Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ weather in May

In May, Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ sees average daytime highs of 38°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 2 mm of rain across 0.5 wet days and about 13.3 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 36°C in the first days to 41°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 74% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 hours at the start of May to 13 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Riyāḑ al Khabrā’'s 6th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Riyāḑ al Khabrā’'s year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
5th warmest
Overnight low
24°
8th coldest
Rainfall
2 mm
0.5 wet days
Daylight
13 h 18 min
5:24 AM – 6:40 PM
Cloud cover
25%
6th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
7.66 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.1
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 36°C in the first days to 41°C by the end.

A typical May day in Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ reaches about 38°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 15°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 35°C and 41°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°C warmer than April and about 4°C cooler than June.

20°30°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13621
23622
33622
43622
53622
63722
73722
83723
93723
103723
113823
123823
133823
143824
153824
163824
173924
183924
193924
203924
213925
223925
234025
244025
254025
264025
274025
284125
294126
304126
314126

How May really feels in Riyāḑ al Khabrā’

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
12 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.

Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan20° / 132.210.68.0
Feb23° / 10°61.111.18.9
Mar28° / 14°122.211.87.9
Apr33° / 19°132.512.64.5
May38° / 24°20.513.31.1
Jun42° / 26°0013.60.0
Jul43° / 27°0013.50.0
Aug43° / 27°0012.90.0
Sep41° / 24°00.112.20.2
Oct35° / 20°30.311.43.3
Nov27° / 14°212.910.77.8
Dec22° / 122.110.48.4

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 74% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 14%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18218
28317
38317
48218
58317
68317
78416
88416
98416
108416
118416
128416
138416
148515
158515
168515
178515
188515
198614
208614
218614
228614
238713
248812
258911
268911
279010
28919
29919
30937
31937

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ gets around 2 mm of rain over 0.5 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 2% and peaks near 5% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
15
25
35
44
54
63
73
82
92
102
112
122
132
142
152
162
172
182
192
202
212
222
231
241
251
261
271
281
291
301
311

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 98% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19442
29442
39442
49532
59532
69631
79631
89631
99631
109721
119820
129820
139820
149820
159820
169820
179820
189820
199820
209910
219910
229910
239910
249910
259910
269910
2710000
2810000
2910000
3010000
3110000

Wind in May

Winds average 14 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 hours at the start of May to 13 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 30 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:34 AM to 5:18 AM, and sunset from 6:32 PM to 6:48 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.05:346:32
213.05:336:33
313.05:326:33
413.05:326:34
513.15:316:34
613.15:306:35
713.15:296:35
813.15:296:36
913.15:286:36
1013.25:276:37
1113.25:276:37
1213.25:266:38
1313.25:266:39
1413.25:256:39
1513.35:246:40
1613.35:246:40
1713.35:236:41
1813.35:236:41
1913.35:226:42
2013.35:226:42
2113.45:216:43
2213.45:216:43
2313.45:216:44
2413.45:206:45
2513.45:206:45
2613.45:206:46
2713.45:196:46
2813.55:196:47
2913.55:196:47
3013.55:186:48
3113.55:186:48

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.66 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.99 kWh/m² to a high of 7.81 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 7.66 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.4Intense
27.4Intense
37.5Intense
47.5Intense
57.5Intense
67.5Intense
77.5Intense
87.5Intense
97.6Intense
107.6Intense
117.6Intense
127.6Intense
137.6Intense
147.6Intense
157.7Intense
167.7Intense
177.7Intense
187.7Intense
197.7Intense
207.7Intense
217.7Intense
227.7Intense
237.7Intense
247.8Intense
257.8Intense
267.8Intense
277.8Intense
287.8Intense
297.8Intense
307.8Intense
317.8Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Riyāḑ al Khabrā’

In seasonPeak

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

Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ sees seasonal dust haze (February–September), heaviest in May.

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

Is May a good time to visit Riyāḑ al Khabrā’?

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

1.1
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
4.4
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Riyāḑ al Khabrā’.

What to pack for Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ in May

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

In May, Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ sees daytime highs around 38°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ 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 Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ peaks around July 17 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 5 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highVery highExtremeVery highHighJul 17UV 12Dec 18UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan6High
Feb7Very high
Mar9Very high
Apr7High
May10Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep10Very high
Oct9Very high
Nov6High
Dec5Moderate

Air quality in Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ 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 Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ is worst in March — around 79 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 1.9× the cleanest month (July, 41 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorMar 2077 µg/m³Jul 2441 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan55Poor
Feb61Unhealthy
Mar79Unhealthy
Apr71Unhealthy
May70Unhealthy
Jun45Poor
Jul41Poor
Aug41Poor
Sep41Poor
Oct42Poor
Nov50Poor
Dec54Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Riyāḑ al Khabrā’?

Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ sits at 26.1°N, 43.6°E, 658 m above sea level, in Saudi Arabia. The nearest listed city is Al Khabrā’, 7.0 km away.

Topography around Riyāḑ al Khabrā’

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 36 m around an average of 662 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 81 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 643 m.

The land around Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ is covered by bare terrain (65%) and artificial surfaces (30%) within 3 km, bare terrain (84%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (92%) within 80 km.

3 km
36 m
16 km
81 m
80 km
643 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
May weather nearby: Al Khabrā’ 7.0 km · Al Bukayrīyah 13 km · Al Badā’i‘ al Wusţá 20 km · Ar Rass 23 km · Unaizah 45 km · ‘Uyūn al Jiwā’ 49 km · Buraydah 51 km · Al Mithnab 71 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 Riyāḑ al Khabrā’ (26.0667°, 43.5534°, elevation 658 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).