Empuluzu weather in May

In May, Empuluzu sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 8°C, with 18 mm of precipitation across 3.3 wet days and about 10.7 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 19°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 72% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 hours at the start of May to 10 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Empuluzu's 4th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Empuluzu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
10th warmest
Overnight low
4th coldest
Precipitation
18 mm
3.3 wet days
Daylight
10 h 42 min
6:32 AM – 5:15 PM
Cloud cover
26%
4th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
4.17 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.0
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 19°C by the end.

A typical May day in Empuluzu reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 8°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 16°C and 24°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1219
2219
3219
4219
5219
6219
7219
8218
9218
10218
11218
12218
13208
14208
15208
16208
17207
18207
19207
20207
21207
22207
23207
24207
25206
26206
27206
28196
29196
30196
31196

Empuluzu weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 15°1471813.55.7
Feb25° / 15°11313.912.96.1
Mar24° / 13°10313.412.26.6
Apr22° / 11°458.411.47.1
May20° / 183.310.78.0
Jun18° / 91.510.47.9
Jul18° / 81.510.57.8
Aug20° / 143.211.18.0
Sep23° / 326.211.87.8
Oct23° / 11°8113.812.66.3
Nov23° / 13°12718.413.35.5
Dec24° / 14°15119.513.65.4

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 72% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 17%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27921
38020
48020
58218
68218
78218
88317
98317
108317
118317
128416
138416
148317
158317
168317
178317
188317
198416
208416
218317
228416
238416
248614
258614
268614
278614
288614
298614
308713
318713

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Empuluzu gets around 18 mm of rain and snow over 3.3 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 11% and peaks near 18% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
118
217
316
416
515
615
714
814
913
1013
1112
1212
1311
1411
1510
1610
1710
189
199
209
218
228
238
247
257
267
277
286
296
306
316

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 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1955
2964
3973
4973
5982
6982
7982
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

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.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
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 11 hours at the start of May to 10 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 30 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:23 AM to 6:40 AM, and sunset from 5:25 PM to 5:09 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.06:235:25
211.06:245:24
311.06:255:23
411.06:255:22
510.96:265:22
610.96:265:21
710.96:275:20
810.96:275:19
910.86:285:19
1010.86:285:18
1110.86:295:17
1210.86:305:17
1310.86:305:16
1410.86:315:16
1510.76:315:15
1610.76:325:15
1710.76:325:14
1810.76:335:14
1910.76:335:13
2010.66:345:13
2110.66:345:12
2210.66:355:12
2310.66:365:11
2410.66:365:11
2510.66:375:11
2610.66:375:10
2710.56:385:10
2810.56:385:10
2910.56:395:09
3010.56:395:09
3110.56:405:09

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.17 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.78 kWh/m² to a high of 5.99 kWh/m² in December across the year — May's 4.17 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.3Bright
24.3Bright
34.3Bright
44.3Bright
54.3Bright
64.3Bright
74.3Bright
84.3Bright
94.3Bright
104.2Bright
114.2Bright
124.2Bright
134.2Bright
144.2Bright
154.2Bright
164.2Bright
174.2Bright
184.1Bright
194.1Bright
204.1Bright
214.1Bright
224.1Bright
234.1Bright
244.1Bright
254.0Bright
264.0Bright
274.0Bright
284.0Bright
294.0Bright
304.0Moderate
314.0Moderate
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Empuluzu

In seasonPeak

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

Empuluzu's rainy season runs October–March, 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 Empuluzu?

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

8.0
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
4.2
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Empuluzu for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Empuluzu in May

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

In May, Empuluzu sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 8°C. Worth packing: a warm layer. About 3 days see rain.

a warm layer

UV index in Empuluzu in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Empuluzu peaks around January 12 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 5 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeJan 12UV 14Jun 21UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun5High
Jul5High
Aug7Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct10Very high
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Empuluzu 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 Empuluzu is worst in November — around 46 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.5× the cleanest month (December, 18 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateModeratePoorModeratePoorModerateNov 1543 µg/m³Dec 2219 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan22Moderate
Feb21Moderate
Mar28Moderate
Apr36Poor
May31Moderate
Jun35Moderate
Jul40Poor
Aug41Poor
Sep33Moderate
Oct26Moderate
Nov46Poor
Dec18Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Empuluzu?

Empuluzu sits at 26.3°S, 30.8°E, 1,432 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Redhill, 7.0 km away.

Topography around Empuluzu

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Empuluzu has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 250 m around an average of 1,405 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 543 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,755 m.

The land around Empuluzu is covered by grassland (71%) within 3 km, grassland (64%) and trees (29%) within 16 km, and grassland (55%) and trees (30%) within 80 km.

3 km
250 m
16 km
543 m
80 km
1,755 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Redhill 7.0 km · Fernie 10 km · Lukwatini 28 km · Nhlazatje 29 km · Mbabane 36 km · Lobamba 46 km · Barberton 64 km · Manzini 64 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 Empuluzu (-26.305°, 30.7736°, elevation 1,432 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).