Wadi Rum weather in May

In May, Wadi Rum sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 2 mm of rain across 0.4 wet days and about 13.5 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 27°C in the first days to 31°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 83% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 06 min at the start of May to 13 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Wadi Rum's 6th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Wadi Rum's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
5th warmest
Overnight low
16°
8th coldest
Rainfall
2 mm
0.4 wet days
Daylight
13 h 30 min
4:50 AM – 6:19 PM
Cloud cover
17%
6th clearest
Wind
11 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
7.95 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.3
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 27°C in the first days to 31°C by the end.

A typical May day in Wadi Rum reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 5°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12714
22714
32714
42814
52815
62815
72815
82815
92815
102815
112815
122915
132916
142916
152916
162916
172916
183016
193016
203016
213017
223017
233017
243017
253017
263117
273117
283117
293117
303117
313118

How May really feels in Wadi Rum

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.

Wadi Rum 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.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan14° / 81.910.35.5
Feb16° / 61.610.96.7
Mar20° / 51.511.88.3
Apr25° / 12°30.912.79.1
May29° / 16°20.413.57.3
Jun32° / 19°0013.95.5
Jul34° / 21°0013.74.5
Aug34° / 21°00.113.14.4
Sep32° / 19°00.112.25.8
Oct27° / 15°51.311.38.3
Nov21° / 30.810.58.6
Dec16° / 30.810.16.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 83% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 8% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 9%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18614
28614
38713
48713
58713
68812
78812
88812
98812
108911
118911
129010
139010
149010
159010
16919
17919
18928
19928
20928
21937
22937
23937
24946
25946
26946
27946
28964
29964
30964
31964

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Wadi Rum gets around 2 mm of rain over 0.4 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 1% and peaks near 3% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
13
23
33
43
53
63
72
82
92
102
112
122
132
142
152
161
171
181
191
201
211
221
231
241
251
260
270
280
290
300
310

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in May

Winds average 11 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 11 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1511calm
1611calm
1711calm
1811calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 06 min at the start of May to 13 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 36 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:02 AM to 4:43 AM, and sunset from 6:09 PM to 6:28 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.15:026:09
213.25:016:10
313.25:006:11
413.24:596:11
513.24:586:12
613.34:576:12
713.34:576:13
813.34:566:14
913.34:556:14
1013.34:546:15
1113.44:546:16
1213.44:536:16
1313.44:526:17
1413.44:516:18
1513.54:516:18
1613.54:506:19
1713.54:506:20
1813.54:496:20
1913.54:486:21
2013.64:486:21
2113.64:476:22
2213.64:476:23
2313.64:466:23
2413.64:466:24
2513.64:466:24
2613.74:456:25
2713.74:456:26
2813.74:446:26
2913.74:446:27
3013.74:446:27
3113.74:436:28

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.95 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.75 kWh/m² to a high of 8.28 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 7.95 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.7Intense
27.7Intense
37.7Intense
47.7Intense
57.8Intense
67.8Intense
77.8Intense
87.8Intense
97.8Intense
107.9Intense
117.9Intense
127.9Intense
137.9Intense
148.0Intense
158.0Intense
168.0Intense
178.0Intense
188.0Intense
198.0Intense
208.1Intense
218.1Intense
228.1Intense
238.1Intense
248.1Intense
258.1Intense
268.1Intense
278.1Intense
288.1Intense
298.2Intense
308.2Intense
318.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Wadi Rum

In seasonPeak

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

Wadi Rum sees seasonal dust haze (May), heaviest in May.

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

Is May a good time to visit Wadi Rum?

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

7.3
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
9.0
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Wadi Rum for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Wadi Rum in May

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

In May, Wadi Rum sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 16°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Wadi Rum in May

The nearest coast averages about 24°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 58 km away) is warmest in August at about 28°C and coldest in February near 21°C.

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

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan22Refreshing
Feb21Refreshing
Mar21Refreshing
Apr22Refreshing
May24Refreshing
Jun25Warm
Jul27Warm
Aug28Warm
Sep27Warm
Oct26Warm
Nov25Warm
Dec23Refreshing

UV index in Wadi Rum 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 Wadi Rum peaks around June 19 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 19UV 12Jan 10UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar8Very high
Apr8Very high
May11Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep10Extreme
Oct8Very high
Nov6High
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Wadi Rum 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 Wadi Rum is worst in May — around 33 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.7× the cleanest month (November, 19 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMay 1233 µg/m³Nov 2120 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan20Moderate
Feb22Moderate
Mar24Moderate
Apr31Moderate
May33Moderate
Jun27Moderate
Jul24Moderate
Aug25Moderate
Sep27Moderate
Oct22Moderate
Nov19Moderate
Dec20Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Wadi Rum?

Wadi Rum sits at 29.6°N, 35.4°E, 0 m above sea level, in Jordan. The nearest listed city is Aqaba, 41 km away.

AqabaḨaqlMa'anPetraAţ ŢafīlahSafi

Topography around Wadi Rum

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Wadi Rum has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 854 m around an average of 1,160 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 962 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,816 m.

The land around Wadi Rum is covered by bare terrain (96%) within 3 km, bare terrain (99%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (96%) within 80 km.

3 km
854 m
16 km
962 m
80 km
1,816 m
grasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Aqaba 41 km · Ḩaql 57 km · Ma'an 74 km · Petra 82 km · Aţ Ţafīlah 140 km · Dahab 152 km · Safi 161 km · Tabuk 173 km

Jordan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type B / C / D / F / G / J
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 42% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,348
2025
Happiness
4.5 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
89%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
17
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 426
Religion
Muslim 97%Christian 2%Buddhist 0%Hindu 0%

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 Wadi Rum (29.5846°, 35.4263°, elevation 0 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).