Port Shepstone weather in May

In May, Port Shepstone sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 45 mm of rain across 5.8 wet days and about 10.5 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 9th-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 humid.

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 Port Shepstone's 3rd-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Port Shepstone's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
6th warmest
Overnight low
18°
6th coldest
Rainfall
45 mm
5.8 wet days
Daylight
10 h 24 min
6:41 AM – 5:08 PM
Cloud cover
33%
3rd clearest
Wind
16 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
3.47 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.0
out of 10

Port Shepstone is town.

Founded
1867

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 23°C through the month.

A typical May day in Port Shepstone reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 20°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C cooler than April and about 1°C warmer than June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12319
22319
32319
42319
52319
62319
72319
82319
92319
102318
112318
122318
132318
142318
152318
162318
172318
182318
192318
202318
212318
222318
232318
242317
252317
262317
272217
282217
292217
302217
312217

Port Shepstone weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 22°9813.213.86.2
Feb26° / 23°8311.713.16.2
Mar25° / 22°9811.812.26.6
Apr24° / 20°869.711.37.2
May23° / 18°455.810.58.0
Jun22° / 16°354.9108.0
Jul21° / 15°394.910.27.8
Aug21° / 16°42610.97.5
Sep21° / 17°638.711.86.8
Oct22° / 18°9313.212.86.1
Nov23° / 19°9813.213.66.1
Dec24° / 21°9413.3146.3

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 17% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 22%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17426
27525
37624
47624
57723
67723
77723
87822
97822
107723
117822
127822
137822
147723
157723
167723
177723
187723
197723
207723
217822
227822
237822
248020
258020
268020
278119
288119
298119
308218
318317

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Port Shepstone gets around 45 mm of rain over 5.8 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 19% and peaks near 25% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
125
225
325
424
524
623
723
823
922
1022
1121
1221
1321
1420
1520
1619
1719
1818
1918
2017
2117
2217
2316
2416
2515
2615
2715
2815
2915
3016
3116

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 49% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 11% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
162045281
262146271
362147250
462247240
562248230
662349220
762351200
862352190
962452180
1062453170
1162455150
1262456140
1362457130
1472458110
1572459100
168245990
179255880
1810255870
1911265760
2012275560
2113285450
2215295240
2316305040
2418324730
2519334430
2621354230
2722373920
2823393620
2925413320
3027423010
3128442710

Wind in May

Winds average 16 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
117light breeze
217light breeze
317light breeze
416light breeze
516light breeze
616light breeze
716light breeze
816light breeze
916light breeze
1016light breeze
1116light breeze
1216light breeze
1316light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2616light breeze
2716light breeze
2816light breeze
2916light breeze
3016light breeze
3116light breeze

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 6:31 AM to 6:50 AM, and sunset from 5:20 PM to 5:01 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.86:315:20
210.86:315:19
310.86:325:18
410.76:335:17
510.76:335:16
610.76:345:15
710.76:355:15
810.66:365:14
910.66:365:13
1010.66:375:12
1110.66:385:11
1210.56:385:11
1310.56:395:10
1410.56:405:09
1510.56:405:09
1610.46:415:08
1710.46:425:07
1810.46:425:07
1910.46:435:06
2010.46:445:05
2110.36:445:05
2210.36:455:04
2310.36:465:04
2410.36:465:03
2510.36:475:03
2610.36:475:03
2710.26:485:02
2810.26:495:02
2910.26:495:01
3010.26:505:01
3110.26:505:01

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 3.47 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.08 kWh/m² to a high of 5.98 kWh/m² in January across the year — May's 3.47 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.7Moderate
23.7Moderate
33.7Moderate
43.7Moderate
53.7Moderate
63.6Moderate
73.6Moderate
83.6Moderate
93.6Moderate
103.6Moderate
113.6Moderate
123.5Moderate
133.5Moderate
143.5Moderate
153.5Moderate
163.5Moderate
173.5Moderate
183.4Moderate
193.4Moderate
203.4Moderate
213.4Moderate
223.4Moderate
233.4Moderate
243.3Moderate
253.3Moderate
263.3Moderate
273.3Moderate
283.3Moderate
293.2Moderate
303.2Moderate
313.2Moderate
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Port Shepstone

In seasonPeak

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

Port Shepstone sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

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

Is May a good time to visit Port Shepstone?

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
6.0
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Port Shepstone in May

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

In May, Port Shepstone sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 18°C. Worth packing: light clothes. About 6 days see rain.

light clothes

Sea temperature near Port Shepstone in May

The nearest coast averages about 24°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 17 km away) is warmest in February at about 26°C and coldest in August near 22°C.

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

20°22°24°26°28°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr25Warm
May24Warm
Jun23Refreshing
Jul22Refreshing
Aug22Refreshing
Sep22Refreshing
Oct22Refreshing
Nov23Refreshing
Dec24Warm

UV index in Port Shepstone 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 Port Shepstone peaks around January 16 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighExtremeJan 16UV 13Jun 22UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb11Extreme
Mar10Very high
Apr6High
May5Moderate
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug5High
Sep5High
Oct10Extreme
Nov10Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Port Shepstone 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 Port Shepstone is worst in July — around 47 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 4.3× the cleanest month (January, 11 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModeratePoorModerateJul 1546 µg/m³Jan 2111 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb12Good
Mar18Moderate
Apr24Moderate
May39Poor
Jun43Poor
Jul47Poor
Aug40Poor
Sep30Moderate
Oct22Moderate
Nov15Moderate
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Port Shepstone?

Port Shepstone sits at 30.7°S, 30.5°E, 36 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Ga-Malakhe, 14 km away.

Topography around Port Shepstone

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Port Shepstone has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 134 m around an average of 28 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 520 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,912 m.

The land around Port Shepstone is covered by water (45%) and trees (30%) within 3 km, water (48%), trees (24%) and grassland (20%) within 16 km, and grassland (35%), water (32%) and trees (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
134 m
16 km
520 m
80 km
1,912 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Ga-Malakhe 14 km · Margate 16 km · eMuziwezinto 52 km · Scottburgh 58 km · eMkhomazi 68 km · Clydesdale 70 km · Folweni 90 km · Richmond 98 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 Port Shepstone (-30.7414°, 30.455°, elevation 36 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).