Ash Shafā weather in May

In May, Ash Shafā sees average daytime highs of 36°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 21 mm of rain across 6.8 wet days and about 13 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 34°C in the first days to 37°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 81% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 48 min at the start of May to 13 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Ash Shafā's 6th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ash Shafā's year-round climate.

Daytime high
36°
5th warmest
Overnight low
25°
8th coldest
Rainfall
21 mm
6.8 wet days
Daylight
13 hours
5:45 AM – 6:45 PM
Cloud cover
24%
6th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
7.23 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.5
out of 10

Ash Shafā is village in Makkah Province, in western Saudi Arabia.

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 34°C in the first days to 37°C by the end.

A typical May day in Ash Shafā reaches about 36°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 33°C and 38°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 4°C warmer than April and about 2°C cooler than June.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13423
23423
33424
43424
53424
63524
73524
83524
93524
103524
113524
123524
133524
143525
153625
163625
173625
183625
193625
203625
213625
223625
233725
243726
253726
263726
273726
283726
293726
303726
313826

How May really feels in Ash Shafā

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.

Ash Shafā weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 16°51610.98.2
Feb26° / 17°132.611.38.5
Mar29° / 19°184.211.96.9
Apr32° / 22°245.212.54.7
May36° / 25°216.8132.5
Jun38° / 27°62.613.31.3
Jul37° / 28°41.313.21.9
Aug37° / 27°165.212.72.0
Sep36° / 26°268.412.12.1
Oct33° / 22°113.111.54.3
Nov29° / 19°154.2117.0
Dec26° / 17°274.810.78.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 81% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 9%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1928
2928
3928
4919
5919
6919
7919
89010
99010
109010
119010
129010
139010
149010
159010
169010
179010
189010
19919
20919
21919
22919
23928
24928
25928
26937
27937
28937
29946
30946
31946

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Ash Shafā gets around 21 mm of rain over 6.8 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 22% and peaks near 23% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
120
220
320
420
521
621
721
821
921
1022
1122
1222
1322
1423
1523
1623
1723
1823
1923
2023
2123
2223
2323
2423
2523
2622
2722
2821
2921
3020
3120

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 56% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
15430142
25430142
35529142
45529142
55628142
65727142
75727142
85826142
95826142
105726143
115726143
125726143
135626144
145626144
155626144
165526145
175426155
185326156
195326156
205425156
215425156
225425156
235524156
245524156
255623156
265722156
275722156
285821156
296120145
306219145
316219145

Wind in May

Winds average 7 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 48 min at the start of May to 13 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 24 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:53 AM to 5:41 AM, and sunset from 6:39 PM to 6:51 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.85:536:39
212.85:526:39
312.85:526:40
412.85:516:40
512.85:516:40
612.85:506:41
712.95:496:41
812.95:496:42
912.95:486:42
1012.95:486:42
1112.95:476:43
1212.95:476:43
1313.05:466:44
1413.05:466:44
1513.05:456:45
1613.05:456:45
1713.05:456:45
1813.05:446:46
1913.05:446:46
2013.15:436:47
2113.15:436:47
2213.15:436:48
2313.15:436:48
2413.15:426:48
2513.15:426:49
2613.15:426:49
2713.15:426:50
2813.15:416:50
2913.25:416:51
3013.25:416:51
3113.25:416:51

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.23 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.37 kWh/m² to a high of 7.23 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 7.23 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.2Intense
27.2Intense
37.2Intense
47.2Intense
57.2Intense
67.2Intense
77.2Intense
87.2Intense
97.2Intense
107.3Intense
117.3Intense
127.3Intense
137.3Intense
147.3Intense
157.2Intense
167.2Intense
177.2Intense
187.2Intense
197.2Intense
207.2Intense
217.2Intense
227.2Intense
237.2Intense
247.2Intense
257.2Intense
267.2Intense
277.2Intense
287.2Intense
297.2Intense
307.2Intense
317.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Ash Shafā

In seasonPeak

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

Ash Shafā sees seasonal dust haze (May–September), heaviest in June.

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

Is May a good time to visit Ash Shafā?

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

2.5
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
5.8
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Ash Shafā.

What to pack for Ash Shafā in May

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

In May, Ash Shafā sees daytime highs around 36°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 7 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Ash Shafā 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 Ash Shafā peaks around July 13 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 14 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highHighJul 13UV 13Dec 14UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb10Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct10Very high
Nov7Very high
Dec6High

Air quality in Ash Shafā 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 Ash Shafā is worst in March — around 55 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorMar 2354 µg/m³Jul 1841 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan46Poor
Feb49Poor
Mar55Poor
Apr54Poor
May50Poor
Jun48Poor
Jul40Poor
Aug45Poor
Sep48Poor
Oct44Poor
Nov42Poor
Dec47Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Ash Shafā?

Ash Shafā sits at 21.1°N, 40.3°E, 2,231 m above sea level, in Saudi Arabia. The nearest listed city is Ta'if, 24 km away.

Al ‘AqīqJeddahTurabahKhulayş

Topography around Ash Shafā

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Ash Shafā has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 997 m around an average of 2,152 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,114 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,609 m.

The land around Ash Shafā is covered by shrubs (59%) within 3 km, shrubs (39%), bare terrain (35%) and grassland (23%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (82%) within 80 km.

3 km
997 m
16 km
2,114 m
80 km
2,609 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
May weather nearby: Ta'if 24 km · Mecca 64 km · Al Jumūm 89 km · Al Līth 103 km · Al ‘Aqīq 123 km · Jeddah 126 km · Turabah 137 km · Khulayş 159 km

Saudi Arabia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type G
230 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 47% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$34,537
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
0.9
per 100k, 2019
Road deaths
35.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 404

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 Ash Shafā (21.0727°, 40.3184°, elevation 2,231 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).