Grand-Bassam weather in May

In May, Grand-Bassam sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 206 mm of rain across 27.9 wet days and about 12.2 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 2nd-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 6% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 12 min at the start of May to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Grand-Bassam's 12th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Grand-Bassam's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
6th warmest
Overnight low
26°
7th coldest
Rainfall
206 mm
27.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
6:04 AM – 6:18 PM
Cloud cover
79%
12th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
4.79 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.6
out of 10

Grand-Bassam is city of côte d'ivoire.

Density
762/km²
people per km²

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 Grand-Bassam reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 2°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 about 1°C warmer than June.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12826
22826
32826
42826
52826
62826
72826
82826
92826
102826
112826
122826
132826
142826
152826
162826
172826
182826
192826
202826
212826
222826
232826
242825
252725
262725
272725
282725
292725
302725
312725

How May really feels in Grand-Bassam

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 14 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
14
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.

Grand-Bassam weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 26°4713.711.76.0
Feb28° / 26°5516.311.85.2
Mar28° / 26°7820.2124.4
Apr28° / 26°10321.912.14.1
May28° / 26°20627.912.23.6
Jun27° / 25°25027.312.33.8
Jul25° / 24°12919.812.35.1
Aug25° / 24°6414.312.25.9
Sep25° / 24°8818.3125.3
Oct26° / 25°10724.311.94.5
Nov28° / 25°9324.211.84.3
Dec28° / 26°6318.911.75.3

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in May, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 80%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12674
22674
32575
42476
52476
62476
72377
82377
92377
102377
112278
122278
132278
142278
152179
162179
172179
182080
191981
201981
211882
221882
231783
241684
251684
261585
271585
281486
291486
301486
311486

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Grand-Bassam gets around 206 mm of rain over 27.9 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 89% and peaks near 96% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
181
282
383
483
584
685
785
886
986
1087
1187
1287
1388
1488
1588
1689
1789
1890
1990
2091
2191
2292
2393
2493
2594
2695
2795
2895
2996
3096
3196

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 54% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
12080
22179
32278
42377
52575
62674
72773
82971
93070
103268
113466
123565
133763
143961
154159
164456
174654
184852
195149
205347
215545
225842
236139
246337
256634
266931
277129
287426
297624
307822
318020

Wind in May

Winds average 12 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
412light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812light breeze
912light breeze
1012light breeze
1112light breeze
1212light breeze
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2112calm
2212calm
2312calm
2412calm
2512calm
2612light breeze
2712light breeze
2812light breeze
2912light breeze
3012light breeze
3112light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 min at the start of May to 12 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:07 AM to 6:04 AM, and sunset from 6:18 PM to 6:21 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.26:076:18
212.26:066:18
312.26:066:18
412.26:066:18
512.26:066:18
612.26:066:18
712.26:056:18
812.26:056:18
912.26:056:18
1012.26:056:18
1112.26:056:18
1212.26:056:18
1312.26:046:18
1412.26:046:18
1512.26:046:18
1612.26:046:18
1712.26:046:18
1812.26:046:19
1912.26:046:19
2012.26:046:19
2112.36:046:19
2212.36:046:19
2312.36:046:19
2412.36:046:19
2512.36:046:20
2612.36:046:20
2712.36:046:20
2812.36:046:20
2912.36:046:20
3012.36:046:20
3112.36:046:21

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.79 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.19 kWh/m² to a high of 5.52 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 4.79 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.1Bright
55.1Bright
65.1Bright
75.1Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
124.9Bright
134.9Bright
144.9Bright
154.8Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.7Bright
204.7Bright
214.7Bright
224.6Bright
234.6Bright
244.5Bright
254.5Bright
264.5Bright
274.4Bright
284.4Bright
294.4Bright
304.3Bright
314.3Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Grand-Bassam

In seasonPeak

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

Grand-Bassam's rainy season runs May–July, when most of the year's rain falls.

Grand-Bassam sees seasonal dust haze (January–February), heaviest in February.

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

Is May a good time to visit Grand-Bassam?

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

3.6
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
4.0
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Grand-Bassam.

What to pack for Grand-Bassam in May

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

In May, Grand-Bassam sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 28 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Grand-Bassam 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 16 km away) is warmest in April at about 28°C and coldest in August near 24°C.

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

22°24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb28Warm
Mar28Tropical
Apr28Tropical
May28Tropical
Jun27Warm
Jul25Warm
Aug24Refreshing
Sep24Warm
Oct26Warm
Nov28Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Grand-Bassam 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 Grand-Bassam peaks around April 12 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 16 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeVery highApr 12UV 13Jul 16UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul8Very high
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Grand-Bassam 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 Grand-Bassam is worst in January — around 72 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.3× the cleanest month (August, 22 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorModeratePoorJan 1671 µg/m³Aug 2422 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan72Unhealthy
Feb61Unhealthy
Mar42Poor
Apr40Poor
May29Moderate
Jun27Moderate
Jul25Moderate
Aug22Moderate
Sep22Moderate
Oct27Moderate
Nov36Poor
Dec61Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Grand-Bassam?

Grand-Bassam sits at 5.2°N, 3.7°W, 7 m above sea level, in Ivory Coast. The nearest listed city is Bonoua, 17 km away.

Ahigbé KoffikroAnyama

Topography around Grand-Bassam

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Grand-Bassam has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 14 m around an average of 3 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 98 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 201 m.

The land around Grand-Bassam is covered by artificial surfaces (29%), grassland (22%) and water (21%) within 3 km, water (49%) and trees (34%) within 16 km, and trees (55%) and water (38%) within 80 km.

3 km
14 m
16 km
98 m
80 km
201 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Bonoua 17 km · Bingerville 23 km · Koumassi 27 km · Marcory 30 km · Abidjan 33 km · Abobo 38 km · Ahigbé Koffikro 45 km · Anyama 47 km

Ivory Coast travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / E
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 37% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$3,050
2025
Happiness
5.1 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
36%
of population, 2024
Road deaths
24.1
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 393

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 Grand-Bassam (5.2118°, -3.7388°, elevation 7 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).