Ouidah weather in May

In May, Ouidah sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 137 mm of rain across 21.9 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 12 min at the start of May to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Ouidah's 9th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ouidah's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
7th warmest
Overnight low
26°
9th coldest
Rainfall
137 mm
21.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
6:39 AM – 6:57 PM
Cloud cover
77%
9th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.07 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.5
out of 10

Ouidah is city in Benin.

Density
131/km²
people per km²

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month.

A typical May day in Ouidah reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13126
23126
33126
43126
53126
63126
73126
83126
93126
103126
113126
123026
133026
143026
153026
163026
173026
183026
193026
203026
213026
223026
233026
243026
253026
263026
273026
282925
292925
302925
312925

How May really feels in Ouidah

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
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.

Ouidah weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 7th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan31° / 25°195.511.75.3
Feb31° / 26°246.111.84.8
Mar31° / 27°369.5124.3
Apr31° / 26°5612.712.14.0
May30° / 26°13721.912.33.5
Jun28° / 25°21224.912.43.6
Jul27° / 24°10416.612.35.2
Aug27° / 24°6312.512.25.8
Sep28° / 24°10919.2124.7
Oct29° / 25°12420.211.94.2
Nov30° / 26°5914.911.74.3
Dec31° / 26°287.111.65.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 76%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12872
22872
32872
42971
52971
62872
72872
82872
92872
102872
112872
122872
132872
142872
152773
162773
172674
182674
192476
202377
212377
222179
232179
242080
251882
261882
271684
281585
291585
301486
311486

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Ouidah gets around 137 mm of rain over 21.9 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 70% and peaks near 83% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
156
257
359
460
562
663
764
865
965
1066
1166
1267
1368
1468
1569
1669
1770
1871
1971
2072
2173
2274
2375
2476
2578
2679
2780
2881
2982
3082
3183

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the miserable band about 83% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
11090
21090
31090
41090
51090
61090
71090
81189
91189
101189
111189
121189
131189
141288
151288
161387
171387
181486
191585
201783
211882
221981
232179
242377
252476
262674
272872
283070
293268
303466
313664

Wind in May

Winds average 12 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
312light breeze
412light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812light breeze
912light breeze
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2112calm
2212calm
2312calm
2412calm
2512calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 min at the start of May to 12 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:42 AM to 6:39 AM, and sunset from 6:55 PM to 6:59 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.26:426:55
212.26:426:55
312.26:426:56
412.26:416:56
512.26:416:56
612.26:416:56
712.26:416:56
812.36:416:56
912.36:406:56
1012.36:406:56
1112.36:406:56
1212.36:406:56
1312.36:406:56
1412.36:396:56
1512.36:396:56
1612.36:396:57
1712.36:396:57
1812.36:396:57
1912.36:396:57
2012.36:396:57
2112.36:396:57
2212.36:396:57
2312.36:396:58
2412.36:396:58
2512.36:396:58
2612.36:396:58
2712.36:396:58
2812.36:396:59
2912.36:396:59
3012.36:396:59
3112.36:396:59

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.07 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.35 kWh/m² to a high of 5.77 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 5.07 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.4Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.2Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.0Bright
205.0Bright
215.0Bright
224.9Bright
234.9Bright
244.8Bright
254.8Bright
264.8Bright
274.7Bright
284.7Bright
294.7Bright
304.6Bright
314.6Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Ouidah

In seasonPeak

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

Ouidah's rainy season runs May–July, when most of the year's rain falls.

Ouidah sees seasonal dust haze (January–April), heaviest in February.

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

Is May a good time to visit Ouidah?

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

3.5
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
4.8
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Ouidah.

What to pack for Ouidah in May

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

In May, Ouidah sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 22 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Ouidah in May

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 27 km away) is warmest in May at about 29°C and coldest in August near 25°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun28Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug25Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Ouidah in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Ouidah peaks around April 10 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeExtremeVery highApr 10UV 13Dec 16UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb11Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Ouidah 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 Ouidah is worst in January — around 78 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 7.7× the cleanest month (September, 10 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyModerateGoodModerateJan 1676 µg/m³Sep 1810 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan78Unhealthy
Feb61Unhealthy
Mar28Moderate
Apr24Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct12Good
Nov19Moderate
Dec61Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Ouidah?

Ouidah sits at 6.4°N, 2.1°E, 17 m above sea level, in Benin. The nearest listed city is Kouandé, 5.0 km away.

Topography around Ouidah

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Ouidah has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 32 m around an average of 12 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 56 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 229 m.

The land around Ouidah is covered by trees (35%), artificial surfaces (31%) and grassland (22%) within 3 km, water (35%) and trees (27%) within 16 km, and trees (34%) and water (34%) within 80 km.

3 km
32 m
16 km
56 m
80 km
229 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Kouandé 5.0 km · Comé 23 km · Godomè 29 km · Abomey-Calavi 31 km · 33 km · Allada 34 km · Ganvié 36 km · Cotonou 37 km

Benin travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / E
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 34% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,658
2025
Happiness
4.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
18%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.1
per 100k, 2017
Road deaths
26.8
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 406
Religion
Muslim 28%Roman Catholic 26%Protestant 14%Vodoun 12%

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 Ouidah (6.3631°, 2.0851°, elevation 17 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).