Karatau weather in May

In May, Karatau sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 40 mm of rain across 8.5 wet days and about 14.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 22°C in the first days to 27°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 46% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 14 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Karatau's 6th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Karatau's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
5th warmest
Overnight low
13°
9th coldest
Rainfall
40 mm
8.5 wet days
Daylight
14 h 30 min
6:00 AM – 8:29 PM
Cloud cover
46%
6th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
6.54 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.2
out of 10

Karatau is place in Jambyl Region, Kazakhstan.

Density
189/km²
people per km²
Founded
1963

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 22°C in the first days to 27°C by the end.

A typical May day in Karatau reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°C warmer than April and about 6°C cooler than June.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12210
22210
32211
42211
52211
62311
72311
82311
92312
102312
112412
122412
132412
142412
152412
162413
172513
182513
192513
202513
212513
222613
232614
242614
252614
262614
272714
282714
292715
302715
312815

How May really feels in Karatau

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.

Karatau weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -7°42869.20.0
Feb / -6°478.54.910.20.0
Mar11° / 5710.43.311.62.5
Apr18° / 619.70.713.15.9
May25° / 13°408.5014.47.2
Jun30° / 17°246015.15.7
Jul32° / 19°153.8014.94.9
Aug31° / 17°92.2013.86.0
Sep25° / 12°92012.38.7
Oct18° / 304.70.510.86.6
Nov / -1°457.82.69.51.8
Dec / -6°407.64.78.90.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 46% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 37%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25347
35446
45446
55545
65644
75743
85743
95743
105842
115941
125941
136040
146139
156238
166337
176337
186436
196535
206634
216733
226733
236832
246832
256931
266931
277030
287030
297129
307129
317228

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Karatau gets around 40 mm of rain over 8.5 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 28% and peaks near 30% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
130
230
330
429
529
628
728
827
927
1027
1127
1227
1328
1428
1528
1628
1728
1828
1928
2028
2129
2228
2328
2428
2528
2628
2728
2828
2928
3027
3127

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 90% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19550
29460
39460
49460
59370
69370
79370
89280
99280
109280
119280
129190
139190
149190
159190
169190
1789101
1889101
1989101
2089101
2189101
2288111
2388111
2488111
2586122
2686122
2785132
2885132
2984142
3084142
3183152

Wind in May

Winds average 10 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 10 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
110calm
210calm
310calm
410calm
510calm
610calm
710calm
810calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 14 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 60 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:19 AM to 5:48 AM, and sunset from 8:12 PM to 8:43 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.96:198:12
213.96:188:13
314.06:168:14
414.06:158:15
514.06:148:16
614.16:128:17
714.16:118:19
814.26:108:20
914.26:088:21
1014.26:078:22
1114.36:068:23
1214.36:058:24
1314.46:048:25
1414.46:028:26
1514.46:018:28
1614.56:008:29
1714.55:598:30
1814.55:588:31
1914.65:578:32
2014.65:568:33
2114.65:558:34
2214.75:548:35
2314.75:548:36
2414.75:538:37
2514.85:528:38
2614.85:518:39
2714.85:508:40
2814.85:508:41
2914.95:498:42
3014.95:488:42
3114.95:488:43

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.54 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.66 kWh/m² to a high of 7.29 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 6.54 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.0Intense
26.1Intense
36.1Intense
46.2Intense
56.2Intense
66.2Intense
76.3Intense
86.3Intense
96.3Intense
106.4Intense
116.4Intense
126.4Intense
136.4Intense
146.5Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.6Intense
186.6Intense
196.6Intense
206.7Intense
216.7Intense
226.7Intense
236.7Intense
246.8Intense
256.8Intense
266.8Intense
276.8Intense
286.9Intense
296.9Intense
306.9Intense
316.9Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Karatau?

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

7.2
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
6.2
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Karatau in May

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

In May, Karatau sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 13°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain gear

UV index in Karatau in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

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 Karatau peaks around August 13 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowAug 13UV 8Dec 18UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul7Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec2Low

Air quality in Karatau 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 Karatau is worst in May — around 25 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (January, 12 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMay 1125 µg/m³Jan 1012 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar23Moderate
Apr25Moderate
May25Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul23Moderate
Aug23Moderate
Sep24Moderate
Oct22Moderate
Nov17Moderate
Dec12Good
Location & terrain

Where is Karatau?

Karatau sits at 43.2°N, 70.5°E, 525 m above sea level, in Kazakhstan. The nearest listed city is Turar Ryskulov, 72 km away.

Topography around Karatau

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Karatau has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 171 m around an average of 535 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 669 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,765 m.

The land around Karatau is covered by grassland (62%) and artificial surfaces (25%) within 3 km, grassland (94%) within 16 km, and grassland (80%) within 80 km.

3 km
171 m
16 km
669 m
80 km
1,765 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Turar Ryskulov 72 km · Zhangatas 73 km · Taraz 81 km · Sarykemer 87 km · Aksu 99 km · Shymkent 119 km · Lenger 120 km · Arys 158 km

Kazakhstan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 33% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$14,692
2025
Happiness
6.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
92%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
2.6
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 417
Religion
Muslim 69%Christian 17%non-believers 2%Buddhism 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 Karatau (43.1796°, 70.4592°, elevation 525 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).