Kitui weather in May

In May, Kitui sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 57 mm of rain across 12.8 wet days and about 11.9 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in May, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 12 hours at the start of May to 11 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Kitui's 7th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kitui's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
8th warmest
Overnight low
18°
8th coldest
Rainfall
57 mm
12.8 wet days
Daylight
11 h 54 min
6:26 AM – 6:22 PM
Cloud cover
60%
7th clearest
Wind
11 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.27 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
out of 10

Kitui is municipality in Kitui County, 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 26°C through the month.

A typical May day in Kitui reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C cooler than April and about 1°C warmer than June.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12719
22719
32719
42719
52719
62719
72719
82719
92719
102719
112719
122718
132718
142718
152718
162718
172618
182618
192618
202618
212618
222618
232618
242618
252618
262618
272618
282618
292618
302618
312618

Kitui weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 8th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 18°6911.212.16.4
Feb29° / 18°497.6125.9
Mar29° / 19°9517124.8
Apr28° / 19°13523.2124.5
May26° / 18°5712.811.96.2
Jun26° / 17°72.411.97.5
Jul25° / 16°41.511.97.7
Aug26° / 16°51.5127.7
Sep27° / 17°72.1127.5
Oct28° / 18°499.7126.1
Nov27° / 19°19924.112.14.5
Dec26° / 18°1292112.15.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 33% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 48%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14753
24654
34654
44654
54654
64753
74852
84951
95050
105149
115248
125347
135347
145545
155545
165545
175545
185644
195743
205743
215644
225644
235545
245545
255545
265446
275347
285248
295149
304951
314852

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Kitui gets around 57 mm of rain over 12.8 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 41% and peaks near 66% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
166
264
363
462
560
659
757
855
953
1051
1149
1247
1345
1444
1542
1640
1738
1837
1935
2033
2132
2230
2329
2427
2526
2625
2723
2822
2921
3020
3118

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the humid band about 68% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 20% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1015346
2015544
3015742
4015841
5016039
6026137
7026335
8026533
9036730
10036928
11047026
12057124
13067321
14077320
15087418
16097516
170107614
180117613
190137611
200147610
21016759
22017758
23019747
24121726
25122716
26124705
27126685
28128674
29129664
30231643
31234613

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 12 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
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1511calm
1611calm
1711calm
1811calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2412calm
2512calm
2612calm
2712calm
2812calm
2912calm
3012calm
3112calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 hours at the start of May to 11 h 54 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 6:27 AM to 6:28 AM, and sunset from 6:24 PM to 6:23 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.06:276:24
212.06:266:24
312.06:266:23
411.96:266:23
511.96:266:23
611.96:266:23
711.96:266:23
811.96:266:23
911.96:266:23
1011.96:266:23
1111.96:266:23
1211.96:266:22
1311.96:266:22
1411.96:266:22
1511.96:266:22
1611.96:266:22
1711.96:266:22
1811.96:266:22
1911.96:266:22
2011.96:266:22
2111.96:266:22
2211.96:266:22
2311.96:276:22
2411.96:276:23
2511.96:276:23
2611.96:276:23
2711.96:276:23
2811.96:276:23
2911.96:276:23
3011.96:276:23
3111.96:286:23

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.27 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.55 kWh/m² to a high of 6.53 kWh/m² in February across the year — May's 5.27 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.3Bright
195.3Bright
205.3Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.1Bright
295.1Bright
305.1Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Kitui

In seasonPeak

None of Kitui's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Kitui's rainy season runs November–December, 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 Kitui?

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

6.2
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
6.1
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Kitui for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Kitui in May

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

In May, Kitui sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 18°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Kitui in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kitui peaks around March 17 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 17UV 16Jun 17UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct14Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Kitui 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 Kitui is worst in December — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateGoodModerateDec 2220 µg/m³Oct 118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan19Moderate
Feb17Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May11Good
Jun13Moderate
Jul14Moderate
Aug11Good
Sep9Good
Oct8Good
Nov13Moderate
Dec20Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Kitui?

Kitui sits at 1.4°S, 38.0°E, 1,154 m above sea level, in Kenya. The nearest listed city is Mwingi, 48 km away.

Makueni BomaKinoiMachakosEmaliMakindu

Topography around Kitui

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kitui has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 112 m around an average of 1,132 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 910 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,659 m.

The land around Kitui is covered by trees (41%) and shrubs (29%) within 3 km, shrubs (47%) and trees (21%) within 16 km, and shrubs (60%) within 80 km.

3 km
112 m
16 km
910 m
80 km
1,659 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Mwingi 48 km · Mwala 62 km · Wote 63 km · Makueni Boma 65 km · Kinoi 78 km · Machakos 85 km · Emali 99 km · Makindu 104 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 Kitui (-1.367°, 38.0106°, elevation 1,154 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).