Zacatecoluca weather in May

In May, Zacatecoluca sees average daytime highs of 32°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 296 mm of rain across 26 wet days and about 12.6 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 32°C in the first days to 30°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Zacatecoluca's 8th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zacatecoluca's year-round climate.

Daytime high
32°
6th warmest
Overnight low
23°
12th coldest
Rainfall
296 mm
26 wet days
Daylight
12 h 36 min
5:33 AM – 6:10 PM
Cloud cover
73%
8th clearest
Wind
4 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.83 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.7
out of 10

Zacatecoluca is city in El Salvador.

Density
123/km²
people per km²
Founded
1852

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 32°C in the first days to 30°C by the end.

A typical May day in Zacatecoluca reaches about 32°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 9°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 about 2°C cooler than April and about 1°C warmer than June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13323
23323
33223
43223
53223
63223
73223
83223
93223
103223
113223
123223
133223
143223
153223
163223
173223
183123
193123
203123
213123
223123
233123
243123
253123
263123
273123
283023
293023
303023
313023

How May really feels in Zacatecoluca

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.

Zacatecoluca weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan33° / 20°30.911.34.8
Feb33° / 21°41.211.64.3
Mar34° / 22°154.411.93.8
Apr33° / 23°6413.712.33.2
May32° / 23°2962612.62.7
Jun31° / 23°3262612.82.8
Jul31° / 23°23021.412.73.1
Aug31° / 23°30325.312.42.9
Sep30° / 22°37328.212.12.8
Oct30° / 22°34025.211.73.3
Nov31° / 21°7510.511.44.7
Dec32° / 21°92.111.25.2

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% 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 72%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
24951
34753
44753
54654
64456
74357
84258
94159
103961
113664
123466
133367
143169
152872
162674
172575
182377
192080
202080
211981
221882
231783
241585
251585
261387
271387
281387
291288
301288
311288

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Zacatecoluca gets around 296 mm of rain over 26 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 83% and peaks near 94% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
169
270
371
472
573
674
775
875
976
1077
1178
1279
1380
1481
1582
1683
1785
1886
1987
2088
2189
2290
2391
2492
2592
2693
2793
2893
2994
3094
3194

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 (%)
10215794
20214804
30213805
40213805
50112825
60111835
70110845
80110845
9019855
10019855
11118846
12118846
13117856
14106876
15106876
16105877
17105877
18104887
19103897
20103897
21102907
22102907
23101917
24101917
25001918
26001918
27000928
28000928
29000919
30000919
31000919

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
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 42 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 5:38 AM to 5:31 AM, and sunset from 6:07 PM to 6:15 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.55:386:07
212.55:386:07
312.55:386:07
412.55:376:08
512.55:376:08
612.55:366:08
712.55:366:08
812.55:366:08
912.65:356:09
1012.65:356:09
1112.65:346:09
1212.65:346:09
1312.65:346:10
1412.65:346:10
1512.65:336:10
1612.65:336:10
1712.65:336:11
1812.65:336:11
1912.65:326:11
2012.75:326:12
2112.75:326:12
2212.75:326:12
2312.75:326:12
2412.75:326:13
2512.75:316:13
2612.75:316:13
2712.75:316:14
2812.75:316:14
2912.75:316:14
3012.75:316:15
3112.75:316:15

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.83 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.03 kWh/m² to a high of 6.51 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 5.83 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.3Intense
26.3Intense
36.3Intense
46.2Intense
56.2Intense
66.2Intense
76.2Intense
86.2Intense
96.2Intense
106.1Intense
116.1Intense
126.1Intense
136.0Intense
146.0Bright
155.9Bright
165.9Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.5Bright
245.5Bright
255.5Bright
265.4Bright
275.4Bright
285.4Bright
295.4Bright
305.3Bright
315.3Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Zacatecoluca

In seasonPeak

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

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

Zacatecoluca's monsoon runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Zacatecoluca?

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

2.7
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
4.1
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Zacatecoluca.

What to pack for Zacatecoluca in May

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

In May, Zacatecoluca sees daytime highs around 32°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 26 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Zacatecoluca in May

The nearest coast averages about 30°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 31 km away) is warmest in August at about 30°C and coldest in January near 28°C.

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

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Zacatecoluca 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 Zacatecoluca peaks around April 10 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 10UV 13Dec 13UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Zacatecoluca 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 Zacatecoluca is worst in April — around 34 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.6× the cleanest month (January, 13 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateApr 2234 µg/m³Jan 1113 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar22Moderate
Apr34Moderate
May32Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul25Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep18Moderate
Oct17Moderate
Nov16Moderate
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Zacatecoluca?

Zacatecoluca sits at 13.5°N, 88.9°W, 220 m above sea level, in El Salvador. The nearest listed city is San Vicente, 17 km away.

San VicenteCojutepequeSan MartínIlopangoSoyapangoSan MarcosSan SalvadorDelgado

Topography around Zacatecoluca

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Zacatecoluca has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 319 m around an average of 210 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,166 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,143 m.

The land around Zacatecoluca is covered by trees (55%) and grassland (26%) within 3 km, trees (44%), grassland (33%) and cropland (20%) within 16 km, and trees (42%), water (28%) and grassland (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
319 m
16 km
2,166 m
80 km
2,143 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
May weather nearby: San Vicente 17 km · Cojutepeque 24 km · San Martín 31 km · Ilopango 34 km · Soyapango 37 km · San Marcos 38 km · San Salvador 40 km · Delgado 40 km

El Salvador travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B
115 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 41% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,767
2025
Happiness
6.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
7.9
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
20.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 523
Religion
Roman Catholic 44%Protestant 40%none 16%

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 Zacatecoluca (13.5087°, -88.8702°, elevation 220 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).