Fayfā’ weather in May

In May, Fayfā’ sees average daytime highs of 31°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 91 mm of rain across 18.4 wet days and about 12.8 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 30°C in the first days to 31°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 59% of the time in May, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 36 min at the start of May to 12 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Fayfā’'s 8th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Fayfā’'s year-round climate.

Daytime high
31°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
21°
9th coldest
Rainfall
91 mm
18.4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 48 min
5:39 AM – 6:28 PM
Cloud cover
39%
8th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
6.82 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.1
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 30°C in the first days to 31°C by the end.

A typical May day in Fayfā’ reaches about 31°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 33°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C warmer than April and about 1°C cooler than June.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13020
23020
33020
43020
53020
63020
73020
83020
93020
103020
113020
123021
133021
143021
153021
163021
173121
183121
193121
203121
213121
223121
233121
243121
253121
263121
273121
283121
293121
303121
313221

Fayfā’ 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
Jan23° / 13°184.411.18.3
Feb25° / 15°123.111.48.6
Mar27° / 17°266.611.97.7
Apr29° / 19°4611.612.45.8
May31° / 21°9118.412.84.1
Jun31° / 22°7515133.9
Jul30° / 22°12319.212.94.1
Aug29° / 21°30727.512.63.6
Sep30° / 19°1512312.13.9
Oct29° / 17°339.111.66.5
Nov26° / 15°164.811.28.2
Dec24° / 13°112.9118.8

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 59% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 19%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18812
28713
38614
48614
58614
68614
78614
88614
98515
108515
118515
128515
138416
148416
158218
168218
178119
188119
198020
208020
217921
227822
237723
247624
257624
267525
277426
287426
297426
307327
317327

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Fayfā’ gets around 91 mm of rain over 18.4 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 59% and peaks near 62% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
152
253
354
455
556
657
758
858
959
1060
1160
1260
1361
1461
1561
1661
1762
1862
1962
2062
2161
2261
2361
2460
2560
2659
2759
2859
2958
3058
3158

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the humid band about 37% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 17% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
12230408
22130409
320304010
419314010
518314011
617314012
717314012
816314013
915313914
1015313915
1115313915
1214313916
1314313817
1413313917
1513303918
1613303918
1713293918
1813293919
1913293919
2014293819
2114283819
2214293819
2315283720
2416283620
2516283521
2617283421
2718273322
2819273223
2919273123
3019263024
3120263025

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 36 min at the start of May to 12 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 18 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:46 AM to 5:36 AM, and sunset from 6:23 PM to 6:33 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.65:466:23
212.65:466:23
312.65:456:24
412.75:456:24
512.75:446:24
612.75:446:25
712.75:436:25
812.75:436:25
912.75:426:26
1012.75:426:26
1112.75:416:26
1212.85:416:27
1312.85:416:27
1412.85:406:27
1512.85:406:28
1612.85:396:28
1712.85:396:28
1812.85:396:29
1912.85:396:29
2012.95:386:29
2112.95:386:30
2212.95:386:30
2312.95:386:30
2412.95:376:31
2512.95:376:31
2612.95:376:31
2712.95:376:32
2812.95:376:32
2912.95:376:33
3012.95:366:33
3112.95:366:33

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.82 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.04 kWh/m² to a high of 6.82 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 6.82 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.8Intense
26.8Intense
36.8Intense
46.8Intense
56.8Intense
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 Fayfā’

In seasonPeak

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

Fayfā’'s monsoon runs August–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

Fayfā’ sees seasonal dust haze (May–September), heaviest in July.

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

Is May a good time to visit Fayfā’?

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

4.1
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
5.9
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Fayfā’ for sightseeing.

What to pack for Fayfā’ in May

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

In May, Fayfā’ sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 18 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Fayfā’ in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Fayfā’ peaks around April 12 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 14 at about 7 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeExtremeVery highApr 12UV 13Dec 14UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep9Very high
Oct10Extreme
Nov8Very high
Dec7Very high

Air quality in Fayfā’ 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 Fayfā’ is worst in July — around 52 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.5× the cleanest month (November, 21 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateJul 1551 µg/m³Nov 1621 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan29Moderate
Feb39Poor
Mar38Poor
Apr40Poor
May38Poor
Jun45Poor
Jul52Poor
Aug42Poor
Sep32Moderate
Oct22Moderate
Nov21Moderate
Dec22Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Fayfā’?

Fayfā’ sits at 17.3°N, 43.1°E, 898 m above sea level, in Saudi Arabia. The nearest listed city is Ḑamad, 43 km away.

Topography around Fayfā’

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Fayfā’ has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,115 m around an average of 982 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,957 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,982 m.

The land around Fayfā’ is covered by shrubs (90%) within 3 km, shrubs (76%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (50%) and shrubs (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
1,115 m
16 km
1,957 m
80 km
2,982 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Ḑamad 43 km · Abū ‘Arīsh 47 km · Şabyā 56 km · Jizan 76 km · Sa'dah 77 km · Şāmitah 79 km · Sarāt ‘Abīdah 90 km · Najran 108 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 Fayfā’ (17.2806°, 43.1373°, elevation 898 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).