Freetown weather in May

In May, Freetown sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 159 mm of rain across 21.4 wet days and about 12.4 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 18 min at the start of May to 12 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Freetown's 8th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Freetown's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
26°
10th coldest
Rainfall
159 mm
21.4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 24 min
6:38 AM – 7:01 PM
Cloud cover
74%
8th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
5.19 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.6
out of 10

Freetown is capital of Sierra Leone.

Founded
1792

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 28°C through the month.

A typical May day in Freetown reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12726
22726
32726
42726
52726
62826
72826
82826
92826
102826
112826
122826
132826
142826
152826
162826
172826
182826
192826
202826
212826
222826
232826
242826
252826
262826
272826
282826
292726
302726
312726

Freetown weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 3rd-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 26°102.311.68.1
Feb27° / 26°61.411.78.2
Mar27° / 26°92.411.98.0
Apr27° / 26°215.212.27.2
May28° / 26°15921.412.44.6
Jun27° / 25°39729.112.53.5
Jul26° / 25°68330.212.43.5
Aug26° / 25°75129.912.33.5
Sep26° / 25°48028.6123.6
Oct27° / 25°23228.111.83.8
Nov28° / 26°9820.611.64.9
Dec28° / 26°277.411.57.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 70%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24456
34258
44159
54159
64060
73961
83862
93763
103565
113466
123367
133367
143268
153169
162971
172971
182872
192872
202674
212575
222575
232278
242278
252179
262080
272080
281981
291981
301981
311981

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Freetown gets around 159 mm of rain over 21.4 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 69% and peaks near 89% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
140
243
345
447
550
652
754
856
959
1061
1163
1265
1367
1468
1570
1671
1773
1874
1975
2077
2178
2279
2380
2481
2582
2683
2784
2885
2986
3087
3189

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the oppressive band about 59% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
15743
25644
35545
45446
55347
65248
75248
85149
95149
105149
115149
125149
135149
145248
155248
165347
175545
185644
195743
205941
216040
226238
236337
246535
256733
266931
277129
287327
297426
307624
317822

Wind in May

Winds average 12 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712light breeze
1812light breeze
1912light breeze
2012calm
2112calm
2212calm
2312calm
2412calm
2512calm
2612calm
2712calm
2812calm
2912calm
3012calm
3112calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min at the start of May to 12 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:41 AM to 6:37 AM, and sunset from 6:59 PM to 7:04 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.36:416:59
212.36:416:59
312.36:416:59
412.36:406:59
512.36:406:59
612.36:406:59
712.36:397:00
812.36:397:00
912.36:397:00
1012.46:397:00
1112.46:397:00
1212.46:387:00
1312.46:387:00
1412.46:387:00
1512.46:387:01
1612.46:387:01
1712.46:377:01
1812.46:377:01
1912.46:377:01
2012.46:377:02
2112.46:377:02
2212.46:377:02
2312.46:377:02
2412.46:377:02
2512.46:377:03
2612.46:377:03
2712.46:377:03
2812.46:377:03
2912.46:377:03
3012.56:377:04
3112.56:377:04

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.19 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.94 kWh/m² to a high of 6.28 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 5.19 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.7Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.4Bright
105.4Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
245.0Bright
254.9Bright
264.9Bright
274.9Bright
284.8Bright
294.8Bright
304.8Bright
314.8Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Freetown

In seasonPeak

None of Freetown's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Freetown's monsoon runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

Freetown sees seasonal dust haze (February–April), heaviest in February.

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

Is May a good time to visit Freetown?

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

4.6
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
4.9
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Freetown for sightseeing.

What to pack for Freetown in May

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

In May, Freetown sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 21 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Freetown in May

The nearest coast averages about 28°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 20 km away) is warmest in November at about 29°C and coldest in August near 27°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr28Warm
May28Tropical
Jun28Tropical
Jul27Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep27Warm
Oct28Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Freetown 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 Freetown peaks around August 20 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 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 highAug 20UV 13Dec 15UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Freetown 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 Freetown is worst in February — around 78 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 7.8× the cleanest month (September, 10 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorModerateGoodModeratePoorFeb 1477 µg/m³Sep 1010 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan69Unhealthy
Feb78Unhealthy
Mar64Unhealthy
Apr43Poor
May31Moderate
Jun20Moderate
Jul13Moderate
Aug11Good
Sep10Good
Oct16Moderate
Nov26Moderate
Dec54Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Freetown?

Freetown sits at 8.5°N, 13.2°W, 38 m above sea level, in Sierra Leone. The nearest listed city is Goderich, 9.0 km away.

WaterlooPort LokoLunsarForécariahMile 91

Topography around Freetown

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Freetown has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 368 m around an average of 65 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 778 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 885 m.

The land around Freetown is covered by artificial surfaces (48%) and water (41%) within 3 km, water (63%) within 16 km, and water (46%) and trees (34%) within 80 km.

3 km
368 m
16 km
778 m
80 km
885 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Goderich 9.0 km · Waterloo 24 km · Port Loko 58 km · Lunsar 80 km · Forécariah 106 km · Mile 91 112 km · Conakry 127 km · Camayenne 127 km

Sierra Leone travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type D / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 24% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$846
2025
Happiness
3.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
11%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
2.2
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
33
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
Religion
Muslim 77%Christian 23%

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 Freetown (8.4871°, -13.2356°, elevation 38 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. 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).