Cape Coast weather in May

In May, Cape Coast sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 166 mm of rain across 25 wet days and about 12.2 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 12 min at the start of May to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Cape Coast's 11th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cape Coast's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
4th warmest
Overnight low
26°
8th coldest
Rainfall
166 mm
25 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
5:54 AM – 6:08 PM
Cloud cover
74%
11th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
4.84 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.0
out of 10

Cape Coast is capital city of Central Region in Ghana.

Founded
1482

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 28°C through the month.

A typical May day in Cape Coast reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and about 1°C warmer than June.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12826
22826
32826
42826
52826
62826
72826
82826
92826
102826
112826
122826
132826
142826
152826
162826
172826
182826
192826
202826
212826
222826
232826
242826
252826
262826
272826
282826
292726
302726
312726

How May really feels in Cape Coast

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 22 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
22
heat index over the day's high
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.

Cape Coast weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 4th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 26°185.911.77.2
Feb28° / 26°256.811.86.4
Mar29° / 27°4111.6125.4
Apr29° / 26°7116.312.14.8
May28° / 26°1662512.24.0
Jun27° / 25°20423.812.34.3
Jul25° / 24°6513.212.36.1
Aug25° / 24°287.312.27.0
Sep25° / 24°5210.8126.6
Oct27° / 25°671711.95.6
Nov28° / 26°4915.211.85.7
Dec28° / 26°289.411.76.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 71%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13466
23466
33466
43565
53466
63466
73466
83466
93466
103466
113268
123268
133268
143268
153070
163070
173070
182872
192773
202674
212575
222575
232476
242377
252278
262278
272179
282179
292080
302080
312080

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Cape Coast gets around 166 mm of rain over 25 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 80% and peaks near 88% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
168
269
370
471
572
674
775
875
976
1077
1178
1279
1380
1480
1581
1681
1782
1883
1983
2084
2184
2285
2385
2485
2586
2686
2787
2887
2987
3088
3188

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 70% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1793
2892
3892
4991
51090
61189
71288
81387
91486
101585
111783
121882
132080
142179
152377
162575
172773
182971
193268
203466
213763
224060
234357
244654
254951
265248
275446
285743
296040
306337
316535

Wind in May

Winds average 12 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1212light breeze
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712light breeze
1812light breeze
1912light breeze
2012light breeze
2112light breeze
2212light breeze
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 min at the start of May to 12 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:57 AM to 5:54 AM, and sunset from 6:07 PM to 6:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.25:576:07
212.25:576:07
312.25:566:07
412.25:566:07
512.25:566:07
612.25:566:08
712.25:566:08
812.25:556:08
912.25:556:08
1012.25:556:08
1112.25:556:08
1212.25:556:08
1312.25:556:08
1412.25:546:08
1512.25:546:08
1612.25:546:08
1712.25:546:08
1812.25:546:08
1912.25:546:09
2012.25:546:09
2112.25:546:09
2212.25:546:09
2312.35:546:09
2412.35:546:09
2512.35:546:09
2612.35:546:10
2712.35:546:10
2812.35:546:10
2912.35:546:10
3012.35:546:10
3112.35:546:11

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.84 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.17 kWh/m² to a high of 5.64 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 4.84 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.1Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
135.0Bright
144.9Bright
154.9Bright
164.9Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.8Bright
204.7Bright
214.7Bright
224.6Bright
234.6Bright
244.5Bright
254.5Bright
264.5Bright
274.4Bright
284.4Bright
294.3Bright
304.3Bright
314.3Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Cape Coast

In seasonPeak

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

Cape Coast's monsoon runs May–June, when most of the year's rain falls.

Cape Coast sees seasonal dust haze (January–April), heaviest in February.

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

Is May a good time to visit Cape Coast?

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

4.0
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
4.5
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Cape Coast for sightseeing.

What to pack for Cape Coast in May

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

In May, Cape Coast sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 25 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Cape Coast 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 14 km away) is warmest in May at about 29°C and coldest in August near 23°C.

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

22°24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb28Warm
Mar28Tropical
Apr28Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun27Warm
Jul24Warm
Aug23Refreshing
Sep24Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Cape Coast 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 Cape Coast peaks around March 23 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeExtremeVery highMar 23UV 14Dec 17UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul10Very high
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Cape Coast 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 Cape Coast is worst in January — around 70 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 5.4× the cleanest month (September, 13 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorModeratePoorJan 1768 µg/m³Sep 1313 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan70Unhealthy
Feb58Unhealthy
Mar35Moderate
Apr33Moderate
May21Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov24Moderate
Dec54Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Cape Coast?

Cape Coast sits at 5.1°N, 1.2°W, 21 m above sea level, in Ghana. The nearest listed city is Elmina, 12 km away.

Shama JunctionSekondiApamSekondi-TakoradiTakoradi

Topography around Cape Coast

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Cape Coast has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 75 m around an average of 13 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 131 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 325 m.

The land around Cape Coast is covered by water (52%) and artificial surfaces (22%) within 3 km, water (55%) and trees (32%) within 16 km, and trees (60%) and water (35%) within 80 km.

3 km
75 m
16 km
131 m
80 km
325 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Elmina 12 km · Saltpond 24 km · Mankesim 32 km · Shama Junction 47 km · Sekondi 55 km · Apam 59 km · Sekondi-Takoradi 60 km · Takoradi 61 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 Cape Coast (5.1053°, -1.2466°, elevation 21 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).