Soalala weather in May

In May, Soalala sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 3 mm of rain across 0.8 wet days and about 11.3 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 9th-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 85% of the time in May, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of May to 11 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Soalala's 5th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Soalala's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
24°
5th coldest
Rainfall
3 mm
0.8 wet days
Daylight
11 h 18 min
6:17 AM – 5:33 PM
Cloud cover
19%
5th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.33 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
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 Soalala reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and about 1°C warmer than June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13025
23025
33025
43025
53025
63025
73024
83024
93024
103024
113024
123024
133024
143024
153024
163024
173024
183024
193024
203024
213024
223024
233024
243023
252923
262923
272923
282923
292923
302923
312923

How May really feels in Soalala

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 14 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
14
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.

Soalala weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 2nd-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 25°46327.412.93.3
Feb29° / 25°31924.112.53.4
Mar30° / 26°19321.112.13.9
Apr30° / 25°418.311.65.4
May30° / 24°30.811.36.8
Jun29° / 22°10.211.17.7
Jul28° / 22°10.111.18.5
Aug28° / 22°10.211.58.4
Sep29° / 23°30.711.97.7
Oct29° / 24°154.412.46.7
Nov30° / 25°6514.912.84.9
Dec29° / 25°19823.912.93.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 85% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 7% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 8%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1919
2919
3919
4919
5919
6919
7919
8919
9919
109010
119010
129010
139010
149010
159010
169010
17919
18919
19919
20919
21928
22928
23937
24946
25946
26946
27955
28955
29955
30964
31964

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Soalala gets around 3 mm of rain over 0.8 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 3% and peaks near 9% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
19
28
37
46
56
65
75
84
94
104
114
124
133
143
153
163
172
182
192
202
212
221
231
241
251
261
271
281
291
301
310

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 54% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 86% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
10232633
20334612
30336592
40338581
50440551
60542521
70543511
80645480
90747460
100849430
110851410
120953380
1301055350
1401057330
1511158300
1611259280
1711360260
1811362240
1911463220
2021563200
2121663190
2221764170
2331863160
2431962160
2531963150
2642062140
2742162130
2852260130
2952360120
3052559110
3162658100

Wind in May

Winds average 14 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min at the start of May to 11 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:13 AM to 6:23 AM, and sunset from 5:39 PM to 5:30 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:135:39
211.46:135:38
311.46:145:38
411.46:145:37
511.46:145:37
611.46:145:36
711.46:155:36
811.36:155:35
911.36:155:35
1011.36:165:35
1111.36:165:34
1211.36:165:34
1311.36:165:34
1411.36:175:33
1511.36:175:33
1611.36:175:33
1711.26:185:32
1811.26:185:32
1911.26:185:32
2011.26:195:31
2111.26:195:31
2211.26:195:31
2311.26:205:31
2411.26:205:31
2511.26:205:30
2611.26:215:30
2711.16:215:30
2811.16:215:30
2911.16:225:30
3011.16:225:30
3111.16:235:30

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.33 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.92 kWh/m² to a high of 7.12 kWh/m² in October across the year — May's 5.33 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.4Bright
115.4Bright
125.4Bright
135.4Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.3Bright
195.3Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.1Bright
275.1Bright
285.1Bright
295.1Bright
305.1Bright
315.1Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Soalala

In seasonPeak

None of Soalala's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

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

Soalala's monsoon runs January–February, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Soalala?

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

6.8
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
9.1
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Soalala for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Soalala in May

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

In May, Soalala sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Soalala in May

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 26 km away) is warmest in March at about 30°C and coldest in August near 26°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

24°26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar30Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Soalala in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Soalala peaks around February 13 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 7 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeFeb 13UV 15Jun 18UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May9Very high
Jun7Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Soalala?

Soalala sits at 16.1°S, 45.3°E, in Madagascar. The nearest listed city is Sitampiky, 105 km away.

SitampikyMahajangaMarovoayAmbato BoenyMaevatananaMampikonyMaintiranoBoriziny

Topography around Soalala

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Soalala has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 39 m around an average of 3 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 125 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 520 m.

The land around Soalala is covered by water (74%) within 3 km, trees (44%), water (23%) and grassland (22%) within 16 km, and grassland (38%), water (34%) and trees (23%) within 80 km.

3 km
39 m
16 km
125 m
80 km
520 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Sitampiky 105 km · Mahajanga 115 km · Marovoay 142 km · Ambato Boeny 155 km · Maevatanana 187 km · Mampikony 249 km · Maintirano 258 km · Boriziny 259 km

Madagascar travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / E
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 31% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$599
2025
Happiness
4.2 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
22%
of population, 2024
Road deaths
29.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 457
Religion
Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar/Malagasy Lutheran Church/Anglican Church 34%Roman Catholic 32%none 22%other Christian 8%

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 Soalala (-16.1°, 45.3167°), 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).