Kara-Balta weather in May

In May, Kara-Balta sees average daytime highs of 17°C and overnight lows near 6°C, with 166 mm of precipitation across 20 wet days and about 14.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 15°C in the first days to 19°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% 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 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Kara-Balta's 9th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kara-Balta's year-round climate.

Daytime high
17°
5th warmest
Overnight low
8th coldest
Precipitation
166 mm
20 wet days
Daylight
14 h 24 min
5:48 AM – 8:14 PM
Cloud cover
63%
9th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
6.32 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.2
out of 10

Kara-Balta is place in Chuy Region, Kyrgyzstan.

Density
1,504/km²
people per km²

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 15°C in the first days to 19°C by the end.

A typical May day in Kara-Balta reaches about 17°C in the afternoon and slips back to 6°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 12°C and 22°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 5°C warmer than April and about 5°C cooler than June.

10°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1154
2154
3155
4155
5155
6165
7165
8165
9165
10165
11165
12176
13176
14176
15176
16176
17176
18176
19176
20186
21187
22187
23187
24187
25187
26197
27197
28198
29198
30198
31198

How May really feels in Kara-Balta

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.

Kara-Balta weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-3° / -12°398.58.59.20.0
Feb-1° / -10°569.79.410.30.0
Mar / -4°961410.211.60.5
Apr12° / 15416.69.513.12.8
May17° / 166204.414.44.2
Jun22° / 10°15921.40.615.14.9
Jul24° / 13°16221.4014.85.4
Aug23° / 11°12418.20.213.75.9
Sep18° / 10416.82.912.35.2
Oct12° / 80125.710.83.0
Nov / -6°639.36.79.50.3
Dec-2° / -11°488.58.68.90.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% 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 59%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13961
23961
33961
43961
53961
63961
74060
84060
94060
104159
114159
124159
134159
144258
154258
164159
174258
184258
194258
204258
214258
224258
234357
244258
254258
264357
274258
284258
294357
304357
314258

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Kara-Balta gets around 166 mm of rain and snow over 20 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 precipitation averages around 65% and peaks near 73% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
15923
25923
35922
45922
55921
65920
75919
85918
96017
106017
116116
126116
136215
146315
156314
166414
176514
186513
196613
206713
216812
226812
236911
247011
257010
267110
27719
28729
29728
30737
31737

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in May

Winds average 6 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 66 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:06 AM to 5:35 AM, and sunset from 7:57 PM to 8:29 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.86:067:57
213.96:057:58
313.96:048:00
414.06:028:01
514.06:018:02
614.15:598:03
714.15:588:04
814.15:578:05
914.25:568:06
1014.25:548:08
1114.35:538:09
1214.35:528:10
1314.35:518:11
1414.45:508:12
1514.45:498:13
1614.45:488:14
1714.55:478:15
1814.55:468:16
1914.55:458:17
2014.65:448:18
2114.65:438:19
2214.65:428:20
2314.75:418:21
2414.75:408:22
2514.75:398:23
2614.85:398:24
2714.85:388:25
2814.85:378:26
2914.85:378:27
3014.95:368:28
3114.95:358:29

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.32 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.99 kWh/m² to a high of 6.5 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 6.32 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.2Intense
26.2Intense
36.2Intense
46.2Intense
56.2Intense
66.2Intense
76.2Intense
86.2Intense
96.3Intense
106.3Intense
116.3Intense
126.3Intense
136.3Intense
146.3Intense
156.3Intense
166.3Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.4Intense
236.4Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.4Intense
276.4Intense
286.4Intense
296.4Intense
306.4Intense
316.4Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Kara-Balta

In seasonPeak

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

Kara-Balta's rainy season runs March–October, 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 Kara-Balta?

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

4.2
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
1.0
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Kara-Balta for sightseeing.

What to pack for Kara-Balta in May

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

In May, Kara-Balta sees daytime highs around 17°C and nights near 6°C. Pack rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: a warm layer. About 20 days see rain.

rain gearsun protectiona warm layer

UV index in Kara-Balta in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kara-Balta peaks around May 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateVery highHighModerateLowMay 20UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr5High
May10Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Kara-Balta 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 Kara-Balta is worst in May — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (December, 5 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodMay 1417 µg/m³Dec 206 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar14Moderate
Apr17Moderate
May17Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct12Moderate
Nov8Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kara-Balta?

Kara-Balta sits at 42.8°N, 73.8°E, 789 m above sea level, in Kyrgyzstan. The nearest listed city is Belovodskoye, 21 km away.

MerkeBishkekLebedinovkaKantShuIvanovkaTokmok

Topography around Kara-Balta

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kara-Balta has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 109 m around an average of 786 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 583 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,354 m.

The land around Kara-Balta is covered by artificial surfaces (51%) and cropland (21%) within 3 km, cropland (77%) within 16 km, and grassland (54%) and cropland (30%) within 80 km.

3 km
109 m
16 km
583 m
80 km
4,354 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainsnow and icemoss and lichen
May weather nearby: Belovodskoye 21 km · Merke 54 km · Bishkek 61 km · Lebedinovka 68 km · Kant 82 km · Shu 88 km · Ivanovka 101 km · Tokmok 119 km

Kyrgyzstan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / F
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 33% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$3,081
2025
Happiness
6.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
74%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.7
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 443
Religion
Muslim 90%Christian 7%other 3%

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 Kara-Balta (42.8142°, 73.8481°, elevation 789 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).