San weather in May

In May, San sees average daytime highs of 39°C and overnight lows near 28°C, with 20 mm of rain across 5.9 wet days and about 12.6 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 40°C in the first days to 38°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% of the time in May, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is San's 9th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see San's year-round climate.

Daytime high
39°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
28°
12th coldest
Rainfall
20 mm
5.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 36 min
5:57 AM – 6:34 PM
Cloud cover
57%
9th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
6.64 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.6
out of 10

San is town in Mali.

Density
666/km²
people per km²
Founded
1400

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 40°C in the first days to 38°C by the end.

A typical May day in San reaches about 39°C in the afternoon and slips back to 28°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 36°C and 41°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and about 3°C warmer than June.

25°30°35°40°45°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
14028
24028
34028
44028
54028
64028
74028
84028
93928
103928
113928
123928
133928
143928
153928
163928
173928
183928
193928
203928
213928
223928
233928
243828
253828
263828
273828
283828
293828
303828
313827

How May really feels in San

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.

San weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 2nd-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 18°10.211.35.3
Feb35° / 21°0011.63.4
Mar38° / 24°10.411.91.3
Apr40° / 27°92.612.30.3
May39° / 28°205.912.60.6
Jun36° / 27°4310.412.81.9
Jul33° / 25°12317.412.73.0
Aug31° / 24°19620.912.43.3
Sep32° / 24°10714.812.13.5
Oct35° / 24°265.811.72.7
Nov35° / 21°10.211.43.0
Dec33° / 18°0011.24.8

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% 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 48%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25446
35446
45446
55545
65446
75446
85545
95446
105446
115446
125347
135248
145248
155149
165149
175050
184951
195050
205050
214951
225050
235050
245050
255050
265149
275248
285248
295347
305446
315545

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

San gets around 20 mm of rain over 5.9 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 19% and peaks near 25% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
113
213
313
413
513
614
714
815
916
1016
1117
1218
1319
1419
1520
1621
1721
1822
1922
2022
2123
2223
2323
2423
2523
2624
2724
2824
2924
3024
3125

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 50% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 62% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1261228304
2251228314
3241228324
4221227344
5211227355
6191127375
7181127395
8161127406
9151026426
10131026447
1112926467
1210825488
139825509
148724529
1577245210
1666235510
1756235511
1845225712
1945215713
2045205714
2134195915
2234185916
2334175818
2424165919
2524165820
2624155821
2723145922
2823135923
2923125825
3023115826
3112106027

Wind in May

Winds average 9 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 10 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:03 AM to 5:55 AM, and sunset from 6:31 PM to 6:39 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.56:036:31
212.56:026:31
312.56:026:31
412.56:016:31
512.56:016:32
612.56:016:32
712.56:006:32
812.56:006:32
912.56:006:32
1012.65:596:33
1112.65:596:33
1212.65:596:33
1312.65:586:33
1412.65:586:34
1512.65:586:34
1612.65:576:34
1712.65:576:34
1812.65:576:35
1912.65:576:35
2012.65:576:35
2112.75:566:36
2212.75:566:36
2312.75:566:36
2412.75:566:36
2512.75:566:37
2612.75:566:37
2712.75:566:37
2812.75:566:38
2912.75:556:38
3012.75:556:38
3112.75:556:39

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.64 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.35 kWh/m² to a high of 6.79 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 6.64 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.7Intense
26.7Intense
36.7Intense
46.7Intense
56.7Intense
66.7Intense
76.7Intense
86.7Intense
96.7Intense
106.6Intense
116.6Intense
126.6Intense
136.6Intense
146.6Intense
156.6Intense
166.6Intense
176.6Intense
186.6Intense
196.6Intense
206.6Intense
216.6Intense
226.6Intense
236.6Intense
246.6Intense
256.6Intense
266.6Intense
276.6Intense
286.6Intense
296.6Intense
306.6Intense
316.7Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for San

In seasonPeak

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

San's monsoon runs July–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

San sees seasonal dust haze (February–July), heaviest in April.

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

Is May a good time to visit San?

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

0.6
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
3.3
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in San.

What to pack for San in May

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

In May, San sees daytime highs around 39°C and nights near 28°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 6 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in San 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 San peaks around March 17 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highMar 17UV 13Jan 10UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb10Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in San 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 San is worst in March — around 68 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.7× the cleanest month (August, 14 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorModeratePoorMar 1068 µg/m³Aug 1815 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan55Poor
Feb67Unhealthy
Mar68Unhealthy
Apr56Unhealthy
May41Poor
Jun33Moderate
Jul21Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct29Moderate
Nov32Moderate
Dec46Poor
Location & terrain

Where is San?

San sits at 13.3°N, 4.9°W, 277 m above sea level, in Mali. The nearest listed city is Djenné, 77 km away.

BlaYorossoDiourouMoninnpébougouKoutialaKouri

Topography around San

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around San has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 21 m around an average of 278 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 39 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 205 m.

The land around San is covered by artificial surfaces (40%) and cropland (37%) within 3 km, grassland (40%) and cropland (38%) within 16 km, and grassland (43%), cropland (30%) and shrubs (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
21 m
16 km
39 m
80 km
205 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Djenné 77 km · Ké-Macina 89 km · Bla 101 km · Yorosso 105 km · Diourou 110 km · Moninnpébougou 116 km · Koutiala 118 km · Kouri 124 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 San (13.297°, -4.8963°, elevation 277 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).