Zamboanga City weather in May

In May, Zamboanga City sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 208 mm of rain across 26.9 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 12 min at the start of May to 12 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Zamboanga City's 7th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zamboanga City's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
25°
12th coldest
Rainfall
208 mm
26.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
5:39 AM – 5:57 PM
Cloud cover
80%
7th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
5.57 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.5
out of 10
Air quality
Elevated
PM10 46 µg/m³ · 2018

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 28°C through the month.

A typical May day in Zamboanga City reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12925
22925
32925
42925
52825
62825
72825
82825
92825
102825
112825
122825
132825
142825
152825
162825
172825
182825
192825
202825
212825
222825
232825
242825
252825
262825
272825
282825
292825
302825
312825

How May really feels in Zamboanga City

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
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.

Zamboanga City weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 2nd-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 25°11917.711.65.1
Feb28° / 25°9814.511.85.3
Mar28° / 25°10818.4124.8
Apr29° / 25°13022.612.13.9
May28° / 25°20826.912.33.5
Jun28° / 25°24726.212.43.6
Jul27° / 25°21626.512.43.8
Aug28° / 25°19224.812.24.0
Sep28° / 25°19024.6124.0
Oct28° / 25°24527.211.83.7
Nov28° / 25°19725.111.73.9
Dec28° / 25°15723.211.64.3

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 81%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12872
22872
32773
42674
52575
62377
72278
82080
92080
101882
111882
121882
131783
141684
151783
161684
171684
181684
191684
201684
211684
221783
231783
241783
251882
261882
271882
281783
291783
301684
311486

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Zamboanga City gets around 208 mm of rain over 26.9 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 86% and peaks near 88% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
184
284
385
485
586
686
786
887
987
1087
1188
1288
1388
1488
1588
1687
1787
1887
1987
2086
2186
2286
2386
2486
2586
2686
2786
2886
2986
3086
3186

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 67% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
17228
27129
37030
47030
56931
66832
76832
86733
96733
106634
116634
126535
136535
146535
156535
166634
176634
186634
196634
206634
216634
226634
236634
246634
256634
266634
276634
286634
296634
306634
316634

Wind in May

Winds average 6 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 min at the start of May to 12 h 24 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 5:42 AM to 5:38 AM, and sunset from 5:56 PM to 6:00 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.25:425:56
212.25:415:56
312.35:415:56
412.35:415:56
512.35:415:56
612.35:405:56
712.35:405:56
812.35:405:56
912.35:405:57
1012.35:395:57
1112.35:395:57
1212.35:395:57
1312.35:395:57
1412.35:395:57
1512.35:395:57
1612.35:395:57
1712.35:385:58
1812.35:385:58
1912.35:385:58
2012.35:385:58
2112.35:385:58
2212.35:385:58
2312.35:385:59
2412.35:385:59
2512.35:385:59
2612.45:385:59
2712.45:385:59
2812.45:386:00
2912.45:386:00
3012.45:386:00
3112.45:386:00

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.57 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.08 kWh/m² to a high of 6.26 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 5.57 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.9Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.7Bright
65.7Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.5Bright
145.5Bright
155.5Bright
165.5Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.5Bright
205.5Bright
215.5Bright
225.5Bright
235.5Bright
245.5Bright
255.5Bright
265.5Bright
275.5Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Zamboanga City

In seasonPeak

In May, Zamboanga City sits inside its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Zamboanga City sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

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

Is May a good time to visit Zamboanga City?

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

3.5
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
4.2
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Zamboanga City.

What to pack for Zamboanga City in May

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

In May, Zamboanga City sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 27 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Zamboanga City in May

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in May at about 29°C and coldest in January near 28°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar28Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Zamboanga City in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Zamboanga City peaks around March 17 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near November 22 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeExtremeMar 17UV 14Nov 22UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec10Extreme

Air quality in Zamboanga City 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 Zamboanga City is worst in March — around 39 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.6× the cleanest month (August, 15 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateMar 1938 µg/m³Aug 1015 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan29Moderate
Feb33Moderate
Mar39Poor
Apr36Poor
May25Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct26Moderate
Nov30Moderate
Dec28Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Zamboanga City?

Zamboanga City sits at 6.9°N, 122.1°E, 9 m above sea level, in Philippines. The nearest listed city is Recodo, 13 km away.

SioconIpilJoloPagadian

Topography around Zamboanga City

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Zamboanga City has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 24 m around an average of 5 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 976 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,347 m.

The land around Zamboanga City is covered by artificial surfaces (41%) and water (38%) within 3 km, water (58%) and trees (33%) within 16 km, and water (79%) and trees (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
24 m
16 km
976 m
80 km
1,347 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
May weather nearby: Recodo 13 km · City of Isabela 26 km · Maluso 46 km · Al-Barka 48 km · Siocon 89 km · Ipil 112 km · Jolo 152 km · Pagadian 182 km

Philippines travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B / C
230 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 33% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$4,171
2025
Happiness
6.2 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
48%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
4.3
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
High
EF EPI 569
Religion
Roman Catholic 79%other 8%Muslim 6%other Christian 4%

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 Zamboanga City (6.9103°, 122.0739°, elevation 9 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. 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).