Merauke weather in May

In May, Merauke sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 106 mm of rain across 18.1 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 42 min at the start of May to 11 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Merauke's 4th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Merauke's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
8th warmest
Overnight low
25°
6th coldest
Rainfall
106 mm
18.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
5:46 AM – 5:23 PM
Cloud cover
70%
4th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
4.52 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.4
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month.

A typical May day in Merauke reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and about 1°C warmer than June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12925
22925
32925
42925
52925
62925
72925
82925
92925
102925
112925
122925
132925
142925
152925
162925
172925
182925
192925
202925
212925
222925
232925
242925
252924
262924
272924
282924
292924
302924
312924

How May really feels in Merauke

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 28 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
28
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.

Merauke weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 8th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 25°27527.812.42.9
Feb29° / 25°26025.812.32.9
Mar29° / 25°29727.312.13.0
Apr29° / 25°20622.411.83.5
May29° / 25°10618.111.64.4
Jun28° / 24°4912.311.55.5
Jul28° / 23°278.411.66.3
Aug28° / 23°277.611.76.3
Sep29° / 24°338125.5
Oct30° / 24°7011.612.24.7
Nov31° / 25°10616.212.43.9
Dec30° / 25°20825.512.53.1

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 20% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 67%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12773
22773
32773
42872
52872
62971
72971
83070
93070
103169
113268
123268
133367
143466
153565
163565
173565
183664
193664
203565
213664
223664
233664
243664
253664
263664
273664
283565
293565
303565
313664

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Merauke gets around 106 mm of rain over 18.1 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 58% and peaks near 65% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
165
265
364
464
564
663
763
863
962
1062
1161
1261
1360
1460
1559
1659
1758
1858
1957
2057
2156
2256
2355
2454
2553
2652
2751
2850
2949
3048
3147

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 68% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
125444
225543
325642
425840
535839
635938
736136
846135
946234
1046333
1156332
1256431
1356530
1456629
1566529
1666628
1766727
1866826
1966925
2067024
2167123
2267321
2367420
2467519
2567717
2667816
2767915
2877914
2978112
3078211
3178310

Wind in May

Winds average 16 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
716light breeze
816light breeze
916light breeze
1016light breeze
1116light breeze
1216light breeze
1316light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2117light breeze
2217light breeze
2317light breeze
2417light breeze
2517light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2818light breeze
2918light breeze
3018light breeze
3118light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min at the start of May to 11 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:44 AM to 5:49 AM, and sunset from 5:27 PM to 5:22 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.75:445:27
211.75:455:26
311.75:455:26
411.75:455:26
511.75:455:25
611.75:455:25
711.75:455:25
811.75:455:25
911.75:455:24
1011.65:455:24
1111.65:455:24
1211.65:465:24
1311.65:465:24
1411.65:465:23
1511.65:465:23
1611.65:465:23
1711.65:465:23
1811.65:475:23
1911.65:475:23
2011.65:475:22
2111.65:475:22
2211.65:475:22
2311.65:485:22
2411.65:485:22
2511.65:485:22
2611.65:485:22
2711.65:485:22
2811.65:495:22
2911.65:495:22
3011.55:495:22
3111.55:495:22

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.52 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.05 kWh/m² to a high of 6.07 kWh/m² in November across the year — May's 4.52 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.7Bright
24.7Bright
34.7Bright
44.6Bright
54.6Bright
64.6Bright
74.6Bright
84.6Bright
94.6Bright
104.6Bright
114.6Bright
124.6Bright
134.6Bright
144.5Bright
154.5Bright
164.5Bright
174.5Bright
184.5Bright
194.5Bright
204.5Bright
214.5Bright
224.5Bright
234.5Bright
244.5Bright
254.4Bright
264.4Bright
274.4Bright
284.4Bright
294.4Bright
304.4Bright
314.3Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Merauke

In seasonPeak

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

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

Merauke's monsoon runs December–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Merauke?

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

4.4
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
5.6
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Merauke for sightseeing.

What to pack for Merauke in May

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

In May, Merauke sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 18 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Merauke in May

The nearest coast averages about 28°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 December at about 30°C and coldest in August near 26°C.

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

24°26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan30Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Warm
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep27Warm
Oct28Warm
Nov29Tropical
Dec30Tropical

UV index in Merauke 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 Merauke peaks around March 11 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeMar 11UV 16Jun 19UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug12Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov14Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Merauke 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 Merauke is worst in October — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (May, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateOct 1817 µg/m³May 148 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb9Good
Mar9Good
Apr8Good
May8Good
Jun8Good
Jul8Good
Aug9Good
Sep13Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec12Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Merauke?

Merauke sits at 8.5°S, 140.4°E, 8 m above sea level, in Indonesia. The nearest listed city is Daru, 315 km away.

DaruAgatsMendiWamenaTiomMuliaTimika

Topography around Merauke

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Merauke has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 13 m around an average of 4 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 28 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 52 m.

The land around Merauke is covered by trees (42%), artificial surfaces (26%) and grassland (20%) within 3 km, trees (42%) and water (41%) within 16 km, and trees (58%) and water (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
13 m
16 km
28 m
80 km
52 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Daru 315 km · Agats 413 km · Mendi 444 km · Mount Hagen 514 km · Wamena 516 km · Tiom 553 km · Mulia 596 km · Timika 597 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 Merauke (-8.4996°, 140.4061°, elevation 8 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).