Nong Khiaw weather in May

In May, Nong Khiaw sees average daytime highs of 32°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 144 mm of rain across 19 wet days and about 13 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 32°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 42 min at the start of May to 13 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Nong Khiaw's 8th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Nong Khiaw's year-round climate.

Daytime high
32°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
23°
9th coldest
Rainfall
144 mm
19 wet days
Daylight
13 hours
5:37 AM – 6:35 PM
Cloud cover
73%
8th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.29 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.3
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 32°C through the month.

A typical May day in Nong Khiaw reaches about 32°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 35°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13222
23222
33222
43222
53222
63222
73222
83222
93222
103222
113222
123222
133222
143223
153223
163223
173223
183123
193123
203123
213123
223123
233123
243123
253123
263123
273123
283123
293123
303123
313124

How May really feels in Nong Khiaw

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 31 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
31
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.

Nong Khiaw weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 2nd-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 13°192.910.98.2
Feb28° / 14°101.711.37.4
Mar31° / 17°335.911.95.3
Apr32° / 20°8111.412.54.1
May32° / 23°14419133.3
Jun31° / 24°17921.313.23.0
Jul30° / 24°28325.413.13.0
Aug30° / 23°29926.212.73.1
Sep30° / 22°18019.912.13.9
Oct29° / 20°669.811.55.7
Nov27° / 17°233.7117.7
Dec25° / 13°18310.88.3

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 68%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15644
25545
35347
45248
55050
64951
74753
84555
94357
104159
114060
123862
133664
143466
153268
163070
172971
182773
192773
202575
212377
222377
232179
242080
251981
261783
271684
281684
291486
301486
311387

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Nong Khiaw gets around 144 mm of rain over 19 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 61% and peaks near 72% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
149
250
351
452
553
653
754
855
956
1056
1157
1258
1358
1459
1559
1660
1761
1861
1962
2063
2164
2265
2366
2468
2569
2669
2770
2871
2972
3072
3172

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 97% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
10451450
20349470
30347500
40344530
50341560
60339580
70236620
80234640
90231670
100229690
111227700
121226710
131224730
141323730
151321750
161320760
171219780
181218790
191218790
201217800
211216810
220215830
230214840
240113860
250112861
260111871
270110881
28019891
29018901
30007921
31006931

Wind in May

Winds average 5 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 5 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 42 min at the start of May to 13 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 24 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:44 AM to 5:33 AM, and sunset from 6:29 PM to 6:41 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.75:446:29
212.85:446:29
312.85:436:30
412.85:436:30
512.85:426:31
612.85:416:31
712.85:416:31
812.95:406:32
912.95:406:32
1012.95:396:33
1112.95:396:33
1212.95:386:33
1312.95:386:34
1412.95:376:34
1513.05:376:35
1613.05:376:35
1713.05:366:35
1813.05:366:36
1913.05:356:36
2013.05:356:37
2113.05:356:37
2213.15:346:38
2313.15:346:38
2413.15:346:38
2513.15:346:39
2613.15:336:39
2713.15:336:40
2813.15:336:40
2913.15:336:40
3013.15:336:41
3113.15:336:41

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.29 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.92 kWh/m² to a high of 5.82 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 5.29 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.7Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.4Bright
125.4Bright
135.4Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.1Bright
235.1Bright
245.1Bright
255.1Bright
265.0Bright
275.0Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Nong Khiaw

In seasonPeak

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

Nong Khiaw'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 Nong Khiaw?

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

3.3
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
5.1
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Nong Khiaw.

What to pack for Nong Khiaw in May

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

In May, Nong Khiaw sees daytime highs around 32°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 19 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Nong Khiaw 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 Nong Khiaw peaks around June 20 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highJun 20UV 13Dec 18UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb9Very high
Mar9Very high
Apr9Very high
May11Extreme
Jun14Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct10Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec7High

Air quality in Nong Khiaw 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 Nong Khiaw is worst in April — around 497 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 67.1× the cleanest month (September, 7 µg/m³).

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

0306090120150180210240270300330360390420450480JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateVery unhealthyGoodApr 14456 µg/m³Sep 127 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb29Moderate
Mar231Very unhealthy
Apr497Very unhealthy
May49Poor
Jun9Good
Jul8Good
Aug8Good
Sep7Good
Oct8Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Nong Khiaw?

Nong Khiaw sits at 20.6°N, 102.6°E, 0 m above sea level, in Laos. The nearest listed city is Muang Xay, 67 km away.

Muang XayLuang PrabangDien Bien PhuLuang NamthaMuang PhônsavanThị Trấn Thuận ChâuXam NuaSơn La

Topography around Nong Khiaw

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Nong Khiaw has very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,215 m around an average of 609 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,310 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,987 m.

The land around Nong Khiaw is covered by trees (81%) within 3 km, trees (86%) within 16 km, and trees (88%) within 80 km.

3 km
1,215 m
16 km
1,310 m
80 km
1,987 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Muang Xay 67 km · Luang Prabang 89 km · Dien Bien Phu 100 km · Luang Namtha 133 km · Muang Phônsavan 139 km · Thị Trấn Thuận Châu 148 km · Xam Nua 150 km · Sơn La 160 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 Nong Khiaw (20.5708°, 102.6112°, elevation 0 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).