Shymkent weather in May

In May, Shymkent sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 64 mm of rain across 9.1 wet days and about 14.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 23°C in the first days to 28°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Shymkent's 6th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shymkent's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
5th warmest
Overnight low
14°
9th coldest
Rainfall
64 mm
9.1 wet days
Daylight
14 h 24 min
6:06 AM – 8:30 PM
Cloud cover
45%
6th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
6.55 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.1
out of 10

Shymkent is city in Kazakhstan.

Density
3,458/km²
people per km²
Founded
1101

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 23°C in the first days to 28°C by the end.

A typical May day in Shymkent reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 20°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 5°C warmer than April and about 5°C cooler than June.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12312
22312
32312
42312
52412
62412
72412
82413
92413
102413
112513
122513
132513
142513
152514
162514
172514
182614
192614
202614
212614
222614
232614
242715
252715
262715
272715
282715
292815
302815
312816

How May really feels in Shymkent

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.

Shymkent weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -5°7010.86.79.30.0
Feb / -3°7910.3510.30.6
Mar13° / 8511.62.211.63.5
Apr20° / 9411.40.313.16.1
May25° / 14°649.1014.47.1
Jun31° / 18°275.50155.5
Jul33° / 20°122.6014.84.4
Aug32° / 18°81.4013.75.2
Sep27° / 13°102012.38.1
Oct20° / 355.10.310.87.2
Nov12° / 638.52.19.63.1
Dec / -3°689.4590.3

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 36%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15644
25743
35842
45842
55842
65941
75941
86040
96040
106040
116139
126139
136238
146238
156337
166436
176436
186535
196634
206634
216733
226733
236832
246931
257030
267030
277129
287129
297129
307228
317228

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Shymkent gets around 64 mm of rain over 9.1 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 30% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
135
235
334
434
534
633
733
833
932
1032
1132
1232
1331
1431
1531
1630
1730
1829
1929
2028
2128
2227
2327
2426
2526
2626
2726
2826
2926
3025
3125

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 76% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
185141
284151
383161
482171
581181
680191
780191
879201
978211
1078211
1177221
1277221
1377221
1477221
1576231
1676231
1775232
1875232
1975232
2075232
2174233
2274233
2374233
2473234
2573234
2672244
2771245
2870255
2970255
3069265
3169265

Wind in May

Winds average 9 km/h in May, the windiest month of the year.

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

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 48 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 6:24 AM to 5:54 AM, and sunset from 8:13 PM to 8:44 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.86:248:13
213.96:238:14
313.96:228:16
413.96:208:17
514.06:198:18
614.06:188:19
714.16:168:20
814.16:158:21
914.16:148:22
1014.26:138:23
1114.26:118:24
1214.36:108:25
1314.36:098:27
1414.36:088:28
1514.46:078:29
1614.46:068:30
1714.46:058:31
1814.56:048:32
1914.56:038:33
2014.56:028:34
2114.66:018:35
2214.66:008:36
2314.66:008:37
2414.75:598:38
2514.75:588:39
2614.75:578:40
2714.75:578:40
2814.85:568:41
2914.85:558:42
3014.85:558:43
3114.85:548:44

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.55 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.69 kWh/m² to a high of 7.44 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 6.55 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.1Intense
26.1Intense
36.2Intense
46.2Intense
56.2Intense
66.3Intense
76.3Intense
86.3Intense
96.3Intense
106.4Intense
116.4Intense
126.4Intense
136.4Intense
146.5Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.5Intense
186.6Intense
196.6Intense
206.6Intense
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

Hazard calendar for Shymkent

In seasonPeak

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

Shymkent's rainy season runs November–May, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Shymkent?

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

7.1
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
6.5
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Shymkent in May

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

In May, Shymkent sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 14°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain gear

UV index in Shymkent 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 Shymkent peaks around June 12 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 12UV 8Jan 10UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul7Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec2Low

Air quality in Shymkent 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 Shymkent is worst in May — around 24 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.8× the cleanest month (December, 14 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMay 1224 µg/m³Dec 2314 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan14Moderate
Feb16Moderate
Mar22Moderate
Apr23Moderate
May24Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul20Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep20Moderate
Oct21Moderate
Nov16Moderate
Dec14Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Shymkent?

Shymkent sits at 42.3°N, 69.6°E, 520 m above sea level, in Kazakhstan. The nearest listed city is Aksu, 22 km away.

Topography around Shymkent

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Shymkent has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 98 m around an average of 524 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 387 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,913 m.

The land around Shymkent is covered by artificial surfaces (87%) within 3 km, cropland (52%) and artificial surfaces (30%) within 16 km, and grassland (60%) and cropland (33%) within 80 km.

3 km
98 m
16 km
387 m
80 km
3,913 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
May weather nearby: Aksu 22 km · Lenger 27 km · Turar Ryskulov 66 km · Arys 66 km · Iskandar 84 km · G‘azalkent 85 km · Chirchiq 94 km · Saryaghash 101 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 Shymkent (42.3099°, 69.6004°, elevation 520 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).