Assab weather in May

In May, Assab sees average daytime highs of 33°C and overnight lows near 29°C, with 1 mm of rain across 0.2 wet days and about 12.6 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 33°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 73% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

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 Assab's 8th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Assab's year-round climate.

Daytime high
33°
5th warmest
Overnight low
29°
8th coldest
Rainfall
1 mm
0.2 wet days
Daylight
12 h 36 min
5:47 AM – 6:23 PM
Cloud cover
26%
8th clearest
Wind
19 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
6.73 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.7
out of 10

Assab is city in Eritrea.

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 33°C through the month.

A typical May day in Assab reaches about 33°C in the afternoon and slips back to 29°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 31°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C warmer than April and about 1°C cooler than June.

25°28°30°33°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13228
23328
33328
43328
53328
63328
73328
83328
93328
103328
113328
123329
133329
143329
153329
163329
173329
183329
193329
203329
213329
223329
233329
243329
253329
263329
273329
283330
293330
303330
313330

How May really feels in Assab

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
26 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.

Assab weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 23°91.711.38.3
Feb28° / 24°41.211.68.0
Mar30° / 25°30.811.96.9
Apr32° / 27°20.712.35.6
May33° / 29°10.212.64.7
Jun34° / 30°00.112.83.9
Jul35° / 31°80.712.73.4
Aug35° / 31°161.712.43.4
Sep34° / 30°40.512.13.9
Oct32° / 28°30.611.75.2
Nov30° / 25°10.411.46.7
Dec28° / 24°50.811.27.8

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 73% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 16%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18614
28614
38614
48515
58515
68515
78515
88416
98416
108416
118416
128416
138416
148416
158416
168416
178317
188317
198317
208317
218317
228317
238317
248317
258317
268317
278317
288317
298317
308218
318218

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Assab gets around 1 mm of rain over 0.2 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 1% and peaks near 1% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
11
21
31
41
51
61
71
81
91
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
220
230
241
251
261
271
281
291
301
311

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels miserable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the miserable band about 64% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
11103752
21103653
3193555
4193555
5183457
6183358
7173359
8173260
9163261
10163162
11153163
12153163
13143065
14143065
15133066
16033067
17032968
18022969
19022969
20022969
21022969
22022969
23012970
24012970
25012970
26012970
27013069
28013069
29013168
30013168
31013267

Wind in May

Winds average 19 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 17 km/h on the calmest days to 24 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
124breezy
224breezy
324breezy
423breezy
523breezy
623breezy
722breezy
822breezy
921breezy
1021breezy
1121breezy
1220breezy
1320light breeze
1420light breeze
1519light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1818light breeze
1918light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2417light breeze
2517light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

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 5:53 AM to 5:45 AM, and sunset from 6:20 PM to 6:28 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.55:536:20
212.55:526:20
312.55:526:20
412.55:516:21
512.55:516:21
612.55:506:21
712.55:506:21
812.55:506:21
912.55:496:22
1012.55:496:22
1112.65:496:22
1212.65:486:22
1312.65:486:22
1412.65:486:23
1512.65:486:23
1612.65:476:23
1712.65:476:24
1812.65:476:24
1912.65:476:24
2012.65:466:24
2112.65:466:25
2212.65:466:25
2312.75:466:25
2412.75:466:25
2512.75:466:26
2612.75:466:26
2712.75:466:26
2812.75:456:27
2912.75:456:27
3012.75:456:27
3112.75:456:28

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.73 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.43 kWh/m² to a high of 6.97 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 6.73 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.0Intense
27.0Intense
36.9Intense
46.9Intense
56.9Intense
66.9Intense
76.9Intense
86.9Intense
96.9Intense
106.9Intense
116.8Intense
126.8Intense
136.8Intense
146.8Intense
156.8Intense
166.8Intense
176.7Intense
186.7Intense
196.7Intense
206.6Intense
216.6Intense
226.6Intense
236.5Intense
246.5Intense
256.5Intense
266.5Intense
276.4Intense
286.4Intense
296.4Intense
306.3Intense
316.3Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Assab

In seasonPeak

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

Assab sees seasonal dust haze (May–September), heaviest in July.

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

Is May a good time to visit Assab?

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

4.7
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
8.2
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Assab in May

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

In May, Assab sees daytime highs around 33°C and nights near 29°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Assab in May

The nearest coast averages about 29°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 18 km away) is warmest in September at about 32°C and coldest in February near 25°C.

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

25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr28Warm
May29Tropical
Jun31Tropical
Jul31Tropical
Aug31Tropical
Sep32Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov27Warm
Dec26Warm

UV index in Assab in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Assab peaks around March 23 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 7 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highExtremeVery highMar 23UV 12Dec 13UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb11Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep10Extreme
Oct10Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec7Very high

Air quality in Assab 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 Assab is worst in July — around 44 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.6× the cleanest month (November, 17 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateJul 1843 µg/m³Nov 1317 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan25Moderate
Feb28Moderate
Mar28Moderate
Apr23Moderate
May24Moderate
Jun36Poor
Jul44Poor
Aug39Poor
Sep26Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov17Moderate
Dec19Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Assab?

Assab sits at 13.0°N, 42.7°E, 22 m above sea level, in Eritrea. The nearest listed city is Mocha, 65 km away.

MochaZabīd

Topography around Assab

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Assab has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 171 m around an average of 16 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 396 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,961 m.

The land around Assab is covered by bare terrain (51%) and water (40%) within 3 km, water (56%) and bare terrain (41%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (55%) and water (44%) within 80 km.

3 km
171 m
16 km
396 m
80 km
1,961 m
artificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
May weather nearby: Mocha 65 km · Obock 130 km · Tadjoura 137 km · Zabīd 146 km · Taiz 152 km · Djibouti 164 km · Arta 165 km · Balbala 166 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 Assab (13.0092°, 42.7394°, elevation 22 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).