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
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 40 | 40 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 |
| Avg low (°C) | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40 | 27 |
| 2 | 40 | 27 |
| 3 | 41 | 27 |
| 4 | 41 | 27 |
| 5 | 41 | 27 |
| 6 | 41 | 27 |
| 7 | 41 | 27 |
| 8 | 41 | 28 |
| 9 | 41 | 28 |
| 10 | 41 | 28 |
| 11 | 41 | 28 |
| 12 | 41 | 28 |
| 13 | 41 | 28 |
| 14 | 41 | 28 |
| 15 | 41 | 28 |
| 16 | 41 | 28 |
| 17 | 41 | 29 |
| 18 | 41 | 29 |
| 19 | 41 | 29 |
| 20 | 41 | 29 |
| 21 | 41 | 29 |
| 22 | 41 | 29 |
| 23 | 41 | 29 |
| 24 | 41 | 29 |
| 25 | 41 | 29 |
| 26 | 41 | 29 |
| 27 | 41 | 29 |
| 28 | 41 | 29 |
| 29 | 41 | 29 |
| 30 | 41 | 29 |
| 31 | 41 | 29 |
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.
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.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28° / 15° | 1 | 0.1 | 11.1 | 7.8 |
| Feb | 31° / 17° | 0 | 0 | 11.4 | 5.7 |
| Mar | 35° / 21° | 0 | 0.1 | 11.9 | 3.1 |
| Apr | 39° / 25° | 0 | 0.1 | 12.4 | 0.6 |
| May | 41° / 28° | 2 | 0.6 | 12.8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 41° / 30° | 5 | 2.2 | 13 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 38° / 28° | 25 | 5.5 | 12.9 | 1.0 |
| Aug | 37° / 27° | 47 | 8.8 | 12.6 | 1.9 |
| Sep | 38° / 27° | 16 | 3.7 | 12.1 | 1.3 |
| Oct | 38° / 25° | 3 | 0.9 | 11.6 | 1.5 |
| Nov | 34° / 20° | 0 | 0 | 11.2 | 3.9 |
| Dec | 30° / 16° | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6.7 |
Cloud cover in May
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%.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 77 | 77 | 77 | 78 | 77 | 77 | 78 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 78 | 77 | 77 | 78 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 82 | 82 | 82 | 82 | 82 | 84 |
| Cloudier (%) | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 16 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 77 | 23 |
| 2 | 77 | 23 |
| 3 | 77 | 23 |
| 4 | 78 | 22 |
| 5 | 77 | 23 |
| 6 | 77 | 23 |
| 7 | 78 | 22 |
| 8 | 77 | 23 |
| 9 | 77 | 23 |
| 10 | 77 | 23 |
| 11 | 77 | 23 |
| 12 | 77 | 23 |
| 13 | 77 | 23 |
| 14 | 77 | 23 |
| 15 | 77 | 23 |
| 16 | 77 | 23 |
| 17 | 78 | 22 |
| 18 | 77 | 23 |
| 19 | 77 | 23 |
| 20 | 78 | 22 |
| 21 | 78 | 22 |
| 22 | 79 | 21 |
| 23 | 80 | 20 |
| 24 | 80 | 20 |
| 25 | 80 | 20 |
| 26 | 82 | 18 |
| 27 | 82 | 18 |
| 28 | 82 | 18 |
| 29 | 82 | 18 |
| 30 | 82 | 18 |
| 31 | 84 | 16 |
Chance of precipitation in May
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0 |
| 2 | 0 |
| 3 | 0 |
| 4 | 1 |
| 5 | 1 |
| 6 | 1 |
| 7 | 1 |
| 8 | 1 |
| 9 | 1 |
| 10 | 1 |
| 11 | 2 |
| 12 | 2 |
| 13 | 2 |
| 14 | 2 |
| 15 | 2 |
| 16 | 2 |
| 17 | 2 |
| 18 | 2 |
| 19 | 3 |
| 20 | 3 |
| 21 | 3 |
| 22 | 3 |
| 23 | 3 |
| 24 | 3 |
| 25 | 3 |
| 26 | 3 |
| 27 | 3 |
| 28 | 3 |
| 29 | 3 |
| 30 | 3 |
| 31 | 4 |
Humidity in May
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 94 | 94 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 89 | 89 | 89 | 87 | 87 | 86 | 85 | 83 | 83 | 82 | 81 | 80 | 80 | 79 | 77 | 77 | 76 | 75 | 74 | 72 | 70 | 70 | 68 | 66 | 63 | 62 |
| Comfortable (%) | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20 |
| Humid (%) | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| Muggy (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 94 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | 94 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | 92 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | 92 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 5 | 92 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 6 | 89 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| 7 | 89 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| 8 | 89 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| 9 | 87 | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| 10 | 87 | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| 11 | 86 | 8 | 5 | 1 |
| 12 | 85 | 8 | 6 | 1 |
| 13 | 83 | 9 | 6 | 2 |
| 14 | 83 | 9 | 6 | 2 |
| 15 | 82 | 10 | 6 | 2 |
| 16 | 81 | 10 | 7 | 2 |
| 17 | 80 | 11 | 7 | 2 |
| 18 | 80 | 11 | 7 | 2 |
| 19 | 79 | 12 | 7 | 2 |
| 20 | 77 | 13 | 7 | 3 |
| 21 | 77 | 13 | 7 | 3 |
| 22 | 76 | 14 | 7 | 3 |
| 23 | 75 | 14 | 8 | 3 |
| 24 | 74 | 15 | 8 | 3 |
| 25 | 72 | 16 | 8 | 4 |
| 26 | 70 | 17 | 9 | 4 |
| 27 | 70 | 17 | 9 | 4 |
| 28 | 68 | 18 | 10 | 4 |
| 29 | 66 | 19 | 11 | 4 |
| 30 | 63 | 20 | 12 | 5 |
| 31 | 62 | 20 | 13 | 5 |
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
| Feels | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | light breeze |
| 2 | 14 | light breeze |
| 3 | 14 | light breeze |
| 4 | 14 | light breeze |
| 5 | 14 | light breeze |
| 6 | 14 | light breeze |
| 7 | 14 | light breeze |
| 8 | 14 | light breeze |
| 9 | 14 | light breeze |
| 10 | 14 | light breeze |
| 11 | 14 | light breeze |
| 12 | 14 | light breeze |
| 13 | 14 | light breeze |
| 14 | 14 | light breeze |
| 15 | 14 | light breeze |
| 16 | 14 | light breeze |
| 17 | 14 | light breeze |
| 18 | 14 | light breeze |
| 19 | 14 | light breeze |
| 20 | 14 | light breeze |
| 21 | 14 | light breeze |
| 22 | 14 | light breeze |
| 23 | 14 | light breeze |
| 24 | 14 | light breeze |
| 25 | 14 | light breeze |
| 26 | 14 | light breeze |
| 27 | 14 | light breeze |
| 28 | 14 | light breeze |
| 29 | 14 | light breeze |
| 30 | 14 | light breeze |
| 31 | 14 | light breeze |
Sunrise & sunset in May
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:51 | 5:51 | 5:50 | 5:50 | 5:49 | 5:49 | 5:48 | 5:48 | 5:47 | 5:47 | 5:47 | 5:46 | 5:46 | 5:45 | 5:45 | 5:45 | 5:45 | 5:44 | 5:44 | 5:44 | 5:43 | 5:43 | 5:43 | 5:43 | 5:43 | 5:42 | 5:42 | 5:42 | 5:42 | 5:42 | 5:42 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:27 | 6:27 | 6:28 | 6:28 | 6:28 | 6:29 | 6:29 | 6:29 | 6:29 | 6:30 | 6:30 | 6:30 | 6:31 | 6:31 | 6:31 | 6:32 | 6:32 | 6:32 | 6:33 | 6:33 | 6:33 | 6:34 | 6:34 | 6:35 | 6:35 | 6:35 | 6:36 | 6:36 | 6:36 | 6:37 | 6:37 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12.6 | 5:51 | 6:27 |
| 2 | 12.6 | 5:51 | 6:27 |
| 3 | 12.6 | 5:50 | 6:28 |
| 4 | 12.6 | 5:50 | 6:28 |
| 5 | 12.6 | 5:49 | 6:28 |
| 6 | 12.7 | 5:49 | 6:29 |
| 7 | 12.7 | 5:48 | 6:29 |
| 8 | 12.7 | 5:48 | 6:29 |
| 9 | 12.7 | 5:47 | 6:29 |
| 10 | 12.7 | 5:47 | 6:30 |
| 11 | 12.7 | 5:47 | 6:30 |
| 12 | 12.7 | 5:46 | 6:30 |
| 13 | 12.7 | 5:46 | 6:31 |
| 14 | 12.8 | 5:45 | 6:31 |
| 15 | 12.8 | 5:45 | 6:31 |
| 16 | 12.8 | 5:45 | 6:32 |
| 17 | 12.8 | 5:45 | 6:32 |
| 18 | 12.8 | 5:44 | 6:32 |
| 19 | 12.8 | 5:44 | 6:33 |
| 20 | 12.8 | 5:44 | 6:33 |
| 21 | 12.8 | 5:43 | 6:33 |
| 22 | 12.8 | 5:43 | 6:34 |
| 23 | 12.9 | 5:43 | 6:34 |
| 24 | 12.9 | 5:43 | 6:35 |
| 25 | 12.9 | 5:43 | 6:35 |
| 26 | 12.9 | 5:42 | 6:35 |
| 27 | 12.9 | 5:42 | 6:36 |
| 28 | 12.9 | 5:42 | 6:36 |
| 29 | 12.9 | 5:42 | 6:36 |
| 30 | 12.9 | 5:42 | 6:37 |
| 31 | 12.9 | 5:42 | 6:37 |
Solar energy in May
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 |
| Level | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 2 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 3 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 4 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 5 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 6 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 7 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 8 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 9 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 10 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 11 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 12 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 13 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 14 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 15 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 16 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 17 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 18 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 19 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 20 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 21 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 22 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 23 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 24 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 25 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 26 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 27 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 28 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 29 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 30 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 31 | 7.3 | Intense |
Hazard calendar for Timbuktu
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.
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).
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.
UV index in Timbuktu in May
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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 8 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 7 |
| Level | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Very high |
| Feb | 10 | Very high |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 10 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 7 | High |
Air quality in Timbuktu in May
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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 89 | 92 | 84 | 65 | 67 | 57 | 36 | 25 | 27 | 50 | 52 | 78 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 89 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 92 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 84 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 65 | Unhealthy |
| May | 67 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 57 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 36 | Poor |
| Aug | 25 | Moderate |
| Sep | 27 | Moderate |
| Oct | 50 | Poor |
| Nov | 52 | Poor |
| Dec | 78 | Unhealthy |
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.
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.
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
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).