Riohacha weather in May

In May, Riohacha sees average daytime highs of 31°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 139 mm of rain across 17.6 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

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 Riohacha's 12th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Riohacha's year-round climate.

Daytime high
31°
4th warmest
Overnight low
26°
9th coldest
Rainfall
139 mm
17.6 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
5:32 AM – 6:04 PM
Cloud cover
86%
12th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
5.36 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.3
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month.

A typical May day in Riohacha reaches about 31°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and about 1°C cooler than June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13126
23126
33126
43126
53126
63126
73126
83126
93126
103126
113126
123126
133126
143126
153226
163226
173226
183226
193226
203226
213226
223226
233226
243226
253226
263226
273226
283226
293226
303226
313226

How May really feels in Riohacha

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.

Riohacha weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 4th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 24°133.711.45.7
Feb31° / 24°102.511.65.6
Mar31° / 25°174.211.95.1
Apr31° / 25°489.512.24.1
May31° / 26°13917.612.53.3
Jun32° / 26°8112.512.73.4
Jul33° / 26°498.812.63.5
Aug32° / 26°9715.712.43.1
Sep31° / 25°16522.412.12.9
Oct30° / 25°18925.411.73.0
Nov30° / 25°12719.811.53.7
Dec30° / 25°459.911.35.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time in May, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 7% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 87%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11090
21090
31090
41090
51090
61090
71090
81189
91090
101090
111090
121090
131090
141189
151189
161189
171189
181189
191288
201288
211288
221387
231387
241585
251585
261882
271981
282080
292179
302278
312476

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Riohacha gets around 139 mm of rain over 17.6 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 56% and peaks near 62% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
147
247
348
449
550
651
751
852
952
1053
1153
1254
1354
1455
1555
1656
1756
1857
1958
2058
2159
2260
2361
2461
2562
2662
2762
2861
2961
3060
3159

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 54% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
136631
226632
326533
416534
516435
616336
716237
806238
906139
1006040
1105941
1205842
1305743
1405644
1505545
1605446
1705347
1805149
1905050
2004951
2104852
2204753
2304654
2404555
2504456
2604357
2704258
2804258
2904258
3004258
3104258

Wind in May

Winds average 14 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 16 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light 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 5:37 AM to 5:30 AM, and sunset from 6:01 PM to 6:08 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.45:376:01
212.45:366:01
312.45:366:01
412.45:366:01
512.45:356:02
612.45:356:02
712.55:346:02
812.55:346:02
912.55:346:02
1012.55:346:02
1112.55:336:03
1212.55:336:03
1312.55:336:03
1412.55:326:03
1512.55:326:04
1612.55:326:04
1712.55:326:04
1812.55:326:04
1912.65:316:04
2012.65:316:05
2112.65:316:05
2212.65:316:05
2312.65:316:05
2412.65:316:06
2512.65:316:06
2612.65:316:06
2712.65:316:07
2812.65:306:07
2912.65:306:07
3012.65:306:07
3112.65:306:08

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.36 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.79 kWh/m² to a high of 6.23 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 5.36 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.4Bright
185.4Bright
195.4Bright
205.4Bright
215.4Bright
225.5Bright
235.5Bright
245.5Bright
255.5Bright
265.5Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
295.6Bright
305.6Bright
315.7Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Riohacha

In seasonPeak

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

Riohacha sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

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

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

Is May a good time to visit Riohacha?

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

3.3
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
5.2
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Riohacha.

What to pack for Riohacha in May

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

In May, Riohacha sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 18 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Riohacha in May

The nearest coast averages about 27°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 September at about 29°C and coldest in February 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
Jan25Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar25Warm
Apr26Warm
May27Warm
Jun28Warm
Jul27Warm
Aug28Warm
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec27Warm

UV index in Riohacha in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Riohacha peaks around April 13 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 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 highApr 13UV 13Dec 13UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Riohacha 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 Riohacha is worst in June — around 30 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (January, 11 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJun 1530 µg/m³Jan 1011 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar22Moderate
Apr25Moderate
May28Moderate
Jun30Moderate
Jul27Moderate
Aug28Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov13Moderate
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Riohacha?

Riohacha sits at 11.5°N, 72.9°W, 7 m above sea level, in Colombia. The nearest listed city is Albania, 55 km away.

VillanuevaValledupar

Topography around Riohacha

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Riohacha has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 25 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 46 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,978 m.

The land around Riohacha is covered by artificial surfaces (39%) and water (31%) within 3 km, water (43%) and shrubs (34%) within 16 km, and water (36%), trees (32%) and shrubs (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
25 m
16 km
46 m
80 km
3,978 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
May weather nearby: Albania 55 km · Hatonuevo 55 km · Barrancas 66 km · Fonseca 73 km · Maicao 75 km · San Juan del Cesar 87 km · Villanueva 104 km · Valledupar 126 km

Colombia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 / 240 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 38% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$8,562
2025
Happiness
6.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
74%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
24.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
15.4
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 480
Religion
Roman Catholic 64%Protestant 17%none 14%atheist 1%

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 Riohacha (11.5444°, -72.9072°, elevation 7 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).