Riffa weather in May

In May, Riffa sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 28°C, with 1 mm of rain across 0.1 wet days and about 13.3 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 28°C in the first days to 32°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 83% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 13 hours at the start of May to 13 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Riffa's 6th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Riffa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
6th warmest
Overnight low
28°
7th coldest
Rainfall
1 mm
0.1 wet days
Daylight
13 h 18 min
4:56 AM – 6:12 PM
Cloud cover
16%
6th clearest
Wind
17 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
7.44 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

Riffa is human settlement from Bahrain.

Density
2,817/km²
people per km²
Founded
1811

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 28°C in the first days to 32°C by the end.

A typical May day in Riffa reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 28°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 5°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12826
22826
32826
42826
52826
62927
72927
82927
92927
102927
112927
123028
133028
143028
153028
163028
173028
183028
193129
203129
213129
223129
233129
243129
253129
263129
273230
283230
293230
303230
313230

How May really feels in Riffa

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 21 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
21
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.

Riffa weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan18° / 16°15310.57.5
Feb19° / 17°101.911.17.9
Mar22° / 20°101.911.88.4
Apr26° / 23°30.812.68.7
May30° / 28°10.113.36.8
Jun33° / 31°0013.64.9
Jul35° / 33°0013.53.8
Aug35° / 33°0012.93.5
Sep34° / 31°0012.24.5
Oct31° / 28°00.211.46.6
Nov26° / 24°121.610.78.7
Dec21° / 19°152.310.48.2

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 83% 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 10%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18317
28416
38416
48515
58614
68614
78614
88812
98812
108911
118911
128911
138911
149010
15919
16919
17919
18919
19919
20919
21928
22928
23937
24937
25937
26937
27946
28955
29955
30955
31964

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Riffa gets around 1 mm of rain over 0.1 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 0% and peaks near 1% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
11
21
31
41
51
61
71
81
91
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
220
230
240
250
260
270
280
290
300
310

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the oppressive band about 48% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 95% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
131147381
221145402
321044422
41942443
51941454
61839475
71738486
81736507
91734508
100632539
1106315310
1205295511
1305285413
1405275414
1504255615
1604255417
1704245418
1803235420
1903225322
2003215323
2103215125
2203205027
2302194929
2402184831
2502184733
2602174635
2702164537
2802154439
2902154341
3001144243
3101134144

Wind in May

Winds average 17 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.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
117light breeze
217light breeze
317light breeze
417light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1917light breeze
2017light breeze
2117light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2518light breeze
2618light breeze
2718light breeze
2818light breeze
2918light breeze
3018light breeze
3118light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 hours at the start of May to 13 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 30 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:06 AM to 4:50 AM, and sunset from 6:04 PM to 6:20 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.05:066:04
213.05:056:05
313.05:046:05
413.05:036:06
513.15:036:06
613.15:026:07
713.15:016:07
813.15:016:08
913.15:006:08
1013.24:596:09
1113.24:596:10
1213.24:586:10
1313.24:576:11
1413.24:576:11
1513.34:566:12
1613.34:566:12
1713.34:556:13
1813.34:556:13
1913.34:546:14
2013.34:546:14
2113.44:536:15
2213.44:536:16
2313.44:536:16
2413.44:526:17
2513.44:526:17
2613.44:516:18
2713.54:516:18
2813.54:516:19
2913.54:516:19
3013.54:506:20
3113.54:506:20

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.44 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.8 kWh/m² to a high of 7.47 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 7.44 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.1Intense
27.2Intense
37.2Intense
47.2Intense
57.2Intense
67.3Intense
77.3Intense
87.3Intense
97.3Intense
107.3Intense
117.4Intense
127.4Intense
137.4Intense
147.4Intense
157.4Intense
167.5Intense
177.5Intense
187.5Intense
197.5Intense
207.5Intense
217.5Intense
227.5Intense
237.5Intense
247.5Intense
257.5Intense
267.5Intense
277.5Intense
287.5Intense
297.5Intense
307.5Intense
317.5Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Riffa

In seasonPeak

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

Riffa sees seasonal dust haze (February–August), heaviest in May.

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

Is May a good time to visit Riffa?

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

6.8
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
9.0
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Riffa in May

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

In May, Riffa sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 28°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Riffa in May

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 34°C and coldest in February near 18°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Mar 12 to Dec 31 — about 9.7 months when the water holds above 20°C.

15°20°25°30°35°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan19Cool
Feb18Cool
Mar20Refreshing
Apr24Refreshing
May28Warm
Jun31Tropical
Jul32Tropical
Aug34Tropical
Sep33Tropical
Oct30Tropical
Nov26Warm
Dec21Refreshing

UV index in Riffa in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Riffa peaks around July 17 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highHighModerateJul 17UV 10Dec 18UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan5Moderate
Feb7High
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct7Very high
Nov5Moderate
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Riffa 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 Riffa is worst in July — around 83 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.3× the cleanest month (November, 37 µg/m³).

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

0306090JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorUnhealthyPoorJul 2282 µg/m³Nov 1838 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan50Poor
Feb49Poor
Mar56Unhealthy
Apr66Unhealthy
May67Unhealthy
Jun69Unhealthy
Jul83Unhealthy
Aug80Unhealthy
Sep58Unhealthy
Oct48Poor
Nov37Poor
Dec44Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Riffa?

Riffa sits at 26.1°N, 50.6°E, 43 m above sea level, in Bahrain. The nearest listed city is Isa Town, 5.0 km away.

Isa TownHamad TownSitrahDār KulaybJidd ḨafşManamaMuharraq

Topography around Riffa

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Riffa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 52 m around an average of 29 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 129 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 134 m.

The land around Riffa is covered by artificial surfaces (62%) and bare terrain (34%) within 3 km, water (42%), bare terrain (29%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 16 km, and water (61%) and bare terrain (34%) within 80 km.

3 km
52 m
16 km
129 m
80 km
134 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Isa Town 5.0 km · Hamad Town 5.0 km · Sitrah 7.0 km · Dār Kulayb 9.0 km · Jidd Ḩafş 10 km · Manama 11 km · Muharraq 15 km · Thuqbah 38 km

Bahrain travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 43% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$30,597
2025
Happiness
6.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
99%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.2
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
5.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Muslim 74%other 26%

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 Riffa (26.13°, 50.555°, elevation 43 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. 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).