davis | -15.1 | -2.4 | -5.9 | 16th | -21.4 | -2.4 | -28.9 | 22nd | 13.5 | 9.3 | high | 145% |
| Macquarie Island | 6.6 | +0.6 | 9.4 | 5th | 3.3 | +0.7 | -1.7 | 31st | 137.0 | 87.5 | high | 157% |
| Mawson | -14.4 | -0.9 | -6.1 | 18th | -19.6 | -0.3 | -26.7 | 12th | ||||
Extremes Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top
| Daily maximum temperatures for May 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offshore Islands | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Lord Howe Island Aero | 21.8 | 21.9 | 23.0 | 22.3 | 22.6 | 23.6 | 23.9 | 23.8 | 21.0 | 21.1 | 21.9 | 22.5 | 22.9 | 21.9 | 21.8 | 21.7 | 23.4 | 22.2 | 20.6 | 21.6 | 21.9 | 22.8 | 23.0 | 22.2 | 22.8 | 23.1 | 20.9 | 21.5 | 20.5 | 21.7 | |
| Norfolk Island Aero | 23.8 | 21.8 | 22.2 | 22.3 | 23.1 | 24.0 | 23.7 | 24.7 | 24.5 | 21.9 | 21.5 | 22.8 | 22.8 | 22.0 | 23.1 | 23.8 | 23.5 | 24.5 | 24.2 | 20.1 | 21.7 | 21.9 | 21.8 | 22.4 | 23.1 | 22.6 | 21.7 | 21.8 | 22.4 | 22.1 | 21.0 |
| Christmas Island Aero | 29.1 | 29.2 | 28.7 | 29.5 | 26.8 | 28.8 | 28.6 | 29.0 | 28.9 | 26.2 | 26.0 | 28.2 | 26.6 | 27.4 | 29.3 | 28.3 | 28.3 | 27.0 | 27.5 | 28.0 | 27.2 | 27.4 | 26.2 | 26.8 | 27.4 | 27.4 | 27.6 | 27.4 | 28.1 | 28.2 | 29.8 |
| Cocos Island Airport | 30.3 | 30.4 | 30.4 | 29.6 | 30.2 | 30.5 | 30.9 | 30.6 | 30.3 | 30.4 | 30.0 | 29.9 | 28.5 | 29.5 | 31.0 | 31.8 | 29.3 | 31.4 | 27.9 | 29.3 | 29.8 | 29.3 | 29.1 | 28.7 | 29.5 | 29.1 | 30.6 | 29.9 | 29.2 | 30.0 | 31.3 | Antarctica and Macquarie Island | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Casey | -10.9 | -6.0 | -2.5 | -7.5 | -6.5 | -7.8 | -12.7 | -14.4 | -15.7 | -14.6 | -17.7 | -19.4 | -22.5 | -18.7 | -17.6 | -17.5 | -11.9 | -19.8 | -21.5 | -13.6 | -18.1 | -13.5 | -10.1 | -16.5 | -21.0 | -20.6 | -9.2 | -10.0 | -16.7 | -17.7 | -17.2 |
| Davis | -18.4 | -15.8 | -14.6 | -18.0 | -16.6 | -20.7 | -18.9 | -18.9 | -21.7 | -19.7 | -15.0 | -11.6 | -13.5 | -19.2 | -23.0 | -5.9 | -6.1 | -6.2 | -10.1 | -15.2 | -24.1 | -18.8 | -8.9 | -8.7 | -8.5 | -10.9 | -13.9 | -12.4 | -12.7 | -18.8 | -20.9 |
| Macquarie Island | 7.3 | 7.2 | 7.7 | 8.3 | 9.4 | 8.2 | 7.5 | 6.4 | 7.3 | 5.7 | 6.9 | 6.6 | 6.2 | 6.6 | 7.2 | 5.7 | 4.7 | 6.3 | 5.8 | 7.8 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 7.7 | 7.9 | 6.5 | 7.4 | 5.5 | 5.7 | 6.0 | 3.2 | 3.4 |
| Mawson | -16.1 | -15.5 | -18.0 | -16.2 | -17.4 | -9.2 | -8.9 | -11.4 | -14.9 | -18.5 | -21.2 | -21.5 | -20.0 | -15.6 | -9.2 | -6.7 | -7.7 | -6.1 | -11.3 | -17.0 | -15.2 | -13.8 | -14.0 | -12.7 | -14.2 | -11.5 | -13.2 | -16.7 | -17.1 | -17.0 | -17.5 |
|
Values are the maximum temperature, usually in the 24 hours from 9 am on the day indicated, and typically occurred in the afternoon of that day. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Temperatures coloured according to their difference from the long-term average for the period |
-10.0 | -9.0 | -8.0 | -7.0 | -6.0 | -5.0 | -4.0 | -3.0 | -2.0 | -1.0 | 0.0 | +1.0 | +2.0 | +3.0 | +4.0 | +5.0 | +6.0 | +7.0 | +8.0 | +9.0 | +10.0 | °C | Grey outline marks highest and lowest for the period |
||||||||
| Daily minimum temperatures for May 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offshore Islands | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Lord Howe Island Aero | 16.7 | 16.3 | 17.6 | 18.0 | 18.1 | 18.1 | 19.7 | 18.0 | 18.4 | 16.7 | 17.2 | 18.3 | 18.5 | 18.3 | 17.8 | 19.1 | 17.9 | 19.7 | 17.9 | 17.2 | 17.8 | 19.0 | 20.0 | 16.9 | 13.8 | 13.9 | 16.3 | 17.0 | 15.2 | 13.5 | |
| Norfolk Island Aero | 19.4 | 17.0 | 16.4 | 16.5 | 16.3 | 19.5 | 18.3 | 20.0 | 18.8 | 18.3 | 17.8 | 18.3 | 17.6 | 18.1 | 18.2 | 19.3 | 20.2 | 19.9 | 21.9 | 19.0 | 17.3 | 18.2 | 17.5 | 19.0 | 19.5 | 20.6 | 18.0 | 15.8 | 16.1 | 18.3 | 16.6 |
| Christmas Island Aero | 25.3 | 25.7 | 25.4 | 25.3 | 24.6 | 23.3 | 26.1 | 25.4 | 26.0 | 24.1 | 21.7 | 22.9 | 23.5 | 22.8 | 23.8 | 23.8 | 23.4 | 23.6 | 23.2 | 22.3 | 24.0 | 23.1 | 23.2 | 22.8 | 23.5 | 23.8 | 23.9 | 22.7 | 22.9 | 24.2 | 24.6 |
| Cocos Island Airport | 23.8 | 26.3 | 26.6 | 25.7 | 24.9 | 23.8 | 27.5 | 25.7 | 27.3 | 26.2 | 24.7 | 25.5 | 25.4 | 25.2 | 24.8 | 26.3 | 25.8 | 25.5 | 25.4 | 25.3 | 25.5 | 25.1 | 26.3 | 23.3 | 24.7 | 25.0 | 25.9 | 26.0 | 25.8 | 25.0 | 25.7 | Antarctica and Macquarie Island | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Casey | -16.5 | -18.5 | -15.2 | -13.8 | -14.9 | -9.8 | -14.4 | -20.5 | -19.3 | -17.9 | -22.2 | -23.7 | -27.6 | -28.8 | -25.8 | -20.2 | -24.9 | -24.3 | -25.4 | -26.2 | -24.7 | -22.8 | -23.4 | -24.3 | -22.4 | -26.8 | -30.0 | -21.2 | -19.0 | -24.7 | -23.8 |
| Davis | -21.1 | -22.1 | -21.7 | -20.5 | -21.4 | -21.9 | -23.7 | -23.4 | -23.8 | -26.1 | -24.3 | -20.3 | -17.8 | -22.3 | -26.8 | -28.2 | -25.6 | -9.0 | -10.6 | -17.2 | -24.7 | -28.9 | -26.4 | -19.5 | -20.1 | -13.3 | -17.6 | -20.7 | -16.2 | -21.7 | -25.4 |
| Macquarie Island | 4.8 | 6.3 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 6.3 | 6.1 | 5.9 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 4.7 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 4.2 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 5.7 | 5.5 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 4.3 | 0.7 | -1.7 |
| Mawson | -19.8 | -22.1 | -21.7 | -21.8 | -20.5 | -22.3 | -21.9 | -14.4 | -16.6 | -19.9 | -22.7 | -26.7 | -26.4 | -24.1 | -21.9 | -19.2 | -11.3 | -11.0 | -12.5 | -18.3 | -21.9 | -21.5 | -19.1 | -17.0 | -17.6 | -18.7 | -16.1 | -17.6 | -21.6 | -22.2 | -20.5 |
|
Values are the minimum temperature, usually in the 24 hours to 9 am on the day indicated, and typically occurred that morning. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Temperatures coloured according to their difference from the long-term average for the period |
-10.0 | -9.0 | -8.0 | -7.0 | -6.0 | -5.0 | -4.0 | -3.0 | -2.0 | -1.0 | 0.0 | +1.0 | +2.0 | +3.0 | +4.0 | +5.0 | +6.0 | +7.0 | +8.0 | +9.0 | +10.0 | °C | Grey outline marks highest and lowest for the period |
||||||||
| Daily rainfall for May 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offshore Islands | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
| Lord Howe Island (Milky Way) | 13.4 | 5.2 | 5.6 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.4 | - | - | 1.8 | 1.4 | 0.4 | - | - | - | 7.4 | 43.8 | 3.2 | - | 38.6 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 4.4 | 31.6 | 2.0 | - | 0.2 | 6.8 | 2.6 | 0.2 | - | |
| Lord Howe Island Aero | 8.8 | 6.0 | 5.8 | 4.0 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 0.2 | - | - | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.4 | - | 0.2 | 1.4 | 9.4 | 35.2 | 2.6 | 0.2 | 25.6 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 4.4 | 19.8 | 13.2 | 0.2 | - | 6.4 | 2.8 | 0.6 | - | |
| Norfolk Island Aero | 0.4 | 9.6 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 5.2 | 0.4 | 28.8 | 13.4 | - | 39.8 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.0 | - | - | - | - | 0.8 | - | 64.0 | 16.8 | - | 3.4 | - | - | → | 3.6 | - | 8.0 | 0.8 | 0.2 | |
| Christmas Island Aero | - | - | 4.6 | 0.2 | 9.6 | 21.4 | - | - | 0.2 | 19.8 | 145.0 | 27.4 | 24.4 | 42.2 | 15.6 | 17.2 | 18.0 | 14.8 | 34.8 | 67.0 | 4.2 | 5.8 | 6.6 | 12.8 | 0.4 | 6.0 | 0.2 | 24.6 | 0.8 | - | - | |
| Cocos Island Airport | 1.6 | 1.8 | - | - | 1.6 | 74.2 | 0.2 | 4.8 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 6.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 16.0 | 5.2 | 2.6 | 3.6 | 10.6 | 18.2 | 15.6 | 5.6 | 5.4 | 0.2 | - | 8.8 | 1.0 | - | - | 0.2 | 3.6 | Antarctica and Macquarie Island | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Casey | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.8 | - | 0.4 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.2 | 0.2 | - | 11.4 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | |
| Davis | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3.4 | 3.2 | - | - | - | 1.9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2.6 | 1.4 | - | - | 1.0 | - | |||
| Macquarie Island | 1.8 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 5.0 | 7.2 | 0.6 | 4.8 | 3.2 | 11.6 | 3.2 | 6.0 | 1.4 | 4.8 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 6.2 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 31.8 | 2.2 | 5.0 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 5.2 | 3.4 | |
|
Most values are the precipitation in the 24 hours to 9 am on the day indicated.
Days marked with → are part of a longer accumulation, which is shown on the final day. Values over 100 mm have been rounded to the nearest whole millimetre. Days marked with - have a rainfall report of zero; days left blank have no rainfall report (which often indicates no rain fell). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rainfalls coloured according to the amount |
0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 10.0 | 15.0 | 25.0 | 50.0 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 300 | 400 | 600 | millimetres | ||||||||||||||||||
Extremes Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top
Notes
The Monthly climate summary, usually published in the first week of the following month, lists the main features of the weather in Remote Islands and Antarctica using the most timely and accurate information available on the date of publication; it will generally not be updated.
This statement has been prepared based on information available on Wednesday 18 June 2025. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.
In some situations, some or all of the rainfall is in the form of hail or snow. In these cases, the totals given are for the water equivalent: the depth of liquid water that results from melting any frozen precipitation. There can be significant 'undercatch' of snow in strong winds, meaning the true precipitation can be higher than that reported.
Averages for individual sites are long-term means based on observations from
all available years of record, excluding the current year. The length of record can
vary widely from site to site. Averages are not shown for sites with fewer than
10 years of record, as they cannot then be calculated reliably.
The median
is sometimes more representative than the
mean
of long-term average rain.
The Rank indicates how rainfall this time compares with the climate record for the site,
based on the
decile ranking
(very low rainfall is in decile 1, low in decile 2 or 3,
average in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9
and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of average shows how much rain has fallen this time as a
percentage of the long-term mean.
Where temperature area averages are mentioned, they are derived from the ACORN-SAT dataset.
Information about Australian Indigenous seasonal calendars is available at the Indigenous Weather Knowledge website.
Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
