Ghardaïa weather in May

In May, Ghardaïa sees average daytime highs of 32°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 3 mm of rain across 0.8 wet days and about 13.6 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 29°C in the first days to 34°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 69% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Ghardaïa's 8th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ghardaïa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
32°
5th warmest
Overnight low
19°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3 mm
0.8 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:52 AM – 7:31 PM
Cloud cover
29%
8th clearest
Wind
18 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
7.67 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.5
out of 10

Ghardaïa is City and capital of Ghardaïa Province, Algeria.

Density
242/km²
people per km²
Founded
1048

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 29°C in the first days to 34°C by the end.

A typical May day in Ghardaïa reaches about 32°C in the afternoon and slips back to 19°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 37°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 5°C warmer than April and about 5°C cooler than June.

10°20°30°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12917
22917
32917
43017
53017
63018
73018
83018
93118
103118
113118
123119
133119
143119
153119
163219
173219
183220
193220
203220
213220
223220
233320
243321
253321
263321
273321
283321
293421
303422
313422

How May really feels in Ghardaïa

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 13 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
13
heat index over the day's high
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.

Ghardaïa weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan16° / 91.610.16.6
Feb18° / 41.110.87.7
Mar22° / 10°71.511.88.6
Apr26° / 14°71.412.88.4
May32° / 19°30.813.65.5
Jun37° / 24°10.314.12.2
Jul40° / 27°10.213.90.0
Aug39° / 27°20.813.20.5
Sep34° / 23°81.512.23.7
Oct28° / 17°61.111.27.6
Nov21° / 10°61.410.38.4
Dec17° / 51.29.97.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 69% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 19%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18119
28218
38218
48218
58218
68218
78218
88218
98218
108218
118218
128218
138119
148119
158119
168119
178020
188020
198020
208020
218020
228020
238020
248020
258020
268020
278119
288119
298119
308317
318317

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Ghardaïa gets around 3 mm of rain over 0.8 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 3% and peaks near 3% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
13
23
33
43
52
62
72
82
92
102
112
122
133
143
153
163
173
183
193
203
213
223
233
243
253
263
273
283
292
302
312

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 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
91000
101000
111000
121000
131000
14991
15991
16991
17991
18991
19991
20982
21982
22982
23982
24982
25982
26982
27982
28982
29982
30982
31982

Wind in May

Winds average 18 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 17 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
118light breeze
218light breeze
318light breeze
418light breeze
518light breeze
618light breeze
718light breeze
818light breeze
918light breeze
1018light breeze
1118light breeze
1218light breeze
1318light breeze
1418light breeze
1518light breeze
1618light breeze
1718light breeze
1818light breeze
1918light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2518light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:05 AM to 5:44 AM, and sunset from 7:20 PM to 7:41 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.36:057:20
213.36:047:21
313.36:037:22
413.46:027:23
513.46:017:23
613.46:007:24
713.45:597:25
813.55:587:26
913.55:577:26
1013.55:567:27
1113.55:557:28
1213.65:557:29
1313.65:547:29
1413.65:537:30
1513.65:527:31
1613.75:527:31
1713.75:517:32
1813.75:507:33
1913.75:507:34
2013.85:497:34
2113.85:497:35
2213.85:487:36
2313.85:477:36
2413.85:477:37
2513.95:467:38
2613.95:467:38
2713.95:457:39
2813.95:457:40
2913.95:457:40
3013.95:447:41
3114.05:447:41

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.67 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.28 kWh/m² to a high of 7.96 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 7.67 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.5Intense
27.5Intense
37.6Intense
47.6Intense
57.6Intense
67.6Intense
77.6Intense
87.6Intense
97.7Intense
107.7Intense
117.7Intense
127.7Intense
137.7Intense
147.7Intense
157.7Intense
167.7Intense
177.7Intense
187.7Intense
197.7Intense
207.7Intense
217.7Intense
227.7Intense
237.7Intense
247.7Intense
257.7Intense
267.7Intense
277.7Intense
287.8Intense
297.8Intense
307.8Intense
317.8Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Ghardaïa

In seasonPeak

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

Ghardaïa sees seasonal dust haze (March–September), heaviest in June.

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

Is May a good time to visit Ghardaïa?

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

5.5
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
8.4
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Ghardaïa for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Ghardaïa in May

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

In May, Ghardaïa sees daytime highs around 32°C and nights near 19°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Ghardaïa 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 Ghardaïa peaks around June 21 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 3 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 21UV 10Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5High
Mar7Very high
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Ghardaïa 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 Ghardaïa is worst in April — around 86 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.6× the cleanest month (December, 33 µg/m³).

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

0306090JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorUnhealthyPoorModerateApr 1885 µg/m³Dec 1533 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan37Poor
Feb51Poor
Mar70Unhealthy
Apr86Unhealthy
May78Unhealthy
Jun75Unhealthy
Jul51Poor
Aug53Poor
Sep53Poor
Oct41Poor
Nov36Poor
Dec33Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Ghardaïa?

Ghardaïa sits at 32.5°N, 3.7°E, 503 m above sea level, in Algeria. The nearest listed city is Metlili Chaamba, 25 km away.

LaghouatOuarglaRouissatEl HadjiraMessaad

Topography around Ghardaïa

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Ghardaïa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 116 m around an average of 530 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 249 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 528 m.

The land around Ghardaïa is covered by bare terrain (60%) and artificial surfaces (30%) within 3 km, bare terrain (95%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (100%) within 80 km.

3 km
116 m
16 km
249 m
80 km
528 m
treesartificial surfacesbare terrain
May weather nearby: Metlili Chaamba 25 km · Berriane 38 km · Guerara 84 km · Laghouat 164 km · Ouargla 167 km · Rouissat 170 km · El Hadjira 173 km · Messaad 186 km

Algeria travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 33% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$6,051
2025
Happiness
5.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
69%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.2
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
20.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 468
Religion
Muslim 99%

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 Ghardaïa (32.4909°, 3.6735°, elevation 503 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).