Gilgit weather in May

In May, Gilgit sees average daytime highs of 6°C and overnight lows near -4°C, with 120 mm of precipitation across 14.2 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 4°C in the first days to 9°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Gilgit's 7th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gilgit's year-round climate.

Daytime high
5th warmest
Overnight low
-4°
8th coldest
Precipitation
120 mm
14.2 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
5:02 AM – 6:56 PM
Cloud cover
50%
7th clearest
Wind
2 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
7.81 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.6
out of 10

Gilgit is city in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 4°C in the first days to 9°C by the end.

A typical May day in Gilgit reaches about 6°C in the afternoon and slips back to -4°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 3°C and 10°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°C warmer than April and about 8°C cooler than June.

-10°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13-6
24-6
34-6
44-6
54-5
64-5
74-5
85-5
95-5
105-5
115-5
125-5
136-4
146-4
156-4
166-4
176-4
187-4
197-4
207-4
217-3
227-3
238-3
248-3
258-3
268-3
279-3
289-2
299-2
309-2
3110-2

How May really feels in Gilgit

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
31
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Gilgit weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-12° / -19°811314.59.80.0
Feb-9° / -16°11114.415.610.60.0
Mar-4° / -13°13916.116.811.70.0
Apr / -8°12713.313.512.90.0
May / -4°12014.210.713.90.6
Jun14° / 11415.52.114.43.7
Jul19° / 11119.20.114.25.2
Aug19° / 11320.30.113.45.0
Sep14° / 11418.33.312.23.6
Oct / -7°9212.510.311.10.4
Nov-6° / -15°709.710.410.10.0
Dec-11° / -19°7111.612.79.60.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 40%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15248
25248
35248
45248
55248
65248
75446
85446
95446
105644
115743
125842
135941
146040
156139
166238
176238
186238
196337
206337
216436
226436
236436
246436
256436
266436
276436
286535
296535
306634
316733

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Gilgit gets around 120 mm of rain and snow over 14.2 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 45% and peaks near 50% on the wettest days, and about 11 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14341
24341
34340
44340
54239
64239
74238
84137
94136
104135
114034
124033
134032
144132
154132
164232
174332
184432
194532
204632
214732
224832
234932
245031
255030
265030
275028
285027
295026
305024
314923

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in May

Winds average 2 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 2 km/h on the calmest days to 2 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
12calm
22calm
32calm
42calm
52calm
62calm
72calm
82calm
92calm
102calm
112calm
122calm
132calm
142calm
152calm
162calm
172calm
182calm
192calm
202calm
212calm
222calm
232calm
242calm
252calm
262calm
272calm
282calm
292calm
302calm
312calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:17 AM to 4:53 AM, and sunset from 6:43 PM to 7:07 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:176:43
213.55:166:44
313.55:156:45
413.55:136:46
513.65:126:47
613.65:116:47
713.65:106:48
813.75:096:49
913.75:086:50
1013.75:076:51
1113.85:066:52
1213.85:066:53
1313.85:056:53
1413.85:046:54
1513.95:036:55
1613.95:026:56
1713.95:016:57
1813.95:016:57
1914.05:006:58
2014.04:596:59
2114.04:587:00
2214.04:587:01
2314.14:577:01
2414.14:577:02
2514.14:567:03
2614.14:557:04
2714.24:557:04
2814.24:547:05
2914.24:547:06
3014.24:547:06
3114.24:537:07

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.81 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.03 kWh/m² to a high of 7.81 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 7.81 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.7Intense
27.7Intense
37.7Intense
47.7Intense
57.7Intense
67.7Intense
77.7Intense
87.8Intense
97.8Intense
107.8Intense
117.8Intense
127.8Intense
137.8Intense
147.8Intense
157.8Intense
167.8Intense
177.8Intense
187.9Intense
197.9Intense
207.9Intense
217.9Intense
227.9Intense
237.9Intense
247.9Intense
257.9Intense
267.9Intense
277.9Intense
287.9Intense
297.9Intense
307.9Intense
317.9Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Gilgit?

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

0.6
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Gilgit.

What to pack for Gilgit in May

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

In May, Gilgit sees daytime highs around 6°C and nights near -4°C. Pack a warm layer, a heavy coat, rain gear and sun protection. About 14 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gearsun protection

UV index in Gilgit in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Gilgit peaks around May 19 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 11 at about 3 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateVery highExtremeVery highModerateMay 19UV 13Jan 11UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb6High
Mar9Very high
Apr12Extreme
May14Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep10Very high
Oct7High
Nov4Moderate
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Gilgit 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 Gilgit is worst in January — around 30 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (September, 12 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateJan 1630 µg/m³Sep 1312 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan30Moderate
Feb29Moderate
Mar24Moderate
Apr20Moderate
May17Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul14Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct15Moderate
Nov24Moderate
Dec29Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Gilgit?

Gilgit sits at 35.9°N, 74.3°E, 1,467 m above sea level, in Pakistan. The nearest listed city is Hunza, 55 km away.

SkarduMuzaffarabadMurreeIshqoshimIslamabadĀsmārKhorugh

Topography around Gilgit

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Gilgit has very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,690 m around an average of 1,781 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,952 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 7,102 m.

The land around Gilgit is covered by bare terrain (54%) within 3 km, bare terrain (54%) and grassland (30%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (38%) and grassland (29%) within 80 km.

3 km
1,690 m
16 km
3,952 m
80 km
7,102 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainsnow and icewatermoss and lichen
May weather nearby: Hunza 55 km · Skardu 138 km · Muzaffarabad 188 km · Murree 239 km · Ishqoshim 258 km · Islamabad 270 km · Āsmār 285 km · Khorugh 302 km

Pakistan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type C / D / G / M
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 24% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,596
2025
Happiness
4.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
45%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
4.3
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
13
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 493
Religion
Muslim 96%Hindu 2%Christian 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 Gilgit (35.9187°, 74.3124°, elevation 1,467 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).