Pemba weather in May

In May, Pemba sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 23 mm of rain across 6 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 73% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of May to 11 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Pemba's 4th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Pemba's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
8th warmest
Overnight low
23°
5th coldest
Rainfall
23 mm
6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
5:32 AM – 4:56 PM
Cloud cover
31%
4th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
5.08 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.4
out of 10

Pemba is city in Mozambique.

Founded
1904

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 29°C through the month.

A typical May day in Pemba reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 30°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)
12923
22923
32923
42923
52923
62923
72923
82923
92923
102923
112923
122923
132923
142923
152923
162923
172923
182923
192922
202922
212922
222922
232922
242922
252922
262922
272922
282922
292922
302922
312922

How May really feels in Pemba

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 8 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
8
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.

Pemba weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 8th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 25°25224.912.73.1
Feb30° / 25°21323.112.43.0
Mar30° / 25°20624.712.13.3
Apr30° / 24°9516.411.74.6
May29° / 23°23611.46.4
Jun28° / 21°103.411.37.6
Jul27° / 21°92.911.37.9
Aug28° / 21°114.211.67.7
Sep29° / 22°113.411.97.0
Oct30° / 23°185.212.36.0
Nov31° / 25°42912.64.9
Dec31° / 25°1662012.73.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 73% 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 13%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18317
28416
38416
48515
58515
68515
78515
88515
98515
108515
118515
128515
138515
148515
158515
168515
178515
188614
198713
208713
218713
228911
238911
249010
25919
26919
27928
28937
29937
30937
31937

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Pemba gets around 23 mm of rain over 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 20% and peaks near 30% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
130
229
328
427
526
626
725
824
923
1023
1122
1222
1322
1421
1521
1621
1720
1819
1919
2018
2117
2217
2316
2415
2515
2614
2713
2813
2912
3012
3112

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the oppressive band about 51% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 94% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
12236213
22246212
32256310
4327619
5328618
6329617
7330616
8431596
9433585
10434584
11435574
12536563
13537553
14539542
15540532
16541522
17643501
18644501
19645481
20646471
21746460
22747450
23848440
24848430
25949420
261049410
271150390
281250380
291351360
301451350
311552330

Wind in May

Winds average 13 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
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min at the start of May to 11 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:29 AM to 5:36 AM, and sunset from 5:01 PM to 4:54 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.55:295:01
211.55:295:01
311.55:295:01
411.55:295:00
511.55:305:00
611.55:304:59
711.55:304:59
811.55:304:59
911.55:304:58
1011.55:314:58
1111.45:314:58
1211.45:314:57
1311.45:314:57
1411.45:324:57
1511.45:324:57
1611.45:324:56
1711.45:324:56
1811.45:334:56
1911.45:334:56
2011.45:334:55
2111.45:334:55
2211.45:344:55
2311.35:344:55
2411.35:344:55
2511.35:354:55
2611.35:354:55
2711.35:354:54
2811.35:354:54
2911.35:364:54
3011.35:364:54
3111.35:364:54

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.08 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.55 kWh/m² to a high of 6.91 kWh/m² in November across the year — May's 5.08 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.2Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.0Bright
175.0Bright
185.0Bright
195.0Bright
205.0Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
245.0Bright
254.9Bright
264.9Bright
274.9Bright
284.9Bright
294.9Bright
304.9Bright
314.9Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Pemba

In seasonPeak

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

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

Pemba's monsoon runs December–March, 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 Pemba?

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

6.4
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
8.1
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Pemba in May

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

In May, Pemba sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 6 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Pemba in May

The nearest coast averages about 28°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 16 km away) is warmest in March at about 29°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°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Tropical
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Pemba in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Pemba peaks around February 11 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeFeb 11UV 15Jun 21UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May10Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug10Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Pemba?

Pemba sits at 13.0°S, 40.5°E, 50 m above sea level, in Mozambique. The nearest listed city is Macomia, 92 km away.

Namapa-eratiMontepuezNacalaMuedaMocímboa da PraiaMocímboa

Topography around Pemba

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Pemba has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 105 m around an average of 24 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 142 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 672 m.

The land around Pemba is covered by water (41%) and artificial surfaces (37%) within 3 km, water (55%) and grassland (24%) within 16 km, and water (36%) and trees (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
105 m
16 km
142 m
80 km
672 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Macomia 92 km · Chiúre 92 km · Namapa-erati 111 km · Montepuez 165 km · Nacala 178 km · Mueda 180 km · Mocímboa da Praia 181 km · Mocímboa 185 km

Mozambique travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F / M
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 37% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$627
2025
Happiness
5.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
28%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
3.6
per 100k, 2011
Road deaths
30
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 465
Religion
Catholic 27%Islam 19%Pentecostal 17%Saio/Zione 16%

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 Pemba (-12.974°, 40.5177°, elevation 50 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. 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).