Zaranj weather in May

In May, Zaranj sees average daytime highs of 39°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 1 mm of rain across 0.2 wet days and about 13.5 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 37°C in the first days to 40°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 84% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 12 min at the start of May to 13 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Zaranj's 6th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zaranj's year-round climate.

Daytime high
39°
4th warmest
Overnight low
24°
9th coldest
Rainfall
1 mm
0.2 wet days
Daylight
13 h 36 min
5:32 AM – 7:06 PM
Cloud cover
17%
6th clearest
Wind
19 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
7.9 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.1
out of 10

Zaranj is city in Afghanistan.

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 37°C in the first days to 40°C by the end.

A typical May day in Zaranj reaches about 39°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 15°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 34°C and 43°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°C warmer than April and about 4°C cooler than June.

20°30°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13621
23622
33722
43722
53722
63722
73722
83723
93823
103823
113823
123823
133823
143823
153824
163924
173924
183924
193924
203924
213924
223925
233925
244025
254025
264025
274025
284025
294026
304126
314126

How May really feels in Zaranj

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 31 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
31
12 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Zaranj weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 4th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan16° / 163.510.26.2
Feb20° / 112.610.97.8
Mar26° / 12°16311.88.0
Apr33° / 18°4112.74.5
May39° / 24°10.213.51.1
Jun42° / 28°00140.0
Jul44° / 30°0013.80.0
Aug42° / 28°0013.10.0
Sep38° / 22°0012.21.8
Oct31° / 15°00.111.26.2
Nov23° / 30.710.48.9
Dec17° / 71.5107.3

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 84% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 7% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 8%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18713
28812
38812
48812
58812
68812
78911
88911
98911
108911
118911
129010
13919
14919
15919
16919
17928
18928
19937
20937
21937
22937
23955
24955
25955
26955
27964
28964
29964
30973
31973

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Zaranj gets around 1 mm of rain over 0.2 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 1% and peaks near 1% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
11
21
31
41
51
61
71
81
91
101
111
121
131
141
151
161
171
181
191
201
211
221
230
240
250
260
270
280
290
300
310

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in May

Winds average 19 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 22 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
317light breeze
417light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1018light breeze
1118light breeze
1218light breeze
1318light breeze
1418light breeze
1519light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1819light breeze
1919light breeze
2020light breeze
2120light breeze
2220light breeze
2320breezy
2420breezy
2520breezy
2621breezy
2721breezy
2821breezy
2921breezy
3021breezy
3122breezy

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 12 min at the start of May to 13 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 36 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:44 AM to 5:25 AM, and sunset from 6:55 PM to 7:15 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.25:446:55
213.25:436:56
313.25:426:57
413.35:416:58
513.35:406:58
613.35:396:59
713.35:397:00
813.45:387:00
913.45:377:01
1013.45:367:02
1113.45:357:02
1213.55:357:03
1313.55:347:04
1413.55:337:04
1513.55:337:05
1613.65:327:06
1713.65:317:06
1813.65:317:07
1913.65:307:08
2013.65:297:08
2113.75:297:09
2213.75:287:10
2313.75:287:10
2413.75:277:11
2513.75:277:12
2613.85:267:12
2713.85:267:13
2813.85:267:13
2913.85:257:14
3013.85:257:15
3113.85:257:15

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.9 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.57 kWh/m² to a high of 8.08 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 7.9 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.7Intense
27.7Intense
37.7Intense
47.7Intense
57.7Intense
67.8Intense
77.8Intense
87.8Intense
97.8Intense
107.8Intense
117.8Intense
127.8Intense
137.9Intense
147.9Intense
157.9Intense
167.9Intense
177.9Intense
188.0Intense
198.0Intense
208.0Intense
218.0Intense
228.0Intense
238.0Intense
248.0Intense
258.0Intense
268.0Intense
278.1Intense
288.1Intense
298.1Intense
308.1Intense
318.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Zaranj

In seasonPeak

In May, Zaranj sits inside its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Zaranj sees seasonal dust haze (April–September), heaviest in July.

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

Is May a good time to visit Zaranj?

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

1.1
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
4.4
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Zaranj.

What to pack for Zaranj in May

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

In May, Zaranj sees daytime highs around 39°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Zaranj 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 Zaranj peaks around June 17 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 17UV 10Dec 18UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb6High
Mar8Very high
Apr8Very high
May9Very high
Jun10Extreme
Jul9Very high
Aug10Extreme
Sep8Very high
Oct7High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Zaranj 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 Zaranj is worst in August — around 126 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.8× the cleanest month (December, 33 µg/m³).

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

0306090120150JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorUnhealthyPoorModerateAug 11125 µg/m³Dec 1933 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan34Moderate
Feb38Poor
Mar40Poor
Apr52Poor
May61Unhealthy
Jun83Unhealthy
Jul120Unhealthy
Aug126Unhealthy
Sep93Unhealthy
Oct58Unhealthy
Nov35Poor
Dec33Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Zaranj?

Zaranj sits at 31.0°N, 61.9°E, 489 m above sea level, in Afghanistan. The nearest listed city is Zābol, 36 km away.

KhāshFarahNehbandānZahedanKhān NeshīnLashkar GāhKushk

Topography around Zaranj

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Zaranj has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 10 m around an average of 487 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 25 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 313 m.

The land around Zaranj is covered by artificial surfaces (42%), bare terrain (33%) and cropland (24%) within 3 km, bare terrain (65%) and cropland (33%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (89%) within 80 km.

3 km
10 m
16 km
25 m
80 km
313 m
shrubscroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwetland
May weather nearby: Zābol 36 km · Khāsh 109 km · Farah 159 km · Nehbandān 185 km · Zahedan 189 km · Khān Neshīn 190 km · Lashkar Gāh 249 km · Kushk 260 km

Afghanistan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type C / F
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 17% of US
price level, 2024
GDP per capita
$417
2024
Happiness
1.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
31%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
4
per 100k, 2021
Road deaths
15.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 446
Religion
Muslim 100%

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 Zaranj (30.9596°, 61.8604°, elevation 489 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. 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).