Kolwezi weather in May

In May, Kolwezi sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 3 mm of rain across 0.8 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 59% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 36 min at the start of May to 11 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Kolwezi's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kolwezi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
4th warmest
Overnight low
17°
4th coldest
Rainfall
3 mm
0.8 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
6:29 AM – 6:00 PM
Cloud cover
36%
4th clearest
Wind
11 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.67 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.3
out of 10

Kolwezi is city of Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Density
3,710/km²
people per km²
Founded
1937

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 27°C through the month.

A typical May day in Kolwezi reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C warmer than April and on par with June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12717
22717
32717
42717
52717
62717
72717
82717
92717
102717
112717
122717
132717
142717
152717
162717
172717
182717
192717
202717
212716
222716
232716
242716
252716
262716
272716
282716
292716
302716
312716

Kolwezi weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 4th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 18°22227.412.63.9
Feb25° / 18°18423.312.44.1
Mar26° / 18°16424.512.14.4
Apr26° / 17°449.611.86.6
May27° / 17°30.811.58.3
Jun26° / 15°0011.48.9
Jul26° / 14°0011.49.0
Aug29° / 17°00.111.67.5
Sep30° / 19°10211.95.9
Oct29° / 19°6112.112.25.0
Nov27° / 18°15824.212.54.2
Dec25° / 18°19527.312.63.9

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 59% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 20%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17228
27228
37327
47525
57525
67624
77723
87921
97921
108020
118020
128119
138119
148119
158119
168119
178218
188218
198218
208317
218317
228317
238317
248317
258317
268317
278317
288515
298515
308515
318515

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Kolwezi 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 8% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
18
27
37
46
56
65
74
84
93
103
113
122
132
142
151
161
171
181
191
201
211
221
231
241
251
261
271
281
291
301
311

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 77% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
1434018
2463816
3493714
4523513
5553312
6593110
761309
864288
967267
1070246
1173225
1275205
1378184
1480173
1582153
1684142
1785132
1887121
1987121
2088111
2188111
2290100
2390100
249190
259190
269190
279280
289280
299370
309370
319460

Wind in May

Winds average 11 km/h in May.

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

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1511calm
1611calm
1711calm
1811calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of May to 11 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:27 AM to 6:33 AM, and sunset from 6:04 PM to 5:58 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:276:04
211.66:276:04
311.66:276:03
411.66:276:03
511.66:276:03
611.66:276:02
711.66:276:02
811.66:286:02
911.66:286:01
1011.66:286:01
1111.56:286:01
1211.56:286:01
1311.56:286:00
1411.56:296:00
1511.56:296:00
1611.56:296:00
1711.56:295:59
1811.56:305:59
1911.56:305:59
2011.56:305:59
2111.56:305:59
2211.56:305:59
2311.56:315:59
2411.56:315:59
2511.56:315:58
2611.46:315:58
2711.46:325:58
2811.46:325:58
2911.46:325:58
3011.46:335:58
3111.46:335:58

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.67 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.77 kWh/m² to a high of 6.49 kWh/m² in September across the year — May's 5.67 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.8Bright
75.8Bright
85.8Bright
95.8Bright
105.8Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.5Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Kolwezi

In seasonPeak

None of Kolwezi's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Kolwezi's monsoon runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Kolwezi?

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

8.3
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
8.4
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Kolwezi for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Kolwezi in May

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

In May, Kolwezi sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 17°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Kolwezi in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kolwezi peaks around February 15 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 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 highExtremeFeb 15UV 15Jun 22UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep12Extreme
Oct14Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Kolwezi 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 Kolwezi is worst in August — around 92 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 11.4× the cleanest month (April, 8 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateUnhealthyModerateGoodAug 1689 µg/m³Apr 108 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb12Good
Mar9Good
Apr8Good
May20Moderate
Jun55Unhealthy
Jul70Unhealthy
Aug92Unhealthy
Sep66Unhealthy
Oct27Moderate
Nov13Moderate
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kolwezi?

Kolwezi sits at 10.7°S, 25.5°E, 1,485 m above sea level, in Democratic Republic of the Congo. The nearest listed city is Fungurume, 94 km away.

KamboveLikasiChisasaMwinilungaBukamaManyama

Topography around Kolwezi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kolwezi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 190 m around an average of 1,465 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 304 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 964 m.

The land around Kolwezi is covered by artificial surfaces (53%) within 3 km, grassland (38%) and cropland (23%) within 16 km, and trees (68%) within 80 km.

3 km
190 m
16 km
304 m
80 km
964 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Fungurume 94 km · Malemba 107 km · Kambove 125 km · Likasi 142 km · Chisasa 155 km · Mwinilunga 160 km · Bukama 173 km · Manyama 183 km

Democratic Republic of the Congo travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type C / E
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 42% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$807
2025
Happiness
3.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
12%
of population, 2024
Road deaths
34.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 400

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 Kolwezi (-10.7148°, 25.4667°, elevation 1,485 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).