Sibolga weather in May

In May, Sibolga sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 260 mm of rain across 21.6 wet days and about 12.1 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 10th-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 5% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 06 min at the start of May to 12 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Sibolga's 6th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sibolga's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
1st warmest
Overnight low
24°
12th coldest
Rainfall
260 mm
21.6 wet days
Daylight
12 h 06 min
6:19 AM – 6:23 PM
Cloud cover
86%
6th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.08 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.9
out of 10

Sibolga is city in North Sumatra Province, Indonesia.

Density
8,565/km²
people per km²
Founded
1700

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 29°C through the month.

A typical May day in Sibolga reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 30°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)
12924
22924
32924
42924
52924
62924
72924
82924
92924
102924
112924
122924
132924
142924
152924
162924
172924
182924
192924
202924
212924
222924
232924
242924
252924
262924
272924
282924
292924
302924
312924

How May really feels in Sibolga

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.

Sibolga weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 1st-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 24°33826.711.93.5
Feb29° / 24°31123.711.93.4
Mar29° / 24°36127.4123.2
Apr29° / 24°35726.7123.2
May29° / 24°26021.612.13.9
Jun29° / 24°15917.312.14.4
Jul28° / 24°19319.112.14.6
Aug28° / 23°28422.812.14.2
Sep28° / 23°29323.2124.1
Oct28° / 23°42826.1123.8
Nov27° / 23°50727.711.93.4
Dec28° / 24°43327.611.93.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 6% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 89%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1793
2793
3793
4793
5793
6793
7793
8991
9991
10991
111090
121189
131288
141288
151387
161387
171387
181387
191387
201387
211387
221387
231387
241387
251387
261387
271387
281288
291288
301288
311288

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Sibolga gets around 260 mm of rain over 21.6 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 70% and peaks near 81% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
181
281
380
480
579
678
777
876
975
1073
1172
1271
1370
1469
1568
1667
1766
1866
1965
2065
2165
2264
2364
2465
2565
2665
2765
2865
2965
3065
3164

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 82% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
18119
28020
38020
48020
57921
67921
77921
87921
97921
107921
117921
128020
138020
148119
158119
168119
178218
188218
198317
208317
218317
228416
238416
248416
258515
268515
278515
288614
298614
308614
318614

Wind in May

Winds average 5 km/h in May.

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 12 h 06 min at the start of May to 12 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 0 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:20 AM to 6:19 AM, and sunset from 6:24 PM to 6:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.16:206:24
212.16:206:24
312.16:206:24
412.16:206:24
512.16:206:24
612.16:206:24
712.16:196:23
812.16:196:23
912.16:196:23
1012.16:196:23
1112.16:196:23
1212.16:196:23
1312.16:196:23
1412.16:196:23
1512.16:196:23
1612.16:196:23
1712.16:196:24
1812.16:196:24
1912.16:196:24
2012.16:196:24
2112.16:196:24
2212.16:196:24
2312.16:196:24
2412.16:196:24
2512.16:196:24
2612.16:196:24
2712.16:196:24
2812.16:196:25
2912.16:196:25
3012.16:196:25
3112.16:196:25

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.08 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.11 kWh/m² to a high of 5.45 kWh/m² in February across the year — May's 5.08 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.9Bright
24.9Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
55.0Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.1Bright
265.1Bright
275.1Bright
285.1Bright
295.1Bright
305.1Bright
315.1Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Sibolga?

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

3.9
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
4.8
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Sibolga.

What to pack for Sibolga in May

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

In May, Sibolga sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 22 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Sibolga 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 22 km away) is warmest in March at about 30°C and coldest in November near 29°C.

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

28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb30Tropical
Mar30Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Sibolga 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 Sibolga peaks around February 18 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near August 11 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeFeb 18UV 14Aug 11UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct14Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec12Extreme

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

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateOct 1220 µg/m³Dec 1112 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan14Moderate
Feb18Moderate
Mar17Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct20Moderate
Nov12Moderate
Dec12Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Sibolga?

Sibolga sits at 1.7°N, 98.8°E, 6 m above sea level, in Indonesia. The nearest listed city is Tarutung, 37 km away.

Topography around Sibolga

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sibolga has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 471 m around an average of 77 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,065 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,230 m.

The land around Sibolga is covered by trees (44%) and water (41%) within 3 km, trees (59%) and water (35%) within 16 km, and trees (58%) and water (36%) within 80 km.

3 km
471 m
16 km
1,065 m
80 km
2,230 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
May weather nearby: Tarutung 37 km · Barus 52 km · Padangsidempuan 68 km · Pangururan 97 km · Bandar 113 km · Rantauprapat 124 km · Sidikalang 124 km · Singkil 126 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 Sibolga (1.7402°, 98.7812°, 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. 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).