Muang Xay weather in May

In May, Muang Xay sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 238 mm of rain across 22.4 wet days and about 13 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in May, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 42 min at the start of May to 13 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Muang Xay's 8th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Muang Xay's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
21°
9th coldest
Rainfall
238 mm
22.4 wet days
Daylight
13 hours
5:39 AM – 6:38 PM
Cloud cover
73%
8th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.18 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.6
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month.

A typical May day in Muang Xay reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 33°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13020
23021
33021
43021
53021
63021
73021
83021
93021
103021
113021
123021
133021
143021
153021
163021
173021
183021
193021
203022
213022
223022
233022
243022
253022
263022
273022
283022
293022
302922
312922

How May really feels in Muang Xay

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 6 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
6
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.

Muang Xay weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 2nd-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 12°324.310.98.2
Feb26° / 13°203.811.38.0
Mar29° / 16°658.611.96.2
Apr30° / 19°14515.312.54.6
May30° / 21°23822.4133.6
Jun29° / 22°24825.613.23.1
Jul28° / 22°33128.613.13.1
Aug28° / 22°33428.112.73.3
Sep28° / 21°19922.612.14.1
Oct27° / 19°8814.211.55.9
Nov25° / 16°396.6117.6
Dec23° / 13°304.610.88.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 69%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25347
35248
45149
54951
64852
74753
84555
94357
104060
113961
123664
133466
143367
153268
162971
172872
182674
192575
202377
212278
221981
231882
241783
251684
261486
271486
281288
291288
301189
311090

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Muang Xay gets around 238 mm of rain over 22.4 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 73% and peaks near 85% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
163
263
363
464
564
664
765
865
966
1067
1168
1269
1369
1470
1571
1672
1773
1874
1975
2076
2177
2277
2378
2479
2580
2681
2782
2882
2983
3084
3185

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the muggy band about 59% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 92% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1116776
2115777
3114778
4113779
51137511
61127413
71117315
81117117
91107019
101106821
11196723
12196525
13186427
14186229
15176131
16175834
17165736
18165637
19155539
20155341
21155143
22145045
23144947
24134749
25134650
26024454
27024256
28014158
29013960
30013762
31013564

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 12 h 42 min at the start of May to 13 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 30 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:47 AM to 5:35 AM, and sunset from 6:32 PM to 6:44 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.75:476:32
212.85:466:32
312.85:466:32
412.85:456:33
512.85:446:33
612.85:446:34
712.85:436:34
812.95:436:34
912.95:426:35
1012.95:426:35
1112.95:416:36
1212.95:416:36
1312.95:406:36
1413.05:406:37
1513.05:396:37
1613.05:396:38
1713.05:386:38
1813.05:386:39
1913.05:386:39
2013.05:376:39
2113.05:376:40
2213.15:376:40
2313.15:376:41
2413.15:366:41
2513.15:366:42
2613.15:366:42
2713.15:366:42
2813.15:356:43
2913.15:356:43
3013.15:356:44
3113.25:356:44

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.18 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.76 kWh/m² to a high of 5.76 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 5.18 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.4Bright
85.4Bright
95.4Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.0Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
245.0Bright
254.9Bright
264.9Bright
274.9Bright
284.9Bright
294.8Bright
304.8Bright
314.8Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Muang Xay

In seasonPeak

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

Muang Xay's monsoon runs May–September, 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 Muang Xay?

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

3.6
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
4.9
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Muang Xay.

What to pack for Muang Xay in May

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

In May, Muang Xay sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 22 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Muang Xay 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 Muang Xay peaks around June 22 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highVery highExtremeVery highHighJun 22UV 13Dec 19UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan7Very high
Feb9Very high
Mar10Extreme
Apr9Very high
May11Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct10Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec7High

Air quality in Muang Xay 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 Muang Xay is worst in April — around 583 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 75.7× the cleanest month (September, 8 µg/m³).

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

0306090120150180210240270300330360390420450480510540JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateVery unhealthyGoodApr 15530 µg/m³Sep 118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Good
Feb24Moderate
Mar210Very unhealthy
Apr583Very unhealthy
May74Unhealthy
Jun10Good
Jul8Good
Aug8Good
Sep8Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Muang Xay?

Muang Xay sits at 20.7°N, 102.0°E, 652 m above sea level, in Laos. The nearest listed city is Nong Khiaw, 67 km away.

Nong KhiawLuang NamthaLuang PrabangMuang SingDien Bien PhuBan HouakhouaMöng YawngMuang Phônsavan

Topography around Muang Xay

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Muang Xay has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 372 m around an average of 683 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,283 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,540 m.

The land around Muang Xay is covered by trees (41%) and cropland (22%) within 3 km, trees (66%) and grassland (27%) within 16 km, and trees (85%) within 80 km.

3 km
372 m
16 km
1,283 m
80 km
1,540 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
May weather nearby: Nong Khiaw 67 km · Luang Namtha 67 km · Luang Prabang 91 km · Muang Sing 103 km · Dien Bien Phu 133 km · Ban Houakhoua 167 km · Möng Yawng 177 km · Muang Phônsavan 187 km

Laos travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B / C / E / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 23% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$2,325
2025
Happiness
5.5 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
35%
of population, 2024
Road deaths
17.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 461
Religion
Buddhist 65%none 31%other/not stated 2%Christian 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 Muang Xay (20.6923°, 101.9837°, elevation 652 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).