Makassar weather in May

In May, Makassar sees average daytime highs of 31°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 231 mm of rain across 23.9 wet days and about 11.8 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 48 min at the start of May to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Makassar's 6th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Makassar's year-round climate.

Daytime high
31°
4th warmest
Overnight low
24°
11th coldest
Rainfall
231 mm
23.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 48 min
6:06 AM – 5:52 PM
Cloud cover
67%
6th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
4.67 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.2
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month.

A typical May day in Makassar reaches about 31°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13025
23025
33025
43025
53125
63125
73125
83125
93125
103125
113125
123125
133124
143124
153124
163124
173124
183124
193124
203124
213124
223124
233124
243124
253124
263124
273124
283024
293024
303024
313024

How May really feels in Makassar

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
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.

Makassar weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 4th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 24°44729.712.33.0
Feb29° / 24°34726.212.23.0
Mar29° / 24°28527.9123.0
Apr30° / 24°29228.111.92.8
May31° / 24°23123.911.83.2
Jun30° / 24°17319.811.73.7
Jul30° / 23°11713.911.74.4
Aug31° / 23°568.511.84.6
Sep32° / 23°649.3124.2
Oct31° / 24°16319.212.13.4
Nov30° / 25°25528.112.22.8
Dec29° / 24°43329.812.32.9

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% 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 62%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12674
22674
32674
42674
52773
62971
73070
83070
93367
103367
113565
123763
133961
144060
154258
164357
174456
184555
194555
204654
214654
224654
234555
244456
254357
264357
274258
284060
293961
303862
313763

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Makassar gets around 231 mm of rain over 23.9 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 77% and peaks near 88% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
188
287
386
485
584
682
781
879
978
1077
1176
1275
1374
1473
1572
1672
1772
1872
1972
2072
2173
2274
2374
2475
2575
2675
2776
2876
2976
3076
3175

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 60% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
12872
22971
33070
43070
53169
63367
73466
83565
93664
103763
113862
123961
134060
144060
154159
164258
174258
184357
194357
204357
214456
224456
234555
244555
254654
264654
274654
284753
294753
304753
314852

Wind in May

Winds average 5 km/h in May, the calmest month.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 5 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 48 min at the start of May to 11 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:05 AM to 6:08 AM, and sunset from 5:54 PM to 5:51 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.86:055:54
211.86:055:54
311.86:055:54
411.86:055:53
511.86:055:53
611.86:055:53
711.86:055:53
811.86:055:53
911.86:055:52
1011.86:055:52
1111.86:055:52
1211.86:055:52
1311.86:055:52
1411.86:055:52
1511.86:055:52
1611.86:065:52
1711.86:065:51
1811.86:065:51
1911.86:065:51
2011.86:065:51
2111.86:065:51
2211.76:065:51
2311.76:065:51
2411.76:075:51
2511.76:075:51
2611.76:075:51
2711.76:075:51
2811.76:075:51
2911.76:075:51
3011.76:085:51
3111.76:085:51

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.67 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.9 kWh/m² to a high of 6.35 kWh/m² in September across the year — May's 4.67 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.7Bright
24.7Bright
34.7Bright
44.7Bright
54.7Bright
64.7Bright
74.7Bright
84.7Bright
94.7Bright
104.7Bright
114.8Bright
124.8Bright
134.8Bright
144.8Bright
154.8Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.8Bright
204.7Bright
214.7Bright
224.7Bright
234.7Bright
244.6Bright
254.6Bright
264.6Bright
274.6Bright
284.5Bright
294.5Bright
304.5Bright
314.5Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Makassar

In seasonPeak

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

Makassar sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Makassar's rainy season runs November–May, when most of the year's rain falls.

Cyclone
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Makassar?

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

3.2
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
4.6
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Makassar.

What to pack for Makassar in May

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

In May, Makassar sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 24 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Makassar 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 offshore is warmest in April at about 30°C and coldest in August near 28°C.

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

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug28Warm
Sep28Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov30Tropical
Dec30Tropical

UV index in Makassar in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks 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 Makassar peaks around March 12 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 12UV 15Jun 22UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Makassar 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 Makassar is worst in October — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateOct 1616 µg/m³Feb 911 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb11Good
Mar11Good
Apr13Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec12Good
Location & terrain

Where is Makassar?

Makassar sits at 5.1°S, 119.4°E, 6 m above sea level, in Indonesia. The nearest listed city is Galesong, 20 km away.

Topography around Makassar

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Makassar has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 22 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 82 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,839 m.

The land around Makassar is covered by artificial surfaces (86%) within 3 km, water (47%) within 16 km, and water (56%) and trees (33%) within 80 km.

3 km
22 m
16 km
82 m
80 km
2,839 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Galesong 20 km · Maros 22 km · Sinjai 91 km · Watampone 120 km · Parepare 128 km · Sengkang 131 km · Majene 186 km · Polewali 191 km

Indonesia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 29% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,060
2025
Happiness
5.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
30%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.3
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
11.3
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 471
Religion
Muslim 87%Protestant 8%Roman Catholic 3%Hindu 2%

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 Makassar (-5.1486°, 119.4319°, elevation 6 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).