Sek’ot’a weather in May

In May, Sek’ot’a sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 37 mm of rain across 6 wet days and about 12.6 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% 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 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Sek’ot’a's 9th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sek’ot’a's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
16°
12th coldest
Rainfall
37 mm
6 wet days
Daylight
12 h 36 min
6:03 AM – 6:38 PM
Cloud cover
44%
9th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.66 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.6
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month.

A typical May day in Sek’ot’a reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 15°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and about 2°C warmer than June.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13016
23016
33016
43016
53016
63016
73016
83016
93016
103016
113016
123016
133016
143016
153016
163016
173016
183016
193016
203016
213016
223016
233016
243015
253015
263015
273015
283015
293015
303015
313015

Sek’ot’a weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 2nd-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 12°20.511.38.2
Feb29° / 13°71.511.66.9
Mar30° / 14°224.311.96.0
Apr30° / 15°275.812.35.5
May30° / 16°37612.65.6
Jun28° / 15°901312.75.4
Jul25° / 15°32329.512.74.0
Aug24° / 14°36130.512.43.9
Sep26° / 13°10813.412.16.5
Oct27° / 13°81.811.78.2
Nov27° / 12°71.311.48.5
Dec27° / 11°30.811.38.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 29% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 23%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17624
27525
37525
47525
57525
67525
77624
87624
97624
107624
117624
127723
137723
147624
157624
167624
177723
187723
197723
207723
217624
227624
237624
247624
257822
267822
277822
287822
297822
307921
317921

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Sek’ot’a gets around 37 mm of rain over 6 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 19% 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
524
623
723
823
922
1022
1121
1221
1320
1419
1519
1618
1717
1817
1917
2016
2116
2216
2316
2415
2515
2615
2715
2815
2915
3016
3116

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 87% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
189110
289110
389110
488120
588120
688120
788120
888120
988120
1087121
1187121
1287121
1387121
1488111
1588111
1688111
1788111
1888111
1988111
2088111
2188111
2288111
2387121
2487121
2587121
2686131
2786131
2886131
2986131
3085141
3185141

Wind in May

Winds average 7 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 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
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 24 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 18 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:08 AM to 6:01 AM, and sunset from 6:34 PM to 6:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.46:086:34
212.56:076:35
312.56:076:35
412.56:076:35
512.56:066:35
612.56:066:35
712.56:056:35
812.56:056:36
912.56:056:36
1012.56:046:36
1112.56:046:36
1212.56:046:37
1312.66:036:37
1412.66:036:37
1512.66:036:37
1612.66:036:38
1712.66:026:38
1812.66:026:38
1912.66:026:38
2012.66:026:39
2112.66:026:39
2212.66:026:39
2312.66:016:39
2412.66:016:40
2512.66:016:40
2612.76:016:40
2712.76:016:41
2812.76:016:41
2912.76:016:41
3012.76:016:41
3112.76:016:42

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.66 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.48 kWh/m² to a high of 6.88 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 6.66 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.8Intense
26.8Intense
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
206.6Intense
216.6Intense
226.6Intense
236.6Intense
246.6Intense
256.5Intense
266.5Intense
276.5Intense
286.5Intense
296.4Intense
306.4Intense
316.4Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Sek’ot’a

In seasonPeak

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

Sek’ot’a's monsoon runs July–August, when most of the year's rain falls.

Sek’ot’a 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 Sek’ot’a?

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

5.6
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
7.7
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Sek’ot’a in May

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

In May, Sek’ot’a sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 16°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 6 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Sek’ot’a 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 Sek’ot’a peaks around March 21 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 12 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highMar 21UV 15Dec 12UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov10Extreme
Dec10Very high

Air quality in Sek’ot’a 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 Sek’ot’a is worst in June — around 32 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateJun 1531 µg/m³Nov 2223 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan25Moderate
Feb24Moderate
Mar26Moderate
Apr23Moderate
May27Moderate
Jun32Moderate
Jul26Moderate
Aug25Moderate
Sep31Moderate
Oct27Moderate
Nov23Moderate
Dec24Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Sek’ot’a?

Sek’ot’a sits at 12.6°N, 39.0°E, 2,240 m above sea level, in Ethiopia. The nearest listed city is Korem, 55 km away.

Ābīy ĀdīMekeleWeldiya

Topography around Sek’ot’a

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Sek’ot’a.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sek’ot’a has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 601 m around an average of 2,227 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,396 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,097 m.

The land around Sek’ot’a is covered by grassland (45%) and cropland (30%) within 3 km, grassland (43%) and cropland (39%) within 16 km, and grassland (46%), cropland (29%) and shrubs (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
601 m
16 km
1,396 m
80 km
3,097 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Korem 55 km · Maych’ew 58 km · Alamata 62 km · Lalibela 67 km · Mehoni 69 km · Ābīy Ādī 104 km · Mekele 107 km · Weldiya 108 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 Sek’ot’a (12.6306°, 39.0347°, elevation 2,240 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).