Asmara weather in May

In May, Asmara sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 47 mm of rain across 10.8 wet days and about 12.7 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 26°C in the first days to 28°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Asmara's 4th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Asmara's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
16°
9th coldest
Rainfall
47 mm
10.8 wet days
Daylight
12 h 42 min
5:59 AM – 6:42 PM
Cloud cover
35%
4th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
6.67 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

Asmara is capital city of Eritrea.

Density
46/km²
people per km²
Founded
1897

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 26°C in the first days to 28°C by the end.

A typical May day in Asmara reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C warmer than April and about 1°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12615
22615
32615
42615
52615
62615
72615
82615
92716
102716
112716
122716
132716
142716
152716
162716
172716
182716
192716
202716
212716
222716
232816
242816
252816
262816
272816
282816
292816
302816
312816

Asmara weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 2nd-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan22° / 12°4912.911.26.5
Feb23° / 12°349.311.57.1
Mar25° / 14°4812.211.96.8
Apr26° / 15°6316.112.36.1
May27° / 16°4710.812.76.8
Jun28° / 16°398.312.96.3
Jul26° / 16°18227.312.84.2
Aug26° / 17°21126.912.54.3
Sep27° / 16°386.112.17.5
Oct25° / 14°285.711.78.1
Nov23° / 13°328.411.37.6
Dec22° / 12°3610.911.16.9

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% 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 17%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18515
28416
38317
48317
58317
68317
78416
88317
98317
108317
118317
128317
138218
148218
158119
168119
178119
188218
198317
208317
218317
228317
238317
248317
258317
268416
278416
288515
298515
308515
318515

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Asmara gets around 47 mm of rain over 10.8 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 34% and peaks near 51% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
151
250
350
449
548
648
747
846
945
1044
1142
1241
1340
1438
1537
1635
1733
1832
1930
2029
2127
2226
2324
2423
2522
2620
2719
2818
2917
3016
3115

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 59% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
1444512
2444511
3444411
4444411
5454411
6454410
7464410
8474310
9474310
1048429
1149429
1250429
1351418
1452408
1553398
1655387
1756377
1859356
1960346
2062326
2165305
2266295
2369274
2470264
2573243
2675223
2777212
2879192
2981181
3083161
3184151

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 7 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
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 18 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:05 AM to 5:57 AM, and sunset from 6:38 PM to 6:47 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.56:056:38
212.66:056:38
312.66:046:38
412.66:046:38
512.66:036:39
612.66:036:39
712.66:026:39
812.66:026:40
912.66:026:40
1012.66:016:40
1112.76:016:40
1212.76:006:41
1312.76:006:41
1412.76:006:41
1512.75:596:42
1612.75:596:42
1712.75:596:42
1812.75:596:42
1912.75:586:43
2012.75:586:43
2112.85:586:43
2212.85:586:44
2312.85:586:44
2412.85:576:44
2512.85:576:45
2612.85:576:45
2712.85:576:45
2812.85:576:46
2912.85:576:46
3012.85:576:46
3112.85:576:47

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.67 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.05 kWh/m² to a high of 6.67 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 6.67 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.7Intense
26.7Intense
36.7Intense
46.7Intense
56.7Intense
66.7Intense
76.7Intense
86.7Intense
96.7Intense
106.7Intense
116.7Intense
126.7Intense
136.7Intense
146.7Intense
156.7Intense
166.7Intense
176.7Intense
186.7Intense
196.7Intense
206.7Intense
216.7Intense
226.7Intense
236.7Intense
246.7Intense
256.7Intense
266.7Intense
276.7Intense
286.6Intense
296.6Intense
306.6Intense
316.6Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Asmara

In seasonPeak

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

Asmara's rainy season runs July–August, when most of the year's rain falls.

Asmara sees seasonal dust haze (June–August), heaviest in July.

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

Is May a good time to visit Asmara?

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

6.8
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
7.0
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Asmara in May

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

In May, Asmara sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 16°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

UV index in Asmara in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Asmara peaks around April 12 at about 15 (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 12UV 15Dec 13UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Asmara 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 Asmara is worst in June — around 27 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateJun 1227 µg/m³Dec 1519 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan22Moderate
Feb22Moderate
Mar26Moderate
Apr25Moderate
May26Moderate
Jun27Moderate
Jul24Moderate
Aug22Moderate
Sep24Moderate
Oct24Moderate
Nov21Moderate
Dec19Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Asmara?

Asmara sits at 15.3°N, 38.9°E, 2,334 m above sea level, in Eritrea. The nearest listed city is Mendefera, 52 km away.

MendeferaMassawaKerenIntich’oAdwaĀdīgratAksumIdaga Hamus

Topography around Asmara

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Asmara has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 125 m around an average of 2,341 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,574 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,865 m.

The land around Asmara is covered by artificial surfaces (52%) and cropland (29%) within 3 km, cropland (32%), grassland (31%) and shrubs (30%) within 16 km, and grassland (33%), shrubs (29%) and bare terrain (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
125 m
16 km
1,574 m
80 km
2,865 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Mendefera 52 km · Massawa 65 km · Keren 71 km · Intich’o 120 km · Adwa 131 km · Ādīgrat 131 km · Aksum 137 km · Idaga Hamus 145 km

Eritrea travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / L
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 33% of US
price level, 2021
GDP per capita
$689
2011
Homicide rate
15.6
per 100k, 2012
Road deaths
37.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank

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 Asmara (15.3381°, 38.9318°, elevation 2,334 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).