Richmond weather in May

In May, Richmond sees average daytime highs of 22°C and overnight lows near 9°C, with 31 mm of rain across 5.6 wet days and about 10.5 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 22°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 54 min at the start of May to 10 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Richmond's 3rd-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Richmond's year-round climate.

Daytime high
22°
9th warmest
Overnight low
4th coldest
Rainfall
31 mm
5.6 wet days
Daylight
10 h 30 min
6:40 AM – 5:10 PM
Cloud cover
35%
3rd clearest
Wind
7 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
3.67 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.8
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 22°C through the month.

A typical May day in Richmond reaches about 22°C in the afternoon and slips back to 9°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 27°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
52310
62310
72310
82310
92310
102310
112210
122210
132210
142210
15229
16229
17229
18229
19229
20229
21229
22229
23228
24228
25228
26228
27228
28218
29218
30217
31217

Richmond weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 16°14719.613.75.2
Feb26° / 16°12216.613.15.4
Mar25° / 15°11015.312.26.0
Apr23° / 13°6610.411.36.9
May22° / 315.610.57.8
Jun20° / 24410.17.9
Jul21° / 314.310.37.9
Aug22° / 386.610.97.6
Sep23° / 11°581011.87.0
Oct23° / 12°10316.812.75.7
Nov24° / 14°12318.613.55.3
Dec25° / 15°14320.713.95.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% 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 26%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16733
26832
36832
46931
57129
67129
77228
87228
97228
107228
117426
127426
137426
147426
157426
167525
177525
187525
197624
207624
217624
227624
237624
247624
257822
267822
277822
287822
297822
308020
318020

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Richmond gets around 31 mm of rain over 5.6 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 18% and peaks near 26% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
126
225
325
424
523
623
722
822
921
1021
1120
1219
1318
1418
1517
1617
1716
1816
1916
2015
2115
2215
2314
2414
2514
2614
2714
2814
2914
3014
3114

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 93% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
177221
279201
381181
482171
585150
686140
788120
889110
990100
109190
119280
129370
139460
149550
159640
169730
179730
189820
199820
209820
219910
229910
239910
249910
259910
269910
279910
289910
299910
309910
319910

Wind in May

Winds average 7 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 7 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
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 54 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 42 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:30 AM to 6:49 AM, and sunset from 5:22 PM to 5:03 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.96:305:22
210.86:315:21
310.86:325:20
410.86:325:19
510.86:335:18
610.76:345:18
710.76:345:17
810.76:355:16
910.76:365:15
1010.66:365:14
1110.66:375:14
1210.66:375:13
1310.66:385:12
1410.56:395:12
1510.56:395:11
1610.56:405:10
1710.56:415:10
1810.56:415:09
1910.46:425:08
2010.46:435:08
2110.46:435:07
2210.46:445:07
2310.46:445:06
2410.36:455:06
2510.36:465:06
2610.36:465:05
2710.36:475:05
2810.36:475:04
2910.36:485:04
3010.36:495:04
3110.26:495:03

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 3.67 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.31 kWh/m² to a high of 5.51 kWh/m² in January across the year — May's 3.67 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.9Moderate
23.9Moderate
33.9Moderate
43.8Moderate
53.8Moderate
63.8Moderate
73.8Moderate
83.8Moderate
93.8Moderate
103.8Moderate
113.8Moderate
123.7Moderate
133.7Moderate
143.7Moderate
153.7Moderate
163.7Moderate
173.7Moderate
183.6Moderate
193.6Moderate
203.6Moderate
213.6Moderate
223.6Moderate
233.6Moderate
243.5Moderate
253.5Moderate
263.5Moderate
273.5Moderate
283.5Moderate
293.5Moderate
303.5Moderate
313.4Moderate
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Richmond

In seasonPeak

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

Richmond'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 Richmond?

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

7.8
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
5.5
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Richmond in May

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

In May, Richmond sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 9°C. Worth packing: light clothes. About 6 days see rain.

light clothes

Sea temperature near Richmond 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 64 km away) is warmest in February at about 26°C and coldest in August near 21°C.

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

20°22°24°26°28°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan25Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr25Warm
May24Refreshing
Jun23Refreshing
Jul22Refreshing
Aug21Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct22Refreshing
Nov23Refreshing
Dec24Warm

UV index in Richmond 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 Richmond peaks around January 16 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 16UV 14Jun 23UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar10Extreme
Apr6High
May5High
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct11Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Richmond 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 Richmond 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 Richmond?

Richmond sits at 29.9°S, 30.3°E, 883 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Pietermaritzburg, 31 km away.

Topography around Richmond

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Richmond has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 289 m around an average of 891 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,258 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,315 m.

The land around Richmond is covered by trees (43%), grassland (26%) and cropland (23%) within 3 km, trees (57%) and grassland (24%) within 16 km, and grassland (44%) and trees (37%) within 80 km.

3 km
289 m
16 km
1,258 m
80 km
2,315 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Pietermaritzburg 31 km · Mpophomeni 35 km · Mpumalanga 36 km · Howick 44 km · Folweni 53 km · Clydesdale 57 km · Pinetown 60 km · eMuziwezinto 62 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 Richmond (-29.872°, 30.2723°, elevation 883 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).