Saint-Louis weather in May

In May, Saint-Louis sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 0 mm of rain across 0 wet days and about 12.7 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 77% 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 Saint-Louis's 1st-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Saint-Louis's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
8th warmest
Overnight low
21°
5th coldest
Rainfall
0 mm
0 wet days
Daylight
12 h 42 min
6:40 AM – 7:25 PM
Cloud cover
22%
1st clearest
Wind
22 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
7.37 kWh/m²
Travel score
9.1
out of 10

Saint-Louis is city and regional capital in Senegal.

Founded
1659

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 25°C through the month.

A typical May day in Saint-Louis reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and about 1°C cooler than June.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12520
22520
32520
42520
52520
62520
72520
82520
92520
102520
112521
122521
132521
142521
152521
162521
172521
182521
192521
202621
212621
222621
232621
242621
252621
262622
272622
282622
292622
302622
312622

How May really feels in Saint-Louis

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 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
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Saint-Louis weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 8th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 19°30.211.28.7
Feb25° / 19°10.211.58.8
Mar25° / 20°0011.99.1
Apr25° / 20°0012.39.2
May25° / 21°0012.79.1
Jun27° / 23°10.312.98.7
Jul28° / 25°11212.97.6
Aug29° / 26°577.812.55.9
Sep30° / 27°527.212.15.6
Oct30° / 26°132.111.66.1
Nov29° / 24°00.111.36.8
Dec27° / 21°20.311.18.2

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 77% of the time in May, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 13%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18812
28911
38911
48911
58911
69010
79010
89010
99010
109010
119010
128911
138911
148812
158713
168614
178614
188614
198515
208515
218515
228515
238515
248416
258416
268515
278515
288515
298614
308614
318614

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Saint-Louis gets around 0 mm of rain over 0 wet days in May, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 0% and peaks near 1% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
220
230
240
250
260
270
280
290
301
311

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 55% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 31% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
14286080
23276190
332661100
432561110
532461120
632262130
732161141
822062151
921961171
1021762181
1121662191
1221561211
1321361231
1421261241
1521060262
162960272
172859292
181759312
191659322
201656343
211555363
221554373
231551394
241550414
250448434
260445465
270443485
280440506
290337537
300334567
310332569

Wind in May

Winds average 22 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 21 km/h on the calmest days to 24 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
124breezy
224breezy
324breezy
424breezy
523breezy
623breezy
723breezy
823breezy
923breezy
1023breezy
1123breezy
1223breezy
1323breezy
1422breezy
1522breezy
1622breezy
1722breezy
1822breezy
1922breezy
2022breezy
2122breezy
2222breezy
2321breezy
2421breezy
2521breezy
2621breezy
2721breezy
2821breezy
2921breezy
3021breezy
3121breezy

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 6:46 AM to 6:37 AM, and sunset from 7:20 PM to 7:30 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.66:467:20
212.66:467:20
312.66:457:21
412.66:457:21
512.66:447:21
612.66:447:22
712.66:437:22
812.76:437:22
912.76:427:22
1012.76:427:23
1112.76:427:23
1212.76:417:23
1312.76:417:24
1412.76:417:24
1512.76:407:24
1612.76:407:25
1712.86:407:25
1812.86:397:25
1912.86:397:26
2012.86:397:26
2112.86:397:26
2212.86:387:27
2312.86:387:27
2412.86:387:27
2512.86:387:28
2612.86:387:28
2712.86:377:28
2812.96:377:29
2912.96:377:29
3012.96:377:29
3112.96:377:30

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.37 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5 kWh/m² to a high of 7.37 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 7.37 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.4Intense
27.4Intense
37.4Intense
47.4Intense
57.4Intense
67.4Intense
77.4Intense
87.4Intense
97.4Intense
107.4Intense
117.4Intense
127.4Intense
137.4Intense
147.4Intense
157.4Intense
167.4Intense
177.4Intense
187.4Intense
197.3Intense
207.3Intense
217.3Intense
227.3Intense
237.3Intense
247.3Intense
257.3Intense
267.3Intense
277.3Intense
287.3Intense
297.3Intense
307.3Intense
317.3Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Saint-Louis

In seasonPeak

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

Saint-Louis sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Saint-Louis sees dust haze year-round, heaviest in June.

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

Is May a good time to visit Saint-Louis?

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

9.1
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
8.3
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Saint-Louis for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Saint-Louis in May

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

In May, Saint-Louis sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 21°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and a windbreaker.

sun protectionlight clothesa windbreaker

Sea temperature near Saint-Louis in May

The nearest coast averages about 21°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 19 km away) is warmest in September at about 28°C and coldest in February near 19°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 3 to Jan 11 — about 8.4 months when the water holds above 20°C.

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan20Cool
Feb19Cool
Mar19Cool
Apr19Cool
May21Refreshing
Jun24Refreshing
Jul26Warm
Aug28Warm
Sep28Tropical
Oct28Warm
Nov25Warm
Dec22Refreshing

UV index in Saint-Louis 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 Saint-Louis peaks around March 18 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 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 highExtremeVery highExtremeVery highMar 18UV 12Dec 15UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb11Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul10Very high
Aug11Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct9Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec7High

Air quality in Saint-Louis 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 Saint-Louis is worst in January — around 99 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.3× the cleanest month (August, 30 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorPoorModeratePoorUnhealthyJan 2199 µg/m³Aug 2031 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan99Unhealthy
Feb97Unhealthy
Mar70Unhealthy
Apr50Poor
May46Poor
Jun61Unhealthy
Jul42Poor
Aug30Moderate
Sep35Moderate
Oct51Poor
Nov54Poor
Dec90Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Saint-Louis?

Saint-Louis sits at 16.0°N, 16.5°W, 8 m above sea level, in Senegal. The nearest listed city is Louga, 53 km away.

LougaKébémerRossoRichard-TollMékhéMboroDaganaTivaouane

Topography around Saint-Louis

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Saint-Louis.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Saint-Louis has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 9 m around an average of 1 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 26 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 57 m.

The land around Saint-Louis is covered by water (34%), artificial surfaces (27%) and wetland (22%) within 3 km, water (47%) and grassland (26%) within 16 km, and grassland (39%) and water (35%) within 80 km.

3 km
9 m
16 km
26 m
80 km
57 m
shrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Louga 53 km · Kébémer 73 km · Rosso 92 km · Richard-Toll 98 km · Mékhé 102 km · Mboro 106 km · Dagana 108 km · Tivaouane 124 km

Senegal travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / D / E / K
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 36% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,955
2025
Happiness
4.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
27%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.3
per 100k, 2015
Road deaths
23.5
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 442
Religion
Muslim 97%Christian 3%

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 Saint-Louis (16.0179°, -16.4896°, elevation 8 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).