Goundam weather in May

In May, Goundam sees average daytime highs of 41°C and overnight lows near 28°C, with 3 mm of rain across 0.8 wet days and about 12.8 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 41°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 60% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 36 min at the start of May to 12 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Goundam's 7th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Goundam's year-round climate.

Daytime high
41°
1st warmest
Overnight low
28°
11th coldest
Rainfall
3 mm
0.8 wet days
Daylight
12 h 48 min
5:48 AM – 6:34 PM
Cloud cover
35%
7th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
7.24 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 41°C through the month.

A typical May day in Goundam reaches about 41°C in the afternoon and slips back to 28°C overnight — a 14°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 39°C and 43°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C warmer than April and on par with June.

20°25°30°35°40°45°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
14126
24126
34127
44127
54127
64127
74127
84127
94127
104127
114127
124127
134127
144128
154128
164128
174128
184128
194128
204128
214128
224128
234128
244128
254128
264128
274128
284128
294129
304129
314129

How May really feels in Goundam

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
31 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
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.

Goundam weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 1st-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 15°10.211.17.4
Feb32° / 17°00.111.45.4
Mar36° / 21°00.111.92.8
Apr39° / 25°10.212.40.4
May41° / 28°30.812.80.0
Jun41° / 29°72.7130.0
Jul38° / 28°347.412.91.0
Aug36° / 26°5810.112.62.1
Sep38° / 26°194.612.11.4
Oct38° / 25°41.111.61.4
Nov34° / 20°0011.23.8
Dec30° / 16°00116.5

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 60% 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 24%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17525
27525
37624
47624
57525
67525
77624
87624
97525
107525
117624
127525
137525
147525
157525
167525
177624
187624
197624
207624
217624
227624
237723
247822
257822
267822
277822
287822
297822
307822
317822

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Goundam 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 5% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
11
21
31
41
51
61
72
82
92
102
112
123
133
143
153
163
173
183
193
203
213
223
233
243
253
264
274
284
295
305
315

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 78% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
193430
292440
391540
491540
589551
689551
788651
887661
986761
1084772
1183872
1283872
1382972
1481982
15791083
16791083
17781183
18771193
19761293
20761293
21751393
22731494
237214104
247115104
256916114
266916114
276717124
286518134
296318145
306119155
315820175

Wind in May

Winds average 12 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
812light breeze
912light breeze
1012light breeze
1112light breeze
1212light breeze
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712light breeze
1812light breeze
1912light breeze
2012light breeze
2112light breeze
2212light breeze
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2612light breeze
2712light breeze
2812light breeze
2912light breeze
3012light breeze
3112light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 36 min at the start of May to 12 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 18 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:54 AM to 5:45 AM, and sunset from 6:29 PM to 6:39 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.65:546:29
212.65:546:30
312.65:536:30
412.65:536:30
512.65:526:30
612.65:526:31
712.75:516:31
812.75:516:31
912.75:516:32
1012.75:506:32
1112.75:506:32
1212.75:496:33
1312.75:496:33
1412.75:496:33
1512.85:486:34
1612.85:486:34
1712.85:486:34
1812.85:476:35
1912.85:476:35
2012.85:476:35
2112.85:476:36
2212.85:466:36
2312.85:466:36
2412.85:466:37
2512.95:466:37
2612.95:466:37
2712.95:466:38
2812.95:456:38
2912.95:456:38
3012.95:456:39
3112.95:456:39

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.24 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.24 kWh/m² to a high of 7.29 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 7.24 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.3Intense
27.3Intense
37.3Intense
47.3Intense
57.3Intense
67.3Intense
77.3Intense
87.3Intense
97.3Intense
107.3Intense
117.3Intense
127.2Intense
137.2Intense
147.2Intense
157.2Intense
167.2Intense
177.2Intense
187.2Intense
197.2Intense
207.2Intense
217.2Intense
227.2Intense
237.2Intense
247.2Intense
257.2Intense
267.2Intense
277.2Intense
287.2Intense
297.2Intense
307.2Intense
317.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Goundam

In seasonPeak

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

Goundam sees dust haze year-round, heaviest in June.

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

Is May a good time to visit Goundam?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
2.2
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Goundam.

What to pack for Goundam in May

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

In May, Goundam sees daytime highs around 41°C and nights near 28°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Goundam 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 Goundam peaks around March 20 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 7 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highMar 20UV 13Dec 19UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb10Very high
Mar13Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec7Very high

Air quality in Goundam 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 Goundam is worst in February — around 92 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.5× the cleanest month (August, 26 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorModeratePoorUnhealthyFeb 992 µg/m³Aug 2226 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan91Unhealthy
Feb92Unhealthy
Mar84Unhealthy
Apr66Unhealthy
May67Unhealthy
Jun59Unhealthy
Jul37Poor
Aug26Moderate
Sep28Moderate
Oct54Poor
Nov55Unhealthy
Dec81Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Goundam?

Goundam sits at 16.4°N, 3.7°W, 259 m above sea level, in Mali. The nearest listed city is Diré, 34 km away.

DouentzaMoptiBandiagaraMberaBankassKoro

Topography around Goundam

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Goundam has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 23 m around an average of 261 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 197 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 288 m.

The land around Goundam is covered by grassland (58%) and bare terrain (33%) within 3 km, grassland (63%) and bare terrain (22%) within 16 km, and grassland (63%) and bare terrain (23%) within 80 km.

3 km
23 m
16 km
197 m
80 km
288 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Diré 34 km · Timbuktu 81 km · Douentza 174 km · Mopti 222 km · Bandiagara 230 km · Mbera 235 km · Bankass 260 km · Koro 269 km

Mali travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type C / E
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 34% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,193
2025
Happiness
4.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Road deaths
22.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 408
Religion
Muslim 94%Christian 3%none 3%animist 1%

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 Goundam (16.4145°, -3.6707°, elevation 259 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).