Lukula weather in May

In May, Lukula sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 97 mm of rain across 16.5 wet days and about 11.8 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 9th-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 18% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 54 min at the start of May to 11 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Lukula's 4th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Lukula's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
6th warmest
Overnight low
21°
9th coldest
Rainfall
97 mm
16.5 wet days
Daylight
11 h 48 min
6:26 AM – 6:15 PM
Cloud cover
69%
4th clearest
Wind
4 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
4.9 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.2
out of 10

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 Lukula reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13022
23022
33022
43022
53022
63022
73022
83022
93022
103022
113022
123022
133022
143022
153021
163021
173021
183021
193021
203021
213021
223021
233021
243021
253021
263021
273021
283021
293021
303021
313021

How May really feels in Lukula

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.

Lukula weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 21°1312112.23.7
Feb30° / 22°12318.512.13.5
Mar30° / 22°15822.8123.3
Apr30° / 22°16923.311.93.4
May30° / 21°9716.511.84.2
Jun30° / 21°357.511.85.0
Jul31° / 21°275.911.84.9
Aug30° / 21°9115.911.94.2
Sep30° / 21°14423.3123.5
Oct29° / 21°18526.812.13.2
Nov29° / 21°18825.612.23.3
Dec29° / 21°16124.512.23.5

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 66%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12278
22476
32476
42476
52575
62575
72773
82773
92872
102971
113169
123268
133466
143664
153664
163763
173862
183862
193961
203961
214060
224060
234159
244060
254159
264159
274159
284159
294159
304159
314258

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Lukula gets around 97 mm of rain over 16.5 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 53% and peaks near 69% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
169
268
368
467
566
665
765
864
962
1061
1160
1258
1357
1455
1553
1652
1750
1849
1948
2046
2145
2244
2343
2443
2542
2641
2740
2840
2939
3038
3138

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 87% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1004951
2004951
3005941
4006931
5006940
6007930
7007930
8008920
9009910
10009910
110010900
120011890
130012880
140012880
150013870
160013870
170014860
180114850
190114850
200114850
210114850
220114850
230114850
240114850
250114850
260214840
270215830
280215830
290316810
300317800
311418770

Wind in May

Winds average 4 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 4 km/h on the calmest days to 5 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 54 min at the start of May to 11 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:26 AM to 6:28 AM, and sunset from 6:18 PM to 6:16 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.96:266:18
211.96:266:17
311.96:266:17
411.96:266:17
511.96:266:17
611.96:266:17
711.86:266:16
811.86:266:16
911.86:266:16
1011.86:266:16
1111.86:266:16
1211.86:266:16
1311.86:266:16
1411.86:266:16
1511.86:266:16
1611.86:266:15
1711.86:266:15
1811.86:266:15
1911.86:266:15
2011.86:266:15
2111.86:266:15
2211.86:276:15
2311.86:276:15
2411.86:276:15
2511.86:276:15
2611.86:276:15
2711.86:276:15
2811.86:276:15
2911.86:286:16
3011.86:286:16
3111.86:286:16

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.9 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.9 kWh/m² to a high of 5.57 kWh/m² in February across the year — May's 4.9 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.9Bright
24.9Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.9Bright
64.9Bright
74.9Bright
84.9Bright
94.9Bright
104.9Bright
114.9Bright
124.9Bright
134.9Bright
144.9Bright
154.9Bright
164.9Bright
175.0Bright
185.0Bright
195.0Bright
205.0Bright
215.0Bright
224.9Bright
234.9Bright
244.9Bright
254.9Bright
264.9Bright
274.9Bright
284.9Bright
294.9Bright
304.9Bright
314.9Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Lukula?

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

4.2
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
5.8
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Lukula for sightseeing.

What to pack for Lukula in May

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

In May, Lukula sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 17 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Lukula 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 Lukula peaks around March 20 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near August 10 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeMar 20UV 15Aug 10UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun8Very high
Jul7Very high
Aug7High
Sep11Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec10Very high

Air quality in Lukula 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 Lukula is worst in July — around 221 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 20.0× the cleanest month (November, 11 µg/m³).

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

0306090120150180210240JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateVery unhealthyModerateModerateJul 11214 µg/m³Nov 1411 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan18Moderate
Feb22Moderate
Mar16Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May33Moderate
Jun192Very unhealthy
Jul221Very unhealthy
Aug50Poor
Sep21Moderate
Oct13Moderate
Nov11Good
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Lukula?

Lukula sits at 3.9°S, 23.9°E, 610 m above sea level, in Democratic Republic of the Congo. The nearest listed city is Lodja, 50 km away.

LusamboKabeya-KamwangaKinduMbuji-MayiDembaKabindaLubao

Topography around Lukula

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Lukula has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 138 m around an average of 567 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 200 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 298 m.

The land around Lukula is covered by trees (68%) and grassland (24%) within 3 km, trees (62%) and grassland (33%) within 16 km, and trees (74%) and grassland (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
138 m
16 km
200 m
80 km
298 m
treesshrubsgrassland
May weather nearby: Lodja 50 km · Lusambo 132 km · Kabeya-Kamwanga 247 km · Kindu 249 km · Mbuji-Mayi 254 km · Demba 254 km · Kabinda 261 km · Lubao 267 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 Lukula (-3.8688°, 23.8835°, elevation 610 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).