Potiskum weather in May

In May, Potiskum sees average daytime highs of 38°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 23 mm of rain across 4.9 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 38°C in the first days to 37°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time in May, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 24 min at the start of May to 12 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Potiskum's 8th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Potiskum's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
26°
12th coldest
Rainfall
23 mm
4.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
5:56 AM – 6:28 PM
Cloud cover
49%
8th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.78 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.3
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 38°C in the first days to 37°C by the end.

A typical May day in Potiskum reaches about 38°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 35°C and 40°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C cooler than April and about 3°C warmer than June.

20°25°30°35°40°45°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13925
23825
33825
43826
53826
63826
73826
83826
93826
103826
113826
123826
133826
143826
153826
163826
173826
183826
193826
203826
213826
223726
233726
243726
253726
263726
273726
283726
293726
303726
313726

How May really feels in Potiskum

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.

Potiskum 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
Jan29° / 14°0011.46.9
Feb33° / 17°0011.64.8
Mar37° / 21°0011.92.1
Apr39° / 24°41.112.30.8
May38° / 26°234.912.51.3
Jun35° / 25°439.712.72.6
Jul32° / 23°1321912.63.3
Aug30° / 23°20222.412.43.4
Sep32° / 23°9714.312.13.7
Oct34° / 22°234.411.73.5
Nov33° / 18°0011.54.4
Dec30° / 15°0011.36.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% 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 38%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15941
25941
35941
46040
56040
66139
76139
86139
96139
106238
116238
126337
136436
146436
156436
166436
176337
186337
196436
206436
216337
226337
236337
246238
256238
266238
276238
286238
296238
306238
316337

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Potiskum gets around 23 mm of rain over 4.9 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 15% and peaks near 23% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
110
211
311
412
512
612
712
813
913
1013
1113
1213
1313
1413
1513
1614
1714
1815
1915
2016
2117
2217
2318
2419
2520
2620
2721
2822
2922
3022
3123

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 60% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1231027346
222927366
320927377
419827387
518827397
617827408
716827418
816828418
915828428
1014828438
1113827438
1213727448
1312727459
1412726459
1512726469
16117254710
17117244710
18107234811
1997234912
2097225013
2186215114
2276205314
2375195415
2465185417
2554185518
2654175519
2744165521
2833155722
2933145723
3022135825
3122125826

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 9 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
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 24 min at the start of May to 12 h 36 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 6:01 AM to 5:54 AM, and sunset from 6:25 PM to 6:32 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.46:016:25
212.46:006:25
312.46:006:25
412.45:596:26
512.45:596:26
612.55:596:26
712.55:586:26
812.55:586:26
912.55:586:27
1012.55:576:27
1112.55:576:27
1212.55:576:27
1312.55:576:27
1412.55:566:28
1512.55:566:28
1612.55:566:28
1712.55:566:28
1812.65:556:29
1912.65:556:29
2012.65:556:29
2112.65:556:29
2212.65:556:30
2312.65:556:30
2412.65:556:30
2512.65:546:30
2612.65:546:31
2712.65:546:31
2812.65:546:31
2912.65:546:31
3012.65:546:32
3112.65:546:32

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.78 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.18 kWh/m² to a high of 7.23 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 6.78 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
66.9Intense
76.9Intense
86.9Intense
96.9Intense
106.9Intense
116.8Intense
126.8Intense
136.8Intense
146.8Intense
156.8Intense
166.8Intense
176.8Intense
186.8Intense
196.8Intense
206.8Intense
216.8Intense
226.7Intense
236.7Intense
246.7Intense
256.7Intense
266.7Intense
276.7Intense
286.6Intense
296.6Intense
306.6Intense
316.6Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Potiskum

In seasonPeak

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

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

Potiskum sees dust haze year-round, heaviest in April.

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

Is May a good time to visit Potiskum?

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

1.3
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
4.3
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Potiskum.

What to pack for Potiskum in May

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

In May, Potiskum sees daytime highs around 38°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 5 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Potiskum 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 Potiskum peaks around August 19 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeVery highAug 19UV 12Dec 15UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb11Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May10Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Potiskum 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 Potiskum is worst in February — around 107 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.9× the cleanest month (August, 27 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorModeratePoorUnhealthyFeb 14106 µg/m³Aug 1528 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan101Unhealthy
Feb107Unhealthy
Mar99Unhealthy
Apr78Unhealthy
May54Poor
Jun47Poor
Jul31Moderate
Aug27Moderate
Sep32Moderate
Oct52Poor
Nov63Unhealthy
Dec93Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Potiskum?

Potiskum sits at 11.7°N, 11.1°E, 427 m above sea level, in Nigeria. The nearest listed city is Daura, 40 km away.

NafadaKariDamaturuAzareDukkuDarazoGashua

Topography around Potiskum

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Potiskum has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 29 m around an average of 421 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 98 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 327 m.

The land around Potiskum is covered by artificial surfaces (72%) within 3 km, cropland (74%) within 16 km, and cropland (66%) and grassland (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
29 m
16 km
98 m
80 km
327 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
May weather nearby: Daura 40 km · Nafada 74 km · Kari 77 km · Damaturu 96 km · Azare 97 km · Dukku 105 km · Darazo 108 km · Gashua 129 km

Nigeria travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type D / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 13% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,224
2025
Happiness
4.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
30%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
15.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
20.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
High
EF EPI 569
Religion
Muslim 54%other Christian 35%Roman Catholic 11%other 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 Potiskum (11.7139°, 11.0811°, elevation 427 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).