Timbuktu weather in May

In May, Timbuktu sees average daytime highs of 41°C and overnight lows near 28°C, with 2 mm of rain across 0.6 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 64% 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 Timbuktu's 7th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Timbuktu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
41°
1st warmest
Overnight low
28°
11th coldest
Rainfall
2 mm
0.6 wet days
Daylight
12 h 48 min
5:45 AM – 6:32 PM
Cloud cover
33%
7th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
7.31 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Timbuktu is city in Mali.

Founded
~450 BCE

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

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 Timbuktu reaches about 41°C in the afternoon and slips back to 28°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 38°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)
14027
24027
34127
44127
54127
64127
74127
84128
94128
104128
114128
124128
134128
144128
154128
164128
174129
184129
194129
204129
214129
224129
234129
244129
254129
264129
274129
284129
294129
304129
314129

How May really feels in Timbuktu

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.

Timbuktu 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
Jan28° / 15°10.111.17.8
Feb31° / 17°0011.45.7
Mar35° / 21°00.111.93.1
Apr39° / 25°00.112.40.6
May41° / 28°20.612.80.0
Jun41° / 30°52.2130.0
Jul38° / 28°255.512.91.0
Aug37° / 27°478.812.61.9
Sep38° / 27°163.712.11.3
Oct38° / 25°30.911.61.5
Nov34° / 20°0011.23.9
Dec30° / 16°00116.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 64% 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 21%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27723
37723
47822
57723
67723
77822
87723
97723
107723
117723
127723
137723
147723
157723
167723
177822
187723
197723
207822
217822
227921
238020
248020
258020
268218
278218
288218
298218
308218
318416

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Timbuktu gets around 2 mm of rain over 0.6 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 2% and peaks near 4% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
10
20
30
41
51
61
71
81
91
101
112
122
132
142
152
162
172
182
193
203
213
223
233
243
253
263
273
283
293
303
314

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 81% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
194420
294420
392530
492530
592530
689641
789641
889641
987751
1087751
1186851
1285861
1383962
1483962
15821062
16811072
17801172
18801172
19791272
20771373
21771373
22761473
23751483
24741583
25721684
26701794
27701794
286818104
296619114
306320125
316220135

Wind in May

Winds average 14 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light 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 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 5:51 AM to 5:42 AM, and sunset from 6:27 PM to 6:37 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.65:516:27
212.65:516:27
312.65:506:28
412.65:506:28
512.65:496:28
612.75:496:29
712.75:486:29
812.75:486:29
912.75:476:29
1012.75:476:30
1112.75:476:30
1212.75:466:30
1312.75:466:31
1412.85:456:31
1512.85:456:31
1612.85:456:32
1712.85:456:32
1812.85:446:32
1912.85:446:33
2012.85:446:33
2112.85:436:33
2212.85:436:34
2312.95:436:34
2412.95:436:35
2512.95:436:35
2612.95:426:35
2712.95:426:36
2812.95:426:36
2912.95:426:36
3012.95:426:37
3112.95:426:37

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.31 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.23 kWh/m² to a high of 7.35 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 7.31 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.4Intense
27.4Intense
37.4Intense
47.4Intense
57.4Intense
67.4Intense
77.4Intense
87.3Intense
97.3Intense
107.3Intense
117.3Intense
127.3Intense
137.3Intense
147.3Intense
157.3Intense
167.3Intense
177.3Intense
187.3Intense
197.3Intense
207.3Intense
217.3Intense
227.3Intense
237.3Intense
247.3Intense
257.3Intense
267.3Intense
277.3Intense
287.3Intense
297.3Intense
307.3Intense
317.3Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Timbuktu

In seasonPeak

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

Timbuktu 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 Timbuktu?

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
2.3
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Timbuktu.

What to pack for Timbuktu in May

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

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

light clothessun protection

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highMar 20UV 13Dec 18UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb10Very high
Mar13Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov8Very high
Dec7High

Air quality in Timbuktu 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 Timbuktu is worst in February — around 92 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.6× the cleanest month (August, 25 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorModeratePoorUnhealthyFeb 1191 µg/m³Aug 2126 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan89Unhealthy
Feb92Unhealthy
Mar84Unhealthy
Apr65Unhealthy
May67Unhealthy
Jun57Unhealthy
Jul36Poor
Aug25Moderate
Sep27Moderate
Oct50Poor
Nov52Poor
Dec78Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Timbuktu?

Timbuktu sits at 16.8°N, 3.0°W, 274 m above sea level, in Mali. The nearest listed city is Diré, 71 km away.

DouentzaBandiagaraBouremMoptiKoroI-n-Tillit

Topography around Timbuktu

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Timbuktu has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 19 m around an average of 263 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 21 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 294 m.

The land around Timbuktu is covered by bare terrain (78%) within 3 km, bare terrain (45%) and grassland (42%) within 16 km, and grassland (52%) and bare terrain (42%) within 80 km.

3 km
19 m
16 km
21 m
80 km
294 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Diré 71 km · Goundam 81 km · Douentza 197 km · Bandiagara 277 km · Bourem 284 km · Mopti 284 km · Koro 301 km · I-n-Tillit 304 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 Timbuktu (16.7735°, -3.0074°, elevation 274 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).