Mogadishu weather in May

In May, Mogadishu sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 73 mm of rain across 17.1 wet days and about 12.1 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 06 min at the start of May to 12 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Mogadishu's 9th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mogadishu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
6th warmest
Overnight low
26°
10th coldest
Rainfall
73 mm
17.1 wet days
Daylight
12 h 06 min
5:52 AM – 5:58 PM
Cloud cover
51%
9th clearest
Wind
18 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
5.74 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.7
out of 10

Mogadishu is capital and the largest city of Somalia.

Density
28,431/km²
people per km²
Founded
1331

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 29°C through the month.

A typical May day in Mogadishu reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C cooler than April and about 1°C warmer than June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13026
23026
33026
43026
53026
63026
73026
83026
92926
102926
112926
122926
132926
142926
152926
162926
172926
182926
192926
202925
212925
222925
232925
242925
252925
262925
272925
282925
292925
302825
312825

How May really feels in Mogadishu

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 26 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
26
heat index over the day's high
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.

Mogadishu weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 24°61.111.96.6
Feb30° / 25°1011.96.6
Mar30° / 26°62126.1
Apr30° / 26°5611.3124.8
May29° / 26°7317.112.14.7
Jun28° / 25°4515.512.15.4
Jul27° / 24°4414.412.15.8
Aug27° / 23°3211.112.16.5
Sep28° / 24°216.3127.1
Oct29° / 25°428.6126.1
Nov29° / 25°6413.111.95.3
Dec30° / 25°275.411.96.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 36%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15842
25842
35941
45941
56040
66139
76238
86337
96436
106535
116634
126634
136634
146733
156634
166634
176634
186634
196634
206634
216634
226535
236535
246535
256535
266436
276436
286436
296436
306337
316238

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Mogadishu gets around 73 mm of rain over 17.1 wet days in May, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 56% and peaks near 62% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
161
262
362
462
562
661
761
861
961
1060
1160
1259
1359
1458
1557
1657
1756
1855
1954
2053
2152
2252
2351
2450
2550
2649
2749
2848
2948
3048
3148

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 72% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
105347
205347
305347
405347
505446
605446
705545
805644
905842
1005941
1106238
1206436
1306634
1406832
1507129
1607327
1707525
1807723
1907921
2008119
2108317
2208515
2308614
2418712
2518811
261909
271918
281927
291936
302935
312944

Wind in May

Winds average 18 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 21 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
716light breeze
816light breeze
916light breeze
1016light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1518light breeze
1618light breeze
1718light breeze
1818light breeze
1919light breeze
2019light breeze
2119light breeze
2219light breeze
2320light breeze
2420light breeze
2520light breeze
2620breezy
2720breezy
2821breezy
2921breezy
3021breezy
3121breezy

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 06 min at the start of May to 12 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 0 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:54 AM to 5:53 AM, and sunset from 5:58 PM to 5:59 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.15:545:58
212.15:545:58
312.15:535:58
412.15:535:58
512.15:535:58
612.15:535:58
712.15:535:58
812.15:535:58
912.15:535:58
1012.15:525:58
1112.15:525:58
1212.15:525:58
1312.15:525:58
1412.15:525:58
1512.15:525:58
1612.15:525:58
1712.15:525:58
1812.15:525:58
1912.15:525:58
2012.15:525:58
2112.15:525:58
2212.15:525:58
2312.15:525:58
2412.15:525:58
2512.15:525:58
2612.15:525:59
2712.15:525:59
2812.15:525:59
2912.15:535:59
3012.15:535:59
3112.15:535:59

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.74 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.54 kWh/m² to a high of 7.1 kWh/m² in February across the year — May's 5.74 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.9Bright
25.9Bright
35.9Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.8Bright
75.8Bright
85.8Bright
95.8Bright
105.8Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.7Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.7Bright
225.7Bright
235.7Bright
245.7Bright
255.7Bright
265.7Bright
275.7Bright
285.7Bright
295.7Bright
305.7Bright
315.6Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Mogadishu?

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

4.7
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
6.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Mogadishu for sightseeing.

What to pack for Mogadishu in May

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

In May, Mogadishu sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 17 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Mogadishu 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 18 km away) is warmest in April at about 29°C and coldest in August near 25°C.

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

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar28Warm
Apr29Tropical
May28Tropical
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug25Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec27Warm

UV index in Mogadishu in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mogadishu peaks around March 24 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 24UV 14Jun 21UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Mogadishu 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 Mogadishu is worst in November — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.8× the cleanest month (September, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateNov 2215 µg/m³Sep 169 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan15Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar12Moderate
Apr10Good
May10Good
Jun11Good
Jul11Good
Aug10Good
Sep9Good
Oct10Good
Nov16Moderate
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Mogadishu?

Mogadishu sits at 2.0°N, 45.3°E, 12 m above sea level, in Somalia. The nearest listed city is Afgooye, 27 km away.

QoryooleyBuurhakabaBuulobardeBaidoa

Topography around Mogadishu

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Mogadishu has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 74 m around an average of 22 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 179 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 249 m.

The land around Mogadishu is covered by artificial surfaces (60%) and water (37%) within 3 km, water (48%) within 16 km, and water (34%), shrubs (32%) and cropland (23%) within 80 km.

3 km
74 m
16 km
179 m
80 km
249 m
shrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Afgooye 27 km · Marka 73 km · Wanlaweyn 82 km · Jawhar 85 km · Qoryooley 95 km · Buurhakaba 164 km · Buulobarde 204 km · Baidoa 223 km

Somalia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type C / G
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 52% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$661
2025
Happiness
4.5 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Road deaths
27.4
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 399
Religion
Muslim 100%ethnic religionist 0%

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 Mogadishu (2.0371°, 45.3438°, elevation 12 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).