Arta weather in May

In May, Arta sees average daytime highs of 36°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 15 mm of rain across 3.4 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 34°C in the first days to 38°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 64% 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 Arta's 5th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Arta's year-round climate.

Daytime high
36°
5th warmest
Overnight low
26°
8th coldest
Rainfall
15 mm
3.4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
5:49 AM – 6:21 PM
Cloud cover
34%
5th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
6.51 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.3
out of 10

Arta is city in Djibouti.

Density
8,738/km²
people per km²
Founded
1650

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 34°C in the first days to 38°C by the end.

A typical May day in Arta reaches about 36°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 33°C and 39°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 4°C warmer than April and about 4°C cooler than June.

20°25°30°35°40°45°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13424
23424
33424
43424
53425
63525
73525
83525
93525
103525
113625
123625
133625
143625
153626
163626
173726
183726
193726
203726
213726
223726
233726
243826
253827
263827
273827
283827
293827
303827
313927

How May really feels in Arta

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
18 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
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.

Arta weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 19°175.511.47.4
Feb28° / 20°112.711.67.1
Mar30° / 21°204.511.95.7
Apr32° / 23°356.912.24.4
May36° / 26°153.412.52.3
Jun40° / 28°20.412.70.2
Jul39° / 29°103.112.60.8
Aug38° / 28°245.212.41.3
Sep37° / 27°134.112.11.7
Oct33° / 23°17511.74.4
Nov29° / 21°174.111.56.5
Dec28° / 19°123.711.37.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 64% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 22%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17525
27624
37624
47624
57624
67723
77723
87723
97822
107822
117822
127822
137822
147921
157921
167921
177921
187921
197921
207921
217921
228020
238020
248020
258020
268020
278020
288020
298020
307921
317921

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Arta gets around 15 mm of rain over 3.4 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 11% and peaks near 22% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
122
221
320
419
517
616
715
814
913
1013
1112
1211
1311
1411
1510
1610
1710
1810
1910
209
219
229
239
248
258
268
277
287
296
306
315

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 44% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 76% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
112524626
222524616
322624606
422624606
533624586
633724585
733725575
834825555
934826545
1034926535
1135927515
12351027505
13451028485
14461128465
15461129455
16361229445
17371330425
18371430415
19381430405
20381530385
21391630375
22391730365
234101730345
244101830335
255111929325
265112029305
276122029294
287122128284
297132128274
308142227254
3110152227243

Wind in May

Winds average 9 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 8 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
610calm
710calm
810calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

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 5:54 AM to 5:47 AM, and sunset from 6:18 PM to 6:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.45:546:18
212.45:536:18
312.45:536:18
412.45:536:18
512.45:526:18
612.45:526:19
712.55:516:19
812.55:516:19
912.55:516:19
1012.55:516:19
1112.55:506:20
1212.55:506:20
1312.55:506:20
1412.55:496:20
1512.55:496:20
1612.55:496:21
1712.55:496:21
1812.55:496:21
1912.55:486:21
2012.65:486:22
2112.65:486:22
2212.65:486:22
2312.65:486:22
2412.65:486:23
2512.65:486:23
2612.65:486:23
2712.65:476:23
2812.65:476:24
2912.65:476:24
3012.65:476:24
3112.65:476:25

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.51 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.89 kWh/m² to a high of 6.54 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 6.51 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.6Intense
26.6Intense
36.6Intense
46.6Intense
56.6Intense
66.6Intense
76.6Intense
86.6Intense
96.6Intense
106.6Intense
116.6Intense
126.6Intense
136.6Intense
146.6Intense
156.6Intense
166.5Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.4Intense
226.4Intense
236.4Intense
246.3Intense
256.3Intense
266.3Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Arta

In seasonPeak

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

Arta sees seasonal dust haze (June–September), heaviest in July.

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

Is May a good time to visit Arta?

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

2.3
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
5.6
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Arta.

What to pack for Arta in May

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

In May, Arta sees daytime highs around 36°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 3 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Arta 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 June at about 31°C and coldest in February near 26°C.

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

24°26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr29Tropical
May31Tropical
Jun31Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep31Tropical
Oct31Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Arta 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 Arta peaks around March 22 at about 14 (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 highExtremeVery highMar 22UV 14Dec 12UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul9Very high
Aug11Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Arta 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 Arta is worst in July — around 42 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.1× the cleanest month (November, 20 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateJul 1741 µg/m³Nov 1520 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan25Moderate
Feb26Moderate
Mar26Moderate
Apr22Moderate
May25Moderate
Jun36Poor
Jul42Poor
Aug37Poor
Sep29Moderate
Oct21Moderate
Nov20Moderate
Dec21Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Arta?

Arta sits at 11.5°N, 42.9°E, 684 m above sea level, in Djibouti. The nearest listed city is Balbala, 28 km away.

BalbalaTadjouraDjiboutiAli SabihObockSaylacDikhil

Topography around Arta

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Arta has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 529 m around an average of 494 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 849 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,924 m.

The land around Arta is covered by bare terrain (92%) within 3 km, bare terrain (71%) and water (27%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (73%) and water (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
529 m
16 km
849 m
80 km
1,924 m
shrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Balbala 28 km · Tadjoura 29 km · Djibouti 33 km · Ali Sabih 44 km · Obock 68 km · Saylac 70 km · Dikhil 70 km · Asaita 154 km

Djibouti travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / E
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 46% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$3,906
2025
Happiness
4.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2014
Road deaths
23.5
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
Religion
Sunni Muslim 94%other 6%

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 Arta (11.5264°, 42.8519°, elevation 684 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. 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).