Palopo weather in May

In May, Palopo sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 288 mm of rain across 26.2 wet days and about 11.9 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 6th-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 12% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 54 min at the start of May to 11 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Palopo's 6th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Palopo's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
9th warmest
Overnight low
24°
8th coldest
Rainfall
288 mm
26.2 wet days
Daylight
11 h 54 min
6:00 AM – 5:51 PM
Cloud cover
74%
6th clearest
Wind
4 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
4.48 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.9
out of 10

Palopo is administrative city in Luwu Regency, Indonesia.

Founded
1986

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 Palopo reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 4°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 on par with June.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12824
22824
32824
42824
52824
62824
72824
82824
92824
102824
112824
122824
132824
142824
152824
162824
172824
182824
192824
202824
212824
222824
232824
242824
252824
262824
272824
282824
292824
302824
312824

How May really feels in Palopo

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 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
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Palopo weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 9th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 24°41729.312.23.0
Feb28° / 24°40027.112.13.0
Mar28° / 24°45729.5123.1
Apr28° / 24°49728.511.93.2
May28° / 24°28826.211.93.9
Jun27° / 24°23022.711.84.4
Jul27° / 23°14318.811.85.2
Aug27° / 23°7714.111.95.9
Sep28° / 23°6210.6126.0
Oct29° / 24°12515.512.14.8
Nov29° / 24°24524.312.13.6
Dec28° / 24°43929.812.23.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 74%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11684
21684
31684
41783
51882
61882
71981
81981
92080
102179
112377
122377
132476
142674
152773
162872
172971
182971
193169
203169
213268
223367
233367
243367
253367
263367
273367
283367
293268
303169
313169

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Palopo gets around 288 mm of rain over 26.2 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 84% and peaks near 91% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
191
291
390
490
590
689
789
888
988
1088
1187
1287
1386
1485
1585
1684
1783
1882
1982
2081
2181
2281
2381
2480
2580
2680
2779
2879
2979
3078
3178

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 96% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
101000
201000
301000
401000
501000
60991
71981
81981
91981
101981
111981
122971
132971
142971
152971
163961
173961
183961
194960
204960
215950
225950
235950
245950
256940
266940
276940
287930
297930
307930
317930

Wind in May

Winds average 4 km/h in May, the calmest month.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 4 km/h on the calmest days to 4 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 54 min at the start of May to 11 h 48 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 6:00 AM to 6:01 AM, and sunset from 5:53 PM to 5:52 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.96:005:53
211.95:595:53
311.95:595:53
411.95:595:53
511.95:595:53
611.95:595:52
711.95:595:52
811.95:595:52
911.95:595:52
1011.95:595:52
1111.95:595:52
1211.95:595:52
1311.95:595:52
1411.95:595:52
1511.95:595:51
1611.96:005:51
1711.96:005:51
1811.96:005:51
1911.96:005:51
2011.96:005:51
2111.96:005:51
2211.96:005:51
2311.96:005:51
2411.96:005:51
2511.86:005:51
2611.86:015:51
2711.86:015:52
2811.86:015:52
2911.86:015:52
3011.86:015:52
3111.86:015:52

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.48 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.29 kWh/m² to a high of 6.04 kWh/m² in October across the year — May's 4.48 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.4Bright
24.4Bright
34.4Bright
44.4Bright
54.4Bright
64.4Bright
74.4Bright
84.4Bright
94.5Bright
104.5Bright
114.5Bright
124.5Bright
134.5Bright
144.5Bright
154.5Bright
164.5Bright
174.5Bright
184.5Bright
194.5Bright
204.5Bright
214.5Bright
224.5Bright
234.5Bright
244.5Bright
254.5Bright
264.5Bright
274.5Bright
284.4Bright
294.4Bright
304.4Bright
314.4Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Palopo

In seasonPeak

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

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

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

Is May a good time to visit Palopo?

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

3.9
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
4.3
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Palopo.

What to pack for Palopo in May

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

In May, Palopo sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. About 26 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Palopo in May

The nearest coast averages about 30°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 24 km away) is warmest in March 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
Jan30Tropical
Feb30Tropical
Mar30Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug28Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct30Tropical
Nov30Tropical
Dec30Tropical

UV index in Palopo 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 Palopo peaks around March 15 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 11 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 15UV 16Jun 21UV 11
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct15Extreme
Nov14Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Palopo 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 Palopo is worst in October — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.7× the cleanest month (July, 12 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateOct 1620 µg/m³Jul 1212 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb12Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May12Moderate
Jun12Good
Jul12Good
Aug13Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct20Moderate
Nov17Moderate
Dec14Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Palopo?

Palopo sits at 3.0°S, 120.2°E, 8 m above sea level, in Indonesia. The nearest listed city is Rantepao, 33 km away.

Topography around Palopo

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Palopo has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 428 m around an average of 22 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,916 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,407 m.

The land around Palopo is covered by water (40%), artificial surfaces (27%) and trees (21%) within 3 km, trees (48%) and water (31%) within 16 km, and trees (63%) and water (28%) within 80 km.

3 km
428 m
16 km
1,916 m
80 km
3,407 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
May weather nearby: Rantepao 33 km · Masamba 51 km · Polewali 107 km · Sengkang 128 km · Parepare 130 km · Majene 149 km · Watampone 173 km · Poso 188 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 Palopo (-2.9925°, 120.1969°, 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. 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).