Kilifi weather in May

In May, Kilifi sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 167 mm of rain across 20.8 wet days and about 11.8 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 1st-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 35% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 54 min at the start of May to 11 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Kilifi's 11th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kilifi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
8th warmest
Overnight low
24°
7th coldest
Rainfall
167 mm
20.8 wet days
Daylight
11 h 48 min
6:22 AM – 6:12 PM
Cloud cover
58%
11th clearest
Wind
20 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
4.7 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.5
out of 10

Kilifi is city in Kenya.

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 Kilifi reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C cooler than April and about 1°C warmer than June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12925
22925
32925
42925
52925
62925
72925
82924
92924
102924
112924
122924
132924
142924
152824
162824
172824
182824
192824
202824
212824
222824
232824
242824
252824
262824
272824
282824
292824
302824
312824

How May really feels in Kilifi

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 8 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
8
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.

Kilifi weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 8th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 25°275.312.25.8
Feb30° / 25°143.712.15.7
Mar31° / 25°5614.3124.3
Apr30° / 25°11222.611.93.6
May28° / 24°16720.811.84.5
Jun27° / 23°5913.911.85.9
Jul27° / 22°411211.86.2
Aug27° / 22°3512.111.96.4
Sep28° / 23°3311.5126.4
Oct29° / 24°7314.112.15.4
Nov29° / 24°7417.612.24.6
Dec30° / 25°6516.212.24.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 45%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14753
24852
34852
44753
54852
64852
75050
85050
95149
105149
115248
125347
135446
145446
155446
165545
175545
185743
195743
205743
215842
225941
235941
245941
256040
266139
276139
286238
296238
306337
316337

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Kilifi gets around 167 mm of rain over 20.8 wet days in May, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 66% and peaks near 75% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
175
275
374
474
574
673
772
872
971
1070
1169
1268
1368
1467
1567
1666
1765
1865
1964
2064
2163
2263
2362
2462
2561
2660
2759
2858
2957
3056
3155

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the oppressive band about 91% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
11909
22908
32917
42917
52926
62926
73925
83925
93934
103934
114924
124933
134933
144942
155932
165932
175932
185941
196931
206931
217921
227921
238920
249910
2510900
2611890
2712880
2813870
2914860
3016840
3117830

Wind in May

Winds average 20 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 21 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
319light breeze
419light breeze
520light breeze
620light breeze
720light breeze
820light breeze
920light breeze
1020light breeze
1120breezy
1220breezy
1320breezy
1420breezy
1520breezy
1620breezy
1721breezy
1821breezy
1921breezy
2021breezy
2121breezy
2221breezy
2321breezy
2421breezy
2521breezy
2621breezy
2721breezy
2821breezy
2921breezy
3021breezy
3121breezy

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 54 min at the start of May to 11 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:22 AM to 6:24 AM, and sunset from 6:14 PM to 6:12 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.96:226:14
211.96:226:14
311.96:216:14
411.96:216:13
511.96:216:13
611.96:216:13
711.96:216:13
811.96:216:13
911.96:216:13
1011.96:216:12
1111.86:216:12
1211.86:226:12
1311.86:226:12
1411.86:226:12
1511.86:226:12
1611.86:226:12
1711.86:226:12
1811.86:226:12
1911.86:226:12
2011.86:226:12
2111.86:226:12
2211.86:226:12
2311.86:236:12
2411.86:236:12
2511.86:236:12
2611.86:236:12
2711.86:236:12
2811.86:236:12
2911.86:236:12
3011.86:246:12
3111.86:246:12

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.7 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.7 kWh/m² to a high of 6.58 kWh/m² in February across the year — May's 4.7 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.8Bright
24.8Bright
34.8Bright
44.8Bright
54.7Bright
64.7Bright
74.7Bright
84.7Bright
94.7Bright
104.7Bright
114.7Bright
124.7Bright
134.7Bright
144.7Bright
154.7Bright
164.7Bright
174.7Bright
184.7Bright
194.7Bright
204.7Bright
214.7Bright
224.7Bright
234.7Bright
244.8Bright
254.8Bright
264.8Bright
274.8Bright
284.8Bright
294.8Bright
304.8Bright
314.8Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Kilifi

In seasonPeak

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

Kilifi's rainy season runs April–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 Kilifi?

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

4.5
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
5.4
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Kilifi for sightseeing.

What to pack for Kilifi in May

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

In May, Kilifi sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection and a windbreaker. About 21 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protectiona windbreaker

Sea temperature near Kilifi 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 offshore is warmest in April at about 29°C and coldest in August near 25°C.

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

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb28Warm
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Warm
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug25Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct26Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Kilifi 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 Kilifi peaks around March 18 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeMar 18UV 15Jun 18UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Kilifi 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 Kilifi is worst in December — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateDec 2421 µg/m³Oct 1313 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan21Moderate
Feb19Moderate
Mar17Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct13Moderate
Nov15Moderate
Dec21Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Kilifi?

Kilifi sits at 3.6°S, 39.8°E, 24 m above sea level, in Kenya. The nearest listed city is Mtwapa, 36 km away.

Matuga

Topography around Kilifi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kilifi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 46 m around an average of 19 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 225 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 518 m.

The land around Kilifi is covered by trees (33%) and water (25%) within 3 km, water (38%) and trees (31%) within 16 km, and water (33%) and shrubs (31%) within 80 km.

3 km
46 m
16 km
225 m
80 km
518 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
May weather nearby: Mtwapa 36 km · Watamu 36 km · Jomvu 48 km · Mariakani 49 km · Mazeras 50 km · Mombasa 51 km · Malindi 55 km · Matuga 67 km

Kenya travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type G
240 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 34% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$2,363
2025
Happiness
4.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
4.9
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
28.3
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
High
EF EPI 593
Religion
Christian 86%Muslim 11%other 2%none 2%

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 Kilifi (-3.6305°, 39.8499°, elevation 24 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).