Lalibela weather in May

In May, Lalibela sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 59 mm of rain across 5.8 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

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 Lalibela's 9th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Lalibela's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
13°
12th coldest
Rainfall
59 mm
5.8 wet days
Daylight
12 h 36 min
6:03 AM – 6:37 PM
Cloud cover
49%
9th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
6.49 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.6
out of 10

Lalibela is Town of Ethiopia.

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 25°C through the month.

A typical May day in Lalibela reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 22°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and about 1°C warmer than June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12513
22513
32513
42513
52513
62513
72513
82513
92513
102513
112513
122513
132513
142513
152513
162513
172513
182513
192513
202513
212513
222513
232513
242613
252613
262613
272513
282513
292513
302513
312513

Lalibela weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 3rd-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 10°51.211.48.8
Feb25° / 11°11211.68.5
Mar25° / 12°375.911.97.7
Apr25° / 13°476.612.37.5
May25° / 13°595.812.57.6
Jun24° / 12°10110.412.76.8
Jul20° / 11°49729.312.63.6
Aug20° / 11°52130.812.43.4
Sep21° / 10°15715.712.15.8
Oct22° / 212.911.78.1
Nov23° / 101.411.48.7
Dec23° / 41.111.38.9

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 28% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 34%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16436
26337
36337
46337
56436
66535
76535
86535
96634
106634
116634
126733
136733
146733
156634
166634
176634
186634
196634
206634
216634
226634
236634
246733
256832
266832
276931
286931
296931
307030
317030

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Lalibela gets around 59 mm of rain over 5.8 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 18% and peaks near 24% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
124
224
324
424
523
623
723
822
922
1021
1121
1220
1320
1419
1519
1618
1717
1817
1916
2016
2116
2215
2315
2415
2515
2614
2714
2814
2913
3013
3113

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 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
2991
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
13991
14982
15982
16982
17982
18982
19982
20982
21982
22991
23991
24991
25991
26991
27991
28991
29991
301000
311000

Wind in May

Winds average 6 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

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 6:08 AM to 6:02 AM, and sunset from 6:34 PM to 6:41 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.46:086:34
212.46:086:34
312.46:086:34
412.46:076:34
512.56:076:34
612.56:066:34
712.56:066:35
812.56:066:35
912.56:056:35
1012.56:056:35
1112.56:056:35
1212.56:046:36
1312.56:046:36
1412.56:046:36
1512.56:046:36
1612.66:036:37
1712.66:036:37
1812.66:036:37
1912.66:036:37
2012.66:036:38
2112.66:036:38
2212.66:026:38
2312.66:026:38
2412.66:026:39
2512.66:026:39
2612.66:026:39
2712.66:026:40
2812.66:026:40
2912.66:026:40
3012.66:026:40
3112.66:026:41

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.49 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.2 kWh/m² to a high of 6.68 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 6.49 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
66.5Intense
76.5Intense
86.5Intense
96.5Intense
106.5Intense
116.5Intense
126.5Intense
136.5Intense
146.5Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.4Intense
226.4Intense
236.4Intense
246.4Intense
256.3Intense
266.3Intense
276.3Intense
286.3Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Lalibela

In seasonPeak

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

Lalibela's monsoon runs July–August, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

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

Is May a good time to visit Lalibela?

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

7.6
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
7.0
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Lalibela for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Lalibela in May

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

In May, Lalibela sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 13°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 6 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Lalibela in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Lalibela peaks around March 20 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 12 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 20UV 16Dec 12UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May14Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec10Extreme

Air quality in Lalibela 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 Lalibela is worst in September — around 40 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModeratePoorModerateSep 1639 µg/m³Nov 2228 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan30Moderate
Feb29Moderate
Mar31Moderate
Apr29Moderate
May33Moderate
Jun38Poor
Jul31Moderate
Aug32Moderate
Sep40Poor
Oct32Moderate
Nov28Moderate
Dec29Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Lalibela?

Lalibela sits at 12.0°N, 39.0°E, 2,481 m above sea level, in Ethiopia. The nearest listed city is Filakit, 49 km away.

Maych’ew

Topography around Lalibela

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Lalibela has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,129 m around an average of 2,441 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,162 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,975 m.

The land around Lalibela is covered by grassland (36%), cropland (23%) and shrubs (22%) within 3 km, grassland (46%) and cropland (36%) within 16 km, and cropland (39%), grassland (36%) and shrubs (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
1,129 m
16 km
2,162 m
80 km
2,975 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
May weather nearby: Filakit 49 km · Weldiya 63 km · Sek’ot’a 67 km · Alamata 70 km · Nefas Mewch’a 71 km · Korem 74 km · Mersa 77 km · Maych’ew 100 km

Ethiopia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type C / E / F / L
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 37% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$933
2025
Happiness
4.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
14%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
8.5
per 100k, 2012
Road deaths
28.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 499
Religion
Ethiopian Orthodox 44%Muslim 31%Protestant 23%other 1%

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 Lalibela (12.0322°, 39.0476°, elevation 2,481 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).