Lamu weather in May

In May, Lamu sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 226 mm of rain across 24.1 wet days and about 11.9 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-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 39% 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 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Lamu's 10th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Lamu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
7th warmest
Overnight low
26°
6th coldest
Rainfall
226 mm
24.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 54 min
6:16 AM – 6:10 PM
Cloud cover
54%
10th clearest
Wind
24 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
4.85 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.5
out of 10

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 Lamu reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C cooler than April and about 1°C warmer than June.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12826
22826
32826
42826
52826
62826
72826
82826
92826
102826
112826
122826
132826
142826
152826
162826
172826
182826
192826
202726
212726
222726
232726
242726
252726
262726
272726
282726
292726
302725
312725

How May really feels in Lamu

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 4 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
4
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.

Lamu weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 7th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 26°121.412.17.7
Feb28° / 26°20.412.17.7
Mar29° / 27°174.9126.6
Apr29° / 27°11620.9124.4
May28° / 26°22624.111.94.5
Jun27° / 25°8417.811.95.4
Jul26° / 24°5714.911.95.9
Aug26° / 24°3612.211.96.6
Sep26° / 25°3410.3127.0
Oct27° / 25°6512.812.16.4
Nov28° / 26°581312.16.1
Dec28° / 26°286.712.16.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 40%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25545
35545
45545
55644
65743
75842
85842
96040
106040
116139
126238
136337
146337
156238
166337
176337
186337
196238
206238
216238
226238
236238
246238
256238
266238
276238
286238
296238
306139
316139

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Lamu gets around 226 mm of rain over 24.1 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 77% and peaks near 84% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
184
284
384
483
583
682
782
881
980
1080
1179
1279
1378
1478
1578
1678
1778
1877
1977
2077
2176
2276
2375
2475
2574
2673
2772
2871
2970
3069
3168

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 73% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
104258
204456
304654
404753
504951
605149
705347
805545
905842
1006040
1106238
1206535
1306733
1407030
1507228
1607525
1707723
1808020
1908218
2008416
2108614
2208812
2308911
240919
250928
260937
270946
280955
290955
301954
311963

Wind in May

Winds average 24 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 21 km/h on the calmest days to 26 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
121breezy
222breezy
322breezy
422breezy
522breezy
622breezy
722breezy
823breezy
923breezy
1023breezy
1123breezy
1223breezy
1323breezy
1424breezy
1524breezy
1624breezy
1724breezy
1824breezy
1924breezy
2024breezy
2124breezy
2225breezy
2325breezy
2425breezy
2525breezy
2625breezy
2725breezy
2825breezy
2926breezy
3026breezy
3126breezy

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

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

Days grow by about 0 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:16 AM to 6:17 AM, and sunset from 6:11 PM to 6:10 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.96:166:11
211.96:166:11
311.96:166:11
411.96:166:11
511.96:166:11
611.96:166:10
711.96:166:10
811.96:166:10
911.96:166:10
1011.96:166:10
1111.96:166:10
1211.96:166:10
1311.96:166:10
1411.96:166:10
1511.96:166:10
1611.96:166:10
1711.96:166:10
1811.96:166:10
1911.96:166:10
2011.96:166:10
2111.96:166:10
2211.96:166:10
2311.96:166:10
2411.96:166:10
2511.96:176:10
2611.96:176:10
2711.96:176:10
2811.96:176:10
2911.96:176:10
3011.96:176:10
3111.96:176:10

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.85 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.85 kWh/m² to a high of 6.64 kWh/m² in February across the year — May's 4.85 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.9Bright
64.9Bright
74.9Bright
84.9Bright
94.9Bright
104.9Bright
114.9Bright
124.9Bright
134.9Bright
144.9Bright
154.9Bright
164.9Bright
174.9Bright
184.9Bright
194.9Bright
204.9Bright
214.9Bright
224.9Bright
234.9Bright
244.9Bright
254.9Bright
264.9Bright
274.9Bright
284.9Bright
294.9Bright
304.9Bright
314.9Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Lamu

In seasonPeak

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

Lamu's monsoon runs April–May, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Lamu?

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

4.5
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
4.8
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Lamu for sightseeing.

What to pack for Lamu in May

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

In May, Lamu sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection and a windbreaker. About 24 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protectiona windbreaker

Sea temperature near Lamu 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
Jan27Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar28Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Warm
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug25Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec28Warm

UV index in Lamu 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 Lamu peaks around March 22 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 22UV 15Jun 18UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Lamu 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 Lamu is worst in January — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.9× the cleanest month (October, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodJan 1917 µg/m³Oct 246 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan17Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar12Moderate
Apr6Good
May9Good
Jun11Good
Jul11Good
Aug9Good
Sep8Good
Oct6Good
Nov6Good
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Lamu?

Lamu sits at 2.3°S, 40.9°E, 14 m above sea level, in Kenya. The nearest listed city is Masalani, 104 km away.

MasalaniKaambooniHolaMalindiWatamuKilifiMtwapaMariakani

Topography around Lamu

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Lamu has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 51 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 72 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 143 m.

The land around Lamu is covered by grassland (31%), water (27%) and shrubs (24%) within 3 km, water (52%) within 16 km, and water (38%) and trees (29%) within 80 km.

3 km
51 m
16 km
72 m
80 km
143 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Masalani 104 km · Kaambooni 104 km · Hola 130 km · Malindi 137 km · Watamu 155 km · Kilifi 191 km · Mtwapa 225 km · Mariakani 238 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 Lamu (-2.2717°, 40.902°, elevation 14 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).