Sihanoukville weather in May

In May, Sihanoukville sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 27°C, with 378 mm of rain across 27.9 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 8% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 24 min at the start of May to 12 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Sihanoukville's 7th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sihanoukville's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
27°
11th coldest
Rainfall
378 mm
27.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
5:48 AM – 6:17 PM
Cloud cover
81%
7th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
5.31 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.1
out of 10

Sihanoukville is city in Preah Sihanouk Province, Cambodia.

Density
913/km²
people per km²
Founded
1964

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 29°C through the month.

A typical May day in Sihanoukville reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 27°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 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

25°28°30°33°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13027
23027
33027
43027
53027
63027
73027
82927
92927
102927
112927
122927
132927
142927
152927
162927
172927
182927
192927
202927
212927
222927
232927
242927
252927
262927
272927
282927
292927
302927
312927

How May really feels in Sihanoukville

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.

Sihanoukville weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 2nd-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 26°379.811.46.4
Feb28° / 26°308.211.66.3
Mar29° / 26°6513.511.95.3
Apr29° / 27°1151912.24.2
May29° / 27°37827.912.53.1
Jun29° / 27°48927.712.63.1
Jul28° / 26°55829.412.63.1
Aug28° / 26°55628.912.33.3
Sep28° / 26°55428.412.13.4
Oct28° / 26°34327.111.83.6
Nov29° / 26°10415.411.54.8
Dec29° / 26°449.311.45.8

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 8% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 83%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13169
23070
32971
42872
52773
62674
72476
82476
92377
102179
112179
121981
131882
141684
151684
161585
171486
181387
191288
201288
211288
221189
231189
241189
251189
261090
271090
281090
291090
301090
311090

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Sihanoukville gets around 378 mm of rain over 27.9 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 90% and peaks near 96% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
179
280
380
481
582
682
783
884
985
1086
1187
1288
1389
1490
1590
1691
1792
1893
1994
2094
2195
2295
2395
2496
2596
2696
2796
2896
2995
3095
3195

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 97% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
11090
2991
3892
4793
5694
6694
7595
8496
9496
10496
11397
12397
13397
14397
15298
16298
17298
18298
19298
20298
21298
22298
23298
24199
25199
26199
27199
28199
29199
30199
31298

Wind in May

Winds average 13 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
612calm
712calm
812calm
912light breeze
1012light breeze
1112light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 24 min at the start of May to 12 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:52 AM to 5:46 AM, and sunset from 6:14 PM to 6:20 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.45:526:14
212.45:526:14
312.45:516:14
412.45:516:15
512.45:516:15
612.45:506:15
712.45:506:15
812.45:506:15
912.45:496:15
1012.45:496:16
1112.45:496:16
1212.55:486:16
1312.55:486:16
1412.55:486:16
1512.55:486:16
1612.55:486:17
1712.55:476:17
1812.55:476:17
1912.55:476:17
2012.55:476:18
2112.55:476:18
2212.55:476:18
2312.55:476:18
2412.55:466:19
2512.55:466:19
2612.55:466:19
2712.65:466:19
2812.65:466:20
2912.65:466:20
3012.65:466:20
3112.65:466:20

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.31 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.56 kWh/m² to a high of 6.26 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 5.31 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.9Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.7Bright
65.7Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.4Bright
125.4Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.1Bright
235.1Bright
245.1Bright
255.0Bright
265.0Bright
275.0Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Sihanoukville

In seasonPeak

In May, Sihanoukville sits inside its pacific typhoon and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Sihanoukville sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Sihanoukville's monsoon runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Pacific typhoon
Monsoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Sihanoukville?

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

3.1
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
4.1
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Sihanoukville.

What to pack for Sihanoukville in May

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

In May, Sihanoukville sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 28 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Sihanoukville in May

The nearest coast averages about 31°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 May at about 31°C and coldest in January near 28°C.

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

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May31Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Sihanoukville 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 Sihanoukville peaks around August 18 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 12 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highAug 18UV 13Dec 12UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Extreme
Feb11Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Sihanoukville 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 Sihanoukville is worst in February — around 24 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (September, 10 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateModerateGoodModerateFeb 1423 µg/m³Sep 2210 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan20Moderate
Feb24Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr17Moderate
May12Moderate
Jun12Good
Jul14Moderate
Aug11Good
Sep10Good
Oct11Good
Nov12Good
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Sihanoukville?

Sihanoukville sits at 10.6°N, 103.5°E, 6 m above sea level, in Cambodia. The nearest listed city is Phu Quoc, 65 km away.

Phu QuocKampotHàm NinhKepHà TiênSmach Mean CheyKoh KongÂngk Tasaôm

Topography around Sihanoukville

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sihanoukville has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 124 m around an average of 21 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 288 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,064 m.

The land around Sihanoukville is covered by artificial surfaces (36%) and water (28%) within 3 km, water (62%) and trees (20%) within 16 km, and water (63%) and trees (26%) within 80 km.

3 km
124 m
16 km
288 m
80 km
1,064 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
May weather nearby: Phu Quoc 65 km · Kampot 71 km · Hàm Ninh 74 km · Kep 87 km · Hà Tiên 108 km · Smach Mean Chey 117 km · Koh Kong 127 km · Ângk Tasaôm 133 km

Cambodia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / C / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 34% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$2,872
2025
Happiness
4.5 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
30%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.8
per 100k, 2011
Road deaths
19.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 390
Religion
Buddhist 97%Muslim 2%other 1%Christian 0%

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 Sihanoukville (10.6093°, 103.5296°, elevation 6 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).