Sarāt ‘Abīdah weather in May

In May, Sarāt ‘Abīdah sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 24 mm of rain across 6.3 wet days and about 12.8 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 28°C in the first days to 30°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 36 min at the start of May to 13 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Sarāt ‘Abīdah's 9th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sarāt ‘Abīdah's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
4th warmest
Overnight low
18°
9th coldest
Rainfall
24 mm
6.3 wet days
Daylight
12 h 48 min
5:38 AM – 6:29 PM
Cloud cover
39%
9th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
7.01 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 28°C in the first days to 30°C by the end.

A typical May day in Sarāt ‘Abīdah reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 3°C warmer than April and about 2°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12816
22816
32816
42817
52817
62817
72817
82817
92917
102917
112917
122917
132917
142917
152918
162918
172918
183018
193018
203018
213018
223018
233018
243018
253018
263018
273018
283018
293018
303119
313119

Sarāt ‘Abīdah weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 4th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan21° / 112.2118.4
Feb23° / 11°71.711.48.9
Mar24° / 13°184.811.98.5
Apr27° / 15°225.912.47.7
May29° / 18°246.312.86.2
Jun31° / 19°123.413.15.3
Jul30° / 19°298.8135.2
Aug29° / 19°531712.64.6
Sep29° / 17°196.412.16.0
Oct26° / 14°61.411.68.7
Nov24° / 11°41.111.19.2
Dec22° / 20.610.99.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 29% 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 (%)
18713
28614
38614
48614
58515
68515
78515
88416
98416
108416
118317
128317
138218
148218
158119
168119
178020
187921
197921
207921
217822
227822
237822
247822
257723
267723
277624
287624
297624
307624
317624

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Sarāt ‘Abīdah gets around 24 mm of rain over 6.3 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 20% and peaks near 22% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
122
222
322
421
522
622
722
822
922
1022
1122
1221
1321
1421
1520
1620
1720
1820
1920
2020
2120
2219
2319
2419
2519
2618
2718
2818
2918
3018
3118

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 94% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1937
2937
3937
4937
5928
6928
7928
8928
9928
10928
11937
12937
13937
14937
15946
16946
17946
18946
19946
20946
21955
22955
23955
24955
25955
26955
27955
28955
29955
30955
31955

Wind in May

Winds average 8 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 36 min at the start of May to 13 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 24 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:45 AM to 5:35 AM, and sunset from 6:24 PM to 6:35 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.65:456:24
212.75:456:24
312.75:446:25
412.75:446:25
512.75:436:25
612.75:436:26
712.75:426:26
812.75:426:26
912.85:416:27
1012.85:416:27
1112.85:406:27
1212.85:406:28
1312.85:396:28
1412.85:396:28
1512.85:396:29
1612.85:386:29
1712.95:386:30
1812.95:386:30
1912.95:376:30
2012.95:376:31
2112.95:376:31
2212.95:376:31
2312.95:366:32
2412.95:366:32
2512.95:366:32
2613.05:366:33
2713.05:356:33
2813.05:356:34
2913.05:356:34
3013.05:356:34
3113.05:356:35

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.01 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.25 kWh/m² to a high of 7.01 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 7.01 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.0Intense
27.0Intense
37.0Intense
47.0Intense
57.0Intense
67.0Intense
77.0Intense
87.0Intense
97.0Intense
107.0Intense
117.0Intense
127.0Intense
137.0Intense
147.0Intense
157.0Intense
167.0Intense
177.0Intense
187.0Intense
197.0Intense
207.0Intense
217.0Intense
227.0Intense
237.0Intense
247.0Intense
257.0Intense
267.0Intense
277.0Intense
287.0Intense
297.0Intense
307.0Intense
317.0Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Sarāt ‘Abīdah

In seasonPeak

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

Sarāt ‘Abīdah sees seasonal dust haze (May–September), heaviest in July.

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

Is May a good time to visit Sarāt ‘Abīdah?

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

6.2
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
7.8
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Sarāt ‘Abīdah for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Sarāt ‘Abīdah in May

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

In May, Sarāt ‘Abīdah sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 6 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Sarāt ‘Abīdah 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 Sarāt ‘Abīdah peaks around April 11 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highApr 11UV 14Dec 13UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb13Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Sarāt ‘Abīdah 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 Sarāt ‘Abīdah is worst in July — around 45 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.0× the cleanest month (December, 23 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateJul 1245 µg/m³Dec 1023 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan28Moderate
Feb37Poor
Mar36Poor
Apr40Poor
May41Poor
Jun44Poor
Jul45Poor
Aug42Poor
Sep36Poor
Oct26Moderate
Nov23Moderate
Dec23Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Sarāt ‘Abīdah?

Sarāt ‘Abīdah sits at 18.1°N, 43.1°E, 2,325 m above sea level, in Saudi Arabia. The nearest listed city is Khamis Mushait, 48 km away.

NajranAbū ‘ArīshSa'dah

Topography around Sarāt ‘Abīdah

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sarāt ‘Abīdah has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 275 m around an average of 2,370 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,730 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,843 m.

The land around Sarāt ‘Abīdah is covered by bare terrain (83%) within 3 km, bare terrain (91%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (77%) within 80 km.

3 km
275 m
16 km
1,730 m
80 km
2,843 m
shrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
May weather nearby: Khamis Mushait 48 km · Abha 68 km · Fayfā’ 90 km · Ḑamad 116 km · Şabyā 117 km · Najran 125 km · Abū ‘Arīsh 129 km · Sa'dah 144 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 Sarāt ‘Abīdah (18.089°, 43.132°, elevation 2,325 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).