Bolgatanga weather in May

In May, Bolgatanga sees average daytime highs of 35°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 53 mm of rain across 10.3 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 36°C in the first days to 34°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

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 Bolgatanga's 9th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bolgatanga's year-round climate.

Daytime high
35°
4th warmest
Overnight low
26°
10th coldest
Rainfall
53 mm
10.3 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
5:45 AM – 6:14 PM
Cloud cover
65%
9th clearest
Wind
11 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
6.23 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.2
out of 10

Bolgatanga is capital of the Upper East Region, Ghana.

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 36°C in the first days to 34°C by the end.

A typical May day in Bolgatanga reaches about 35°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 32°C and 38°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C cooler than April and about 3°C warmer than June.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13727
23627
33627
43627
53627
63627
73627
83627
93627
103627
113627
123627
133627
143627
153626
163626
173626
183526
193526
203526
213526
223526
233526
243526
253526
263526
273526
283426
293426
303426
313425

How May really feels in Bolgatanga

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
30 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.

Bolgatanga weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 4th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan34° / 21°00.111.44.0
Feb36° / 24°20.511.62.3
Mar38° / 27°102.311.91.0
Apr38° / 27°326.212.21.2
May35° / 26°5310.312.52.2
Jun33° / 25°6211.412.63.4
Jul30° / 24°13219.212.63.7
Aug29° / 23°21125.212.43.4
Sep30° / 23°14418.512.13.7
Oct33° / 23°468.711.83.7
Nov35° / 22°40.611.53.0
Dec34° / 21°0011.43.8

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 59%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14060
24060
34060
44159
54258
64258
74258
84258
94258
104258
114258
124159
134159
144159
154159
164258
174159
184159
194159
204159
214159
224159
234159
244258
254258
264258
274258
284357
294258
304258
314357

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Bolgatanga gets around 53 mm of rain over 10.3 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 33% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
128
228
329
430
530
631
731
832
932
1033
1133
1233
1333
1433
1533
1634
1734
1834
1934
2034
2134
2234
2334
2435
2535
2635
2736
2836
2936
3037
3137

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the oppressive band about 86% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1119782
2118792
3117802
4116812
5115813
6114823
7114823
8013852
9012862
10011872
11010882
12010882
1309892
1409892
1508902
1608893
1708893
1808893
1908893
2008893
2108893
2208893
2307894
2407894
2507894
2607885
2707885
2807885
2907876
3007876
3106886

Wind in May

Winds average 11 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 11 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1511calm
1611calm
1711calm
1811calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

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 5:49 AM to 5:43 AM, and sunset from 6:12 PM to 6:18 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.45:496:12
212.45:496:12
312.45:496:12
412.45:486:12
512.45:486:12
612.45:476:13
712.45:476:13
812.45:476:13
912.45:476:13
1012.45:466:13
1112.55:466:13
1212.55:466:14
1312.55:456:14
1412.55:456:14
1512.55:456:14
1612.55:456:14
1712.55:456:15
1812.55:446:15
1912.55:446:15
2012.55:446:15
2112.55:446:16
2212.55:446:16
2312.55:446:16
2412.55:446:16
2512.55:446:17
2612.65:446:17
2712.65:436:17
2812.65:436:17
2912.65:436:18
3012.65:436:18
3112.65:436:18

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.23 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.58 kWh/m² to a high of 6.55 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 6.23 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.4Intense
26.4Intense
36.4Intense
46.3Intense
56.3Intense
66.3Intense
76.3Intense
86.3Intense
96.3Intense
106.3Intense
116.3Intense
126.3Intense
136.3Intense
146.3Intense
156.3Intense
166.3Intense
176.3Intense
186.2Intense
196.2Intense
206.2Intense
216.2Intense
226.2Intense
236.1Intense
246.1Intense
256.1Intense
266.0Intense
276.0Intense
286.0Intense
296.0Bright
306.0Bright
315.9Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Bolgatanga

In seasonPeak

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

Bolgatanga's monsoon runs July–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

Bolgatanga sees seasonal dust haze (February–June), heaviest in March.

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

Is May a good time to visit Bolgatanga?

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

2.2
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
5.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Bolgatanga.

What to pack for Bolgatanga in May

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

In May, Bolgatanga sees daytime highs around 35°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

UV index in Bolgatanga in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Bolgatanga peaks around March 18 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 14 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highMar 18UV 13Dec 14UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb11Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov8Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Bolgatanga 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 Bolgatanga is worst in December — around 97 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 6.3× the cleanest month (August, 15 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorModerateUnhealthyDec 1895 µg/m³Aug 1015 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan78Unhealthy
Feb78Unhealthy
Mar56Unhealthy
Apr41Poor
May22Moderate
Jun18Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep20Moderate
Oct31Moderate
Nov70Unhealthy
Dec97Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Bolgatanga?

Bolgatanga sits at 10.8°N, 0.9°W, 191 m above sea level, in Ghana. The nearest listed city is Navrongo, 29 km away.

ZabréNaleriguGomboussougouBawkuBittouSinkassé

Topography around Bolgatanga

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Bolgatanga has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 67 m around an average of 186 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 253 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 380 m.

The land around Bolgatanga is covered by artificial surfaces (42%) and cropland (41%) within 3 km, cropland (55%) and grassland (27%) within 16 km, and cropland (43%), grassland (36%) and shrubs (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
67 m
16 km
253 m
80 km
380 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
May weather nearby: Navrongo 29 km · Zabré 50 km · 53 km · Nalerigu 60 km · Gomboussougou 72 km · Bawku 73 km · Bittou 79 km · Sinkassé 100 km

Ghana travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type D / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 38% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$3,257
2025
Happiness
4.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
43%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.8
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
25.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 540
Religion
Christian 71%Muslim 20%other 5%traditionalist 3%

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 Bolgatanga (10.7856°, -0.8514°, elevation 191 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).