Mombasa weather in May

In May, Mombasa sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 223 mm of rain across 24.1 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 36% 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 Mombasa's 12th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mombasa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
8th warmest
Overnight low
25°
6th coldest
Rainfall
223 mm
24.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 48 min
6:23 AM – 6:12 PM
Cloud cover
57%
12th clearest
Wind
20 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
4.67 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.3
out of 10

Mombasa is city in Kenya.

Air quality
Moderate
PM2.5 10.8 µg/m³ · 2019
Density
4,100/km²
people per km²
Founded
1593

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 Mombasa reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 3°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 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
42825
52825
62825
72825
82825
92825
102825
112825
122825
132825
142825
152825
162825
172825
182825
192825
202825
212825
222825
232825
242825
252824
262824
272824
282824
292824
302824
312824

How May really feels in Mombasa

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.

Mombasa 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° / 26°183.512.25.6
Feb31° / 26°112.412.15.5
Mar31° / 26°4912.4124.4
Apr30° / 26°13624.411.93.5
May28° / 25°22324.111.84.3
Jun27° / 24°9220.511.85.0
Jul26° / 23°6919.811.85.2
Aug27° / 23°4917.211.95.7
Sep27° / 23°4314.8126.1
Oct28° / 24°7514.912.15.5
Nov29° / 25°6616.112.24.8
Dec30° / 25°461312.24.9

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% of the time in May, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 43%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24951
34951
45050
55149
65149
75149
85248
95347
105446
115545
125644
135743
145644
155743
165842
175842
185842
195941
205941
216040
226040
236139
246139
256139
266238
276238
286337
296337
306337
316337

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Mombasa gets around 223 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 80% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
180
280
379
479
578
678
778
877
977
1077
1177
1277
1377
1477
1578
1678
1778
1878
1979
2079
2178
2278
2378
2477
2577
2676
2776
2875
2975
3074
3173

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 89% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
107525
217524
317623
417821
517920
618118
718217
818415
918514
1018613
1118712
1218811
1318910
141909
151918
161927
171936
181945
191945
201954
211954
222953
232953
242953
253952
263952
274942
285932
296922
307912
318911

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 22 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
420light breeze
520light breeze
620light breeze
720light breeze
820light breeze
920light breeze
1020breezy
1120breezy
1220breezy
1320breezy
1420breezy
1520breezy
1621breezy
1721breezy
1821breezy
1921breezy
2021breezy
2121breezy
2221breezy
2321breezy
2421breezy
2521breezy
2621breezy
2721breezy
2821breezy
2921breezy
3021breezy
3122breezy

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 6:23 AM to 6:25 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)
111.96:236:14
211.96:236:14
311.96:236:14
411.96:236:14
511.86:236:13
611.86:236:13
711.86:236:13
811.86:236:13
911.86:236:13
1011.86:236:13
1111.86:236:13
1211.86:236:12
1311.86:236:12
1411.86:236:12
1511.86:236:12
1611.86:236:12
1711.86:236:12
1811.86:236:12
1911.86:236:12
2011.86:246:12
2111.86:246:12
2211.86:246:12
2311.86:246:12
2411.86:246:12
2511.86:246:12
2611.86:246:12
2711.86:246:12
2811.86:256:12
2911.86:256:12
3011.86:256:12
3111.86:256:12

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.67 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.67 kWh/m² to a high of 6.64 kWh/m² in February across the year — May's 4.67 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.8Bright
24.8Bright
34.7Bright
44.7Bright
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
244.7Bright
254.7Bright
264.7Bright
274.8Bright
284.8Bright
294.8Bright
304.8Bright
314.8Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Mombasa

In seasonPeak

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

Mombasa sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

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

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

Is May a good time to visit Mombasa?

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

4.3
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
4.8
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Mombasa for sightseeing.

What to pack for Mombasa in May

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

In May, Mombasa sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 25°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 Mombasa 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
Oct27Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Mombasa 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 Mombasa peaks around March 19 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 19UV 15Jun 18UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec12Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Mombasa?

Mombasa sits at 4.1°S, 39.7°E, 20 m above sea level, in Kenya. The nearest listed city is Jomvu, 10 km away.

Topography around Mombasa

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Mombasa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 31 m around an average of 12 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 264 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 800 m.

The land around Mombasa is covered by artificial surfaces (46%) and water (35%) within 3 km, water (41%) and grassland (21%) within 16 km, and water (36%), grassland (24%) and shrubs (23%) within 80 km.

3 km
31 m
16 km
264 m
80 km
800 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Jomvu 10 km · Mtwapa 16 km · Mazeras 16 km · Matuga 16 km · Diani Beach 26 km · Ukunda 29 km · Mariakani 30 km · Kilifi 51 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 Mombasa (-4.0547°, 39.6636°, elevation 20 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).