Matadi weather in May

In May, Matadi sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 68 mm of rain across 12 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 29°C in the first days to 28°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 48 min at the start of May to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Matadi's 3rd-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Matadi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
7th warmest
Overnight low
23°
6th coldest
Rainfall
68 mm
12 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:10 AM – 5:54 PM
Cloud cover
75%
3rd clearest
Wind
5 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
3.73 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.3
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 29°C in the first days to 28°C by the end.

A typical May day in Matadi reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13023
23023
33023
42923
52923
62923
72923
82923
92923
102923
112923
122923
132923
142923
152923
162923
172923
182923
192922
202822
212822
222822
232822
242822
252822
262822
272822
282822
292822
302822
312721

How May really feels in Matadi

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 16 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
16
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.

Matadi weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 23°14920.412.33.8
Feb30° / 23°11917.612.23.7
Mar30° / 23°13419.1123.6
Apr30° / 23°19321.811.93.4
May29° / 23°681211.75.3
Jun27° / 20°20.311.77.7
Jul26° / 18°20.111.77.9
Aug25° / 19°50.811.87.5
Sep27° / 20°123.2126.9
Oct28° / 22°6311.812.15.3
Nov29° / 23°14921.812.33.7
Dec29° / 23°17522.412.33.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 79%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11189
21288
31387
41486
51486
61585
71783
81783
91882
101981
112278
122377
132476
142575
152575
162575
172674
182773
192773
202773
212773
222674
232575
242575
252476
262377
272278
282278
292278
302278
312179

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Matadi gets around 68 mm of rain over 12 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 39% and peaks near 73% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
173
271
369
468
565
663
761
858
955
1053
1150
1248
1345
1443
1540
1638
1735
1833
1930
2028
2126
2224
2321
2419
2518
2616
2714
2812
2911
309
318

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 81% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1008812
2018811
3018811
4018910
5018910
601909
702899
802899
903898
1003907
1104897
1205896
1306886
1406895
1507885
1609865
17010864
18011854
19013843
20015823
21016822
22018802
23020782
24023761
25025741
26028711
27031681
28134650
29137620
30141580
31145540

Wind in May

Winds average 5 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 48 min at the start of May to 11 h 42 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 6:09 AM to 6:13 AM, and sunset from 5:57 PM to 5:54 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.86:095:57
211.86:095:57
311.86:095:57
411.86:095:57
511.86:095:56
611.86:105:56
711.86:105:56
811.86:105:56
911.86:105:55
1011.86:105:55
1111.86:105:55
1211.86:105:55
1311.76:105:55
1411.76:105:55
1511.76:105:55
1611.76:105:54
1711.76:105:54
1811.76:115:54
1911.76:115:54
2011.76:115:54
2111.76:115:54
2211.76:115:54
2311.76:115:54
2411.76:125:54
2511.76:125:54
2611.76:125:54
2711.76:125:54
2811.76:125:54
2911.76:125:54
3011.76:135:54
3111.76:135:54

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 3.73 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.22 kWh/m² to a high of 4.98 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 3.73 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.0Bright
24.0Bright
34.0Bright
44.0Moderate
54.0Moderate
64.0Moderate
73.9Moderate
83.9Moderate
93.9Moderate
103.9Moderate
113.9Moderate
123.9Moderate
133.8Moderate
143.8Moderate
153.8Moderate
163.8Moderate
173.8Moderate
183.7Moderate
193.7Moderate
203.7Moderate
213.6Moderate
223.6Moderate
233.6Moderate
243.5Moderate
253.5Moderate
263.5Moderate
273.5Moderate
283.4Moderate
293.4Moderate
303.4Moderate
313.4Moderate
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Matadi

In seasonPeak

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

Matadi's rainy season runs November–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Matadi?

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

5.3
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
6.3
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Matadi for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Matadi in May

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

In May, Matadi sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

UV index in Matadi in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Matadi peaks around March 15 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 19 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeMar 15UV 15Jul 19UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul6High
Aug7High
Sep10Very high
Oct13Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Matadi 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 Matadi is worst in July — around 38 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 3.4× the cleanest month (November, 11 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateModerateJul 2338 µg/m³Nov 1911 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May22Moderate
Jun32Moderate
Jul38Poor
Aug38Poor
Sep28Moderate
Oct15Moderate
Nov11Good
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Matadi?

Matadi sits at 5.8°S, 13.5°E, 183 m above sea level, in Democratic Republic of the Congo. The nearest listed city is Kenge, 23 km away.

MoandaSoyo

Topography around Matadi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Matadi has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 504 m around an average of 191 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 544 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 702 m.

The land around Matadi is covered by artificial surfaces (67%) within 3 km, grassland (62%) and trees (27%) within 16 km, and grassland (52%) and trees (43%) within 80 km.

3 km
504 m
16 km
544 m
80 km
702 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
May weather nearby: Kenge 23 km · Boma 45 km · Mbanza Kongo 98 km · Tombôco 108 km · Tshela 110 km · Kimpese 112 km · Moanda 121 km · Soyo 125 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 Matadi (-5.8386°, 13.4631°, elevation 183 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).