Karbala weather in May
In May, Karbala sees average daytime highs of 37°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 3 mm of rain across 0.6 wet days and about 13.7 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.
Highs climb over the month, from about 35°C in the first days to 40°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 77% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Karbala's 6th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Karbala's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 37°
- 5th warmest
- Overnight low
- 24°
- 8th coldest
- Rainfall
- 3 mm
- 0.6 wet days
- Daylight
- 13 h 42 min
- 5:10 AM – 6:50 PM
- Cloud cover
- 23%
- 6th clearest
- Wind
- 14 km/h
- 4th windiest
- Solar energy
- 7.49 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 1.8
- out of 10
Karbala is city in Karbala Governorate, Iraq.
- Founded
- ~690 CE
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in May
Highs climb over the month, from about 35°C in the first days to 40°C by the end.
A typical May day in Karbala reaches about 37°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 14°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 32°C and 42°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°C warmer than April and about 5°C cooler than June.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 34 | 34 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 |
| Avg low (°C) | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 34 | 21 |
| 2 | 34 | 21 |
| 3 | 35 | 21 |
| 4 | 35 | 21 |
| 5 | 35 | 22 |
| 6 | 35 | 22 |
| 7 | 35 | 22 |
| 8 | 36 | 22 |
| 9 | 36 | 22 |
| 10 | 36 | 23 |
| 11 | 36 | 23 |
| 12 | 37 | 23 |
| 13 | 37 | 23 |
| 14 | 37 | 23 |
| 15 | 37 | 23 |
| 16 | 37 | 24 |
| 17 | 38 | 24 |
| 18 | 38 | 24 |
| 19 | 38 | 24 |
| 20 | 38 | 24 |
| 21 | 38 | 24 |
| 22 | 39 | 25 |
| 23 | 39 | 25 |
| 24 | 39 | 25 |
| 25 | 39 | 25 |
| 26 | 39 | 25 |
| 27 | 40 | 25 |
| 28 | 40 | 26 |
| 29 | 40 | 26 |
| 30 | 40 | 26 |
| 31 | 40 | 26 |
How May really feels in Karbala
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.
The story in May is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Karbala weather by month
How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16° / 7° | 20 | 4.1 | 10.1 | 6.3 |
| Feb | 19° / 9° | 15 | 3 | 10.8 | 7.6 |
| Mar | 25° / 13° | 13 | 2.5 | 11.8 | 8.6 |
| Apr | 31° / 18° | 11 | 2.3 | 12.8 | 5.7 |
| May | 37° / 24° | 3 | 0.6 | 13.7 | 1.8 |
| Jun | 42° / 28° | 0 | 0 | 14.1 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 44° / 30° | 0 | 0 | 13.9 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 44° / 29° | 0 | 0 | 13.2 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 41° / 26° | 0 | 0 | 12.2 | 0.3 |
| Oct | 34° / 20° | 4 | 0.9 | 11.2 | 4.0 |
| Nov | 24° / 13° | 19 | 2.9 | 10.3 | 8.3 |
| Dec | 18° / 8° | 17 | 3.1 | 9.9 | 7.1 |
Cloud cover in May
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 77% of the time in May.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 13%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 81 | 81 | 81 | 81 | 82 | 82 | 82 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 87 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 89 | 89 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 92 | 92 | 93 | 93 | 94 | 94 | 95 |
| Cloudier (%) | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 81 | 19 |
| 2 | 81 | 19 |
| 3 | 81 | 19 |
| 4 | 81 | 19 |
| 5 | 82 | 18 |
| 6 | 82 | 18 |
| 7 | 82 | 18 |
| 8 | 83 | 17 |
| 9 | 83 | 17 |
| 10 | 83 | 17 |
| 11 | 85 | 15 |
| 12 | 85 | 15 |
| 13 | 85 | 15 |
| 14 | 87 | 13 |
| 15 | 87 | 13 |
| 16 | 88 | 12 |
| 17 | 89 | 11 |
| 18 | 89 | 11 |
| 19 | 89 | 11 |
| 20 | 91 | 9 |
| 21 | 91 | 9 |
| 22 | 91 | 9 |
| 23 | 91 | 9 |
| 24 | 91 | 9 |
| 25 | 92 | 8 |
| 26 | 92 | 8 |
| 27 | 93 | 7 |
| 28 | 93 | 7 |
| 29 | 94 | 6 |
| 30 | 94 | 6 |
| 31 | 95 | 5 |
Chance of precipitation in May
Karbala gets around 3 mm of rain over 0.6 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 2% and peaks near 6% on the wettest days.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 6 |
| 2 | 5 |
| 3 | 5 |
| 4 | 5 |
| 5 | 4 |
| 6 | 4 |
| 7 | 4 |
| 8 | 3 |
| 9 | 3 |
| 10 | 3 |
| 11 | 3 |
| 12 | 2 |
| 13 | 2 |
| 14 | 2 |
| 15 | 2 |
| 16 | 2 |
| 17 | 1 |
| 18 | 1 |
| 19 | 1 |
| 20 | 1 |
| 21 | 1 |
| 22 | 1 |
| 23 | 1 |
| 24 | 1 |
| 25 | 0 |
| 26 | 0 |
| 27 | 0 |
| 28 | 0 |
| 29 | 0 |
| 30 | 0 |
| 31 | 0 |
Humidity in May
Most of May feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 94% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 91 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 93 | 93 | 93 | 94 | 94 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 96 | 96 | 97 | 97 | 97 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 |
| Comfortable (%) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Humid (%) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Muggy (%) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 91 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 2 | 91 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 3 | 91 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 4 | 91 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 5 | 91 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 6 | 91 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 7 | 91 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 8 | 91 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 9 | 92 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 10 | 92 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 11 | 92 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 12 | 93 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 13 | 93 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | 93 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | 94 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | 94 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | 95 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | 95 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | 95 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | 95 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 | 95 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | 96 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | 96 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 24 | 97 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | 97 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | 97 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Wind in May
Winds average 14 km/h in May.
Across May, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Feels | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | light breeze |
| 2 | 14 | light breeze |
| 3 | 14 | light breeze |
| 4 | 14 | light breeze |
| 5 | 14 | light breeze |
| 6 | 14 | light breeze |
| 7 | 14 | light breeze |
| 8 | 14 | light breeze |
| 9 | 14 | light breeze |
| 10 | 14 | light breeze |
| 11 | 14 | light breeze |
| 12 | 14 | light breeze |
| 13 | 14 | light breeze |
| 14 | 14 | light breeze |
| 15 | 14 | light breeze |
| 16 | 14 | light breeze |
| 17 | 14 | light breeze |
| 18 | 14 | light breeze |
| 19 | 14 | light breeze |
| 20 | 14 | light breeze |
| 21 | 14 | light breeze |
| 22 | 14 | light breeze |
| 23 | 15 | light breeze |
| 24 | 15 | light breeze |
| 25 | 15 | light breeze |
| 26 | 15 | light breeze |
| 27 | 15 | light breeze |
| 28 | 15 | light breeze |
| 29 | 15 | light breeze |
| 30 | 15 | light breeze |
| 31 | 15 | light breeze |
Sunrise & sunset in May
Daylight runs from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 42 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:23 AM to 5:02 AM, and sunset from 6:39 PM to 7:00 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 13.3 | 13.3 | 13.3 | 13.4 | 13.4 | 13.4 | 13.4 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 13.9 | 13.9 | 13.9 | 13.9 | 13.9 | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:23 | 5:22 | 5:21 | 5:20 | 5:19 | 5:18 | 5:17 | 5:16 | 5:15 | 5:15 | 5:14 | 5:13 | 5:12 | 5:11 | 5:11 | 5:10 | 5:09 | 5:09 | 5:08 | 5:07 | 5:07 | 5:06 | 5:06 | 5:05 | 5:05 | 5:04 | 5:04 | 5:03 | 5:03 | 5:03 | 5:02 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:39 | 6:40 | 6:41 | 6:41 | 6:42 | 6:43 | 6:44 | 6:44 | 6:45 | 6:46 | 6:47 | 6:47 | 6:48 | 6:49 | 6:50 | 6:50 | 6:51 | 6:52 | 6:52 | 6:53 | 6:54 | 6:54 | 6:55 | 6:56 | 6:57 | 6:57 | 6:58 | 6:58 | 6:59 | 7:00 | 7:00 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13.3 | 5:23 | 6:39 |
| 2 | 13.3 | 5:22 | 6:40 |
| 3 | 13.3 | 5:21 | 6:41 |
| 4 | 13.4 | 5:20 | 6:41 |
| 5 | 13.4 | 5:19 | 6:42 |
| 6 | 13.4 | 5:18 | 6:43 |
| 7 | 13.4 | 5:17 | 6:44 |
| 8 | 13.5 | 5:16 | 6:44 |
| 9 | 13.5 | 5:15 | 6:45 |
| 10 | 13.5 | 5:15 | 6:46 |
| 11 | 13.5 | 5:14 | 6:47 |
| 12 | 13.6 | 5:13 | 6:47 |
| 13 | 13.6 | 5:12 | 6:48 |
| 14 | 13.6 | 5:11 | 6:49 |
| 15 | 13.6 | 5:11 | 6:50 |
| 16 | 13.7 | 5:10 | 6:50 |
| 17 | 13.7 | 5:09 | 6:51 |
| 18 | 13.7 | 5:09 | 6:52 |
| 19 | 13.7 | 5:08 | 6:52 |
| 20 | 13.8 | 5:07 | 6:53 |
| 21 | 13.8 | 5:07 | 6:54 |
| 22 | 13.8 | 5:06 | 6:54 |
| 23 | 13.8 | 5:06 | 6:55 |
| 24 | 13.8 | 5:05 | 6:56 |
| 25 | 13.9 | 5:05 | 6:57 |
| 26 | 13.9 | 5:04 | 6:57 |
| 27 | 13.9 | 5:04 | 6:58 |
| 28 | 13.9 | 5:03 | 6:58 |
| 29 | 13.9 | 5:03 | 6:59 |
| 30 | 14.0 | 5:03 | 7:00 |
| 31 | 14.0 | 5:02 | 7:00 |
Solar energy in May
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.49 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.1 kWh/m² to a high of 7.89 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 7.49 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 7.8 |
| Level | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 2 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 3 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 4 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 5 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 6 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 7 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 8 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 9 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 10 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 11 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 12 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 13 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 14 | 7.5 | Intense |
| 15 | 7.5 | Intense |
| 16 | 7.5 | Intense |
| 17 | 7.6 | Intense |
| 18 | 7.6 | Intense |
| 19 | 7.6 | Intense |
| 20 | 7.6 | Intense |
| 21 | 7.6 | Intense |
| 22 | 7.7 | Intense |
| 23 | 7.7 | Intense |
| 24 | 7.7 | Intense |
| 25 | 7.7 | Intense |
| 26 | 7.7 | Intense |
| 27 | 7.7 | Intense |
| 28 | 7.7 | Intense |
| 29 | 7.8 | Intense |
| 30 | 7.8 | Intense |
| 31 | 7.8 | Intense |
Hazard calendar for Karbala
In May, Karbala sits inside its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Karbala sees seasonal dust haze (March–October), heaviest in May.
Is May a good time to visit Karbala?
Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Karbala.
What to pack for Karbala in May
From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In May, Karbala sees daytime highs around 37°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.
UV index in Karbala in May
Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Karbala peaks around June 15 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 12 at about 3 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | High | High | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Moderate | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 4 | Moderate |
| Mar | 5 | High |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 7 | Very high |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 5 | Moderate |
| Oct | 6 | High |
| Nov | 4 | Moderate |
| Dec | 3 | Moderate |
Air quality in Karbala in May
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Karbala is worst in May — around 77 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 68 | 68 | 73 | 72 | 77 | 64 | 60 | 61 | 65 | 70 | 63 | 70 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 68 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 73 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 72 | Unhealthy |
| May | 77 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 64 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 60 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 61 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 65 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 70 | Unhealthy |
| Nov | 63 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 70 | Unhealthy |
Where is Karbala?
Karbala sits at 32.6°N, 44.0°E, 32 m above sea level, in Iraq. The nearest listed city is Al Hindīyah, 20 km away.
Topography around Karbala
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Karbala.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Karbala has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 19 m around an average of 32 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 57 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 178 m.
The land around Karbala is covered by artificial surfaces (76%) within 3 km, bare terrain (49%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (59%) and cropland (28%) within 80 km.
Iraq travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 4
- Do Not Travel
- Power plugs
- Type C / D / G
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 38% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $5,410
- 2025
- Happiness
- 5.2 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 60%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 9.5
- per 100k, 2013
- Road deaths
- 27.3
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Very low
- EF EPI 406
- Religion
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 Karbala (32.616°, 44.0249°, elevation 32 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. 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).