Massawa in Spring
In spring (March, April and May), Massawa sees average daytime highs around 30°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 54 mm of rain over about 13 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs climb from about 26°C in early March to 34°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 60% of the time across spring, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Spring is Massawa's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Massawa's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 30°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 25°C
- Rainfall
- 54 mm
- 13 wet days
- Avg wind
- 9 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.9
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Mar · Apr · May
Temperature in Massawa in Spring
Over the season highs climb from about 26°C in early March to 34°C by late May.
A typical spring day in Massawa reaches about 30°C and drops to 25°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is May, the coolest March.
How spring really feels in Massawa
Once humidity and wind are folded in, spring brings about 53 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in spring is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Massawa weather by month
How the three spring months (March, April and May) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25° / 22° | 109 | 16.5 | 11.2 | 5.8 |
| Feb | 25° / 22° | 64 | 12.6 | 11.5 | 6.2 |
| Mar | 27° / 23° | 33 | 7.8 | 11.9 | 7.0 |
| Apr | 30° / 25° | 16 | 4.3 | 12.3 | 6.0 |
| May | 33° / 27° | 5 | 1.3 | 12.7 | 4.7 |
| Jun | 35° / 29° | 1 | 0.1 | 12.9 | 3.3 |
| Jul | 36° / 30° | 5 | 1 | 12.8 | 2.5 |
| Aug | 36° / 30° | 5 | 0.9 | 12.5 | 2.5 |
| Sep | 35° / 29° | 2 | 0.4 | 12.1 | 3.5 |
| Oct | 32° / 27° | 18 | 4.5 | 11.6 | 5.0 |
| Nov | 29° / 25° | 49 | 7.4 | 11.3 | 6.1 |
| Dec | 27° / 23° | 85 | 13 | 11.1 | 6.3 |
Cloud cover in Spring
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 60% of the time across spring.
Chance of precipitation in Spring
Massawa gets around 54 mm of rain over 13 wet days across spring. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Spring
Most of spring feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Spring
Winds average 9 km/h across spring.
Sunrise & sunset in Spring
Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min in early March to 12 h 54 min by late May. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Spring
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across spring, about 6.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Massawa
In spring, Massawa overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Massawa sees seasonal dust haze (May–September), heaviest in July.
Is spring a good time to visit Massawa?
Our two travel scores rate spring for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
spring is a reasonable time to visit Massawa for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Massawa in Spring
From spring's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In spring, Massawa sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Massawa in Spring
The nearest coast averages about 29°C across spring — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 16 km away) is warmest in September at about 32°C and coldest in February near 27°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 27 | 27 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 28 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Warm |
| Feb | 27 | Warm |
| Mar | 27 | Warm |
| Apr | 29 | Tropical |
| May | 30 | Tropical |
| Jun | 31 | Tropical |
| Jul | 32 | Tropical |
| Aug | 32 | Tropical |
| Sep | 32 | Tropical |
| Oct | 32 | Tropical |
| Nov | 30 | Tropical |
| Dec | 28 | Tropical |
UV index in Massawa in Spring
Clear-sky midday UV across spring averages 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 Massawa peaks around April 11 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 7 (high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
| Level | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Very high |
| Feb | 10 | Very high |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 8 | Very high |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 10 | Extreme |
| Oct | 9 | Very high |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 7 | High |
Air quality in Massawa in Spring
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where spring falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Massawa is worst in May — around 94 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.2× the cleanest month (December, 23 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 27 | 31 | 47 | 83 | 94 | 47 | 67 | 94 | 79 | 64 | 33 | 23 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Moderate |
| Feb | 31 | Moderate |
| Mar | 47 | Poor |
| Apr | 83 | Unhealthy |
| May | 94 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 47 | Poor |
| Jul | 67 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 94 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 79 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 64 | Unhealthy |
| Nov | 33 | Moderate |
| Dec | 23 | Moderate |
Where is Massawa?
Massawa sits at 15.6°N, 39.5°E, 9 m above sea level, in Eritrea. The nearest listed city is Asmara, 65 km away.
Topography around Massawa
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Massawa.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Massawa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 10 m around an average of 1 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 320 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,874 m.
The land around Massawa is covered by water (76%) within 3 km, water (48%) and bare terrain (45%) within 16 km, and water (39%) and bare terrain (30%) within 80 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 Massawa (15.6081°, 39.4746°, elevation 9 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.