Niamey weather in May

In May, Niamey sees average daytime highs of 40°C and overnight lows near 29°C, with 8 mm of rain across 2.3 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 41°C in the first days to 39°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 50% 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 Niamey's 8th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Niamey's year-round climate.

Daytime high
40°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
29°
12th coldest
Rainfall
8 mm
2.3 wet days
Daylight
12 h 36 min
6:29 AM – 7:06 PM
Cloud cover
46%
8th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
6.79 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.2
out of 10

Niamey is capital of Niger.

Founded
1901

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 41°C in the first days to 39°C by the end.

A typical May day in Niamey reaches about 40°C in the afternoon and slips back to 29°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 37°C and 42°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)
14129
24129
34129
44129
54029
64029
74029
84029
94029
104029
114029
124029
134029
144029
154029
164029
174029
184029
194029
204029
214029
224029
233929
243929
253929
263929
273929
283929
293928
303928
313928

How May really feels in Niamey

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.

Niamey 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
Jan31° / 17°0011.35.9
Feb34° / 20°0011.63.8
Mar38° / 24°10.411.91.3
Apr40° / 27°20.612.30.0
May40° / 29°82.312.60.2
Jun37° / 28°215.212.81.6
Jul34° / 26°6110.812.72.9
Aug32° / 25°12215.212.43.4
Sep34° / 25°456.612.13.1
Oct37° / 25°91.911.71.7
Nov36° / 20°0011.42.7
Dec32° / 18°0011.25.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 50% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 33%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16337
26337
36337
46337
56337
66337
76535
86535
96535
106535
116634
126634
136634
146634
156832
166832
176832
186832
196931
206931
216931
226931
236931
246931
256931
266931
276931
286931
296832
306832
316832

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Niamey gets around 8 mm of rain over 2.3 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 8% and peaks near 13% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
14
24
35
45
55
65
75
86
96
106
116
126
136
146
157
167
177
187
198
208
218
229
239
2410
2510
2610
2711
2811
2912
3013
3113

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 47% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 54% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1251433262
2241433282
3221433292
4201433312
5181333332
6171332352
7151332373
8141232393
9121232413
10111232423
1191132444
1281131454
1371131464
1461131475
1561031485
1651031496
174930516
184930507
193829528
203829519
212728549
2227275410
2327265411
2426255512
2516245514
2615225715
2715215716
2814205817
2914185918
3013176019
3103166120

Wind in May

Winds average 13 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.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112calm
212calm
312light breeze
412light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812light breeze
912light breeze
1012light breeze
1112light 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
3113light breeze

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 6:35 AM to 6:27 AM, and sunset from 7:03 PM to 7:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.56:357:03
212.56:347:03
312.56:347:03
412.56:337:04
512.56:337:04
612.56:327:04
712.56:327:04
812.56:327:04
912.66:317:05
1012.66:317:05
1112.66:317:05
1212.66:307:05
1312.66:307:06
1412.66:307:06
1512.66:297:06
1612.66:297:06
1712.66:297:07
1812.66:297:07
1912.66:287:07
2012.76:287:08
2112.76:287:08
2212.76:287:08
2312.76:287:08
2412.76:287:09
2512.76:277:09
2612.76:277:09
2712.76:277:10
2812.76:277:10
2912.76:277:10
3012.76:277:11
3112.76:277:11

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.79 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.65 kWh/m² to a high of 7.04 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 6.79 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.9Intense
26.9Intense
36.9Intense
46.9Intense
56.9Intense
66.8Intense
76.8Intense
86.8Intense
96.8Intense
106.8Intense
116.8Intense
126.8Intense
136.8Intense
146.8Intense
156.8Intense
166.8Intense
176.8Intense
186.8Intense
196.8Intense
206.8Intense
216.8Intense
226.8Intense
236.8Intense
246.8Intense
256.8Intense
266.8Intense
276.8Intense
286.8Intense
296.8Intense
306.8Intense
316.8Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Niamey

In seasonPeak

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

Niamey sees seasonal dust haze (January–July), heaviest in March.

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

Is May a good time to visit Niamey?

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

0.2
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
3.0
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Niamey.

What to pack for Niamey in May

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

In May, Niamey sees daytime highs around 40°C and nights near 29°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Niamey 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 Niamey peaks around August 19 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 14 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 highAug 19UV 13Dec 14UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb11Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr10Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Niamey 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 Niamey is worst in February — around 97 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 5.0× the cleanest month (August, 20 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorModeratePoorUnhealthyFeb 2197 µg/m³Aug 1320 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan87Unhealthy
Feb97Unhealthy
Mar96Unhealthy
Apr74Unhealthy
May46Poor
Jun34Moderate
Jul22Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep26Moderate
Oct48Poor
Nov62Unhealthy
Dec77Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Niamey?

Niamey sits at 13.5°N, 2.1°E, 206 m above sea level, in Niger. The nearest listed city is Youri Kourtéré, 25 km away.

BaléyaraBirnin GaouréTillabériDosso

Topography around Niamey

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Niamey has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 52 m around an average of 203 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 97 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 136 m.

The land around Niamey is covered by artificial surfaces (69%) within 3 km, grassland (42%) and bare terrain (26%) within 16 km, and grassland (64%) and bare terrain (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
52 m
16 km
97 m
80 km
136 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Youri Kourtéré 25 km · Kollo 34 km · Say 54 km · Torodi 55 km · Baléyara 96 km · Birnin Gaouré 99 km · Tillabéri 105 km · Dosso 128 km

Niger travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type A / B / C / D / E / F
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 36% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$775
2025
Happiness
4.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
4.4
per 100k, 2012
Road deaths
25.5
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
Religion
Muslim 96%ethnic religionist 4%Christian 0%agnostics and other 0%

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 Niamey (13.5137°, 2.1098°, elevation 206 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).