Clydesdale weather in May

In May, Clydesdale sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 10°C, with 26 mm of rain across 5.2 wet days and about 10.5 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 62% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 48 min at the start of May to 10 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Clydesdale's 3rd-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Clydesdale's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
9th warmest
Overnight low
10°
4th coldest
Rainfall
26 mm
5.2 wet days
Daylight
10 h 30 min
6:42 AM – 5:11 PM
Cloud cover
34%
3rd clearest
Wind
8 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
3.64 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.1
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month.

A typical May day in Clydesdale reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 10°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 17°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12311
22311
32311
42311
52311
62311
72310
82310
92310
102310
112310
122310
132310
142310
152310
162310
172310
18239
19239
20239
21239
22239
23239
24239
25238
26228
27228
28228
29228
30228
31228

Clydesdale weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 9th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 16°13518.113.75.3
Feb26° / 17°11515.313.15.5
Mar26° / 15°10215.112.26.0
Apr24° / 13°619.411.37.2
May23° / 10°265.210.58.1
Jun21° / 233.310.18.2
Jul21° / 293.610.28.1
Aug22° / 386.410.97.8
Sep23° / 11°56911.87.2
Oct23° / 12°9215.612.76.0
Nov24° / 13°11016.713.55.6
Dec25° / 15°13019.413.95.2

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 62% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 25%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16832
26931
37030
47129
57228
67129
77228
87228
97327
107426
117426
127525
137525
147525
157624
167624
177624
187624
197624
207624
217624
227624
237723
247723
257822
267822
277921
287921
297921
307921
318020

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Clydesdale gets around 26 mm of rain over 5.2 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 17% and peaks near 23% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
123
222
322
422
521
621
721
820
920
1019
1119
1218
1317
1417
1516
1616
1716
1815
1915
2015
2114
2214
2314
2414
2513
2613
2713
2813
2913
3013
3113

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 (%)Humid (%)
179201
280191
381181
483161
585150
686140
788120
889110
990100
109190
119280
129370
139460
149550
159640
169640
179730
189820
199820
209820
219910
229910
239910
249910
259910
269910
279910
289910
2910000
3010000
3110000

Wind in May

Winds average 8 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
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 10 h 48 min at the start of May to 10 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 36 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:32 AM to 6:51 AM, and sunset from 5:23 PM to 5:04 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.86:325:23
210.86:335:22
310.86:345:21
410.86:345:20
510.76:355:19
610.76:365:18
710.76:365:17
810.76:375:17
910.66:385:16
1010.66:385:15
1110.66:395:14
1210.66:405:14
1310.56:405:13
1410.56:415:12
1510.56:425:11
1610.56:425:11
1710.56:435:10
1810.46:435:10
1910.46:445:09
2010.46:455:08
2110.46:455:08
2210.46:465:07
2310.36:475:07
2410.36:475:06
2510.36:485:06
2610.36:495:06
2710.36:495:05
2810.36:505:05
2910.26:505:04
3010.26:515:04
3110.26:515:04

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 3.64 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.27 kWh/m² to a high of 5.4 kWh/m² in December across the year — May's 3.64 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.9Moderate
23.8Moderate
33.8Moderate
43.8Moderate
53.8Moderate
63.8Moderate
73.8Moderate
83.8Moderate
93.8Moderate
103.7Moderate
113.7Moderate
123.7Moderate
133.7Moderate
143.7Moderate
153.7Moderate
163.6Moderate
173.6Moderate
183.6Moderate
193.6Moderate
203.6Moderate
213.6Moderate
223.5Moderate
233.5Moderate
243.5Moderate
253.5Moderate
263.5Moderate
273.5Moderate
283.4Moderate
293.4Moderate
303.4Moderate
313.4Moderate
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Clydesdale

In seasonPeak

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

Clydesdale's rainy season runs October–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Clydesdale?

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

8.1
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
6.1
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Clydesdale in May

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

In May, Clydesdale sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 10°C. Worth packing: light clothes. About 5 days see rain.

light clothes

UV index in Clydesdale in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 5 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Clydesdale peaks around January 15 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeHighModerateHighExtremeJan 15UV 14Jun 23UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr6High
May5High
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct11Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Clydesdale 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 Clydesdale is worst in July — around 92 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.9× the cleanest month (December, 23 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJul 1690 µg/m³Dec 2324 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan24Moderate
Feb31Moderate
Mar37Poor
Apr52Poor
May74Unhealthy
Jun77Unhealthy
Jul92Unhealthy
Aug75Unhealthy
Sep57Unhealthy
Oct39Poor
Nov37Poor
Dec23Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Clydesdale?

Clydesdale sits at 30.3°S, 29.9°E, 796 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Kokstad, 56 km away.

Topography around Clydesdale

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Clydesdale has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 328 m around an average of 822 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,100 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,307 m.

The land around Clydesdale is covered by grassland (78%) within 3 km, grassland (68%) and trees (25%) within 16 km, and grassland (57%) and trees (29%) within 80 km.

3 km
328 m
16 km
1,100 m
80 km
2,307 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Kokstad 56 km · Richmond 57 km · Ga-Malakhe 68 km · eMuziwezinto 70 km · Port Shepstone 70 km · Margate 75 km · Scottburgh 78 km · eMkhomazi 83 km

South Africa travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / M / N
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 41% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$6,598
2025
Happiness
5.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
68%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
43.7
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
22.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very high
EF EPI 602
Religion
Christian 86%or other traditional African religions 5%nothing in particular 5%Muslim 2%

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 Clydesdale (-30.2983°, 29.9377°, elevation 796 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).