Kilwa Masoko weather in May

In May, Kilwa Masoko sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 61 mm of rain across 9.6 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 58% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 42 min at the start of May to 11 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Kilwa Masoko's 7th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kilwa Masoko's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
7th warmest
Overnight low
24°
6th coldest
Rainfall
61 mm
9.6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:30 AM – 6:06 PM
Cloud cover
41%
7th clearest
Wind
17 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
5 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.1
out of 10

Kilwa Masoko is human settlement.

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 28°C through the month.

A typical May day in Kilwa Masoko reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12925
22925
32925
42925
52925
62925
72925
82925
92925
102925
112924
122924
132824
142824
152824
162824
172824
182824
192824
202824
212824
222824
232824
242824
252824
262824
272824
282824
292824
302824
312824

How May really feels in Kilwa Masoko

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 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
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Kilwa Masoko weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 7th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 26°11216.512.54.5
Feb29° / 26°10915.112.34.4
Mar29° / 25°18723.812.13.8
Apr29° / 25°17621.611.84.2
May28° / 24°619.611.66.1
Jun28° / 23°132.711.57.5
Jul27° / 23°61.311.58.1
Aug27° / 22°71.911.78.2
Sep27° / 23°103.111.98.0
Oct28° / 24°256.312.27.1
Nov29° / 25°5213.712.45.4
Dec29° / 26°10818.612.54.5

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 58% 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 25%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16436
26634
36634
46634
56733
66832
76832
86931
97030
107030
117129
127129
137228
147228
157327
167426
177525
187624
197624
207723
217822
227921
238020
248119
258119
268218
278317
288317
298416
308416
318416

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Kilwa Masoko gets around 61 mm of rain over 9.6 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 32% and peaks near 52% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
152
251
349
448
546
644
742
840
939
1037
1135
1234
1332
1431
1530
1629
1728
1827
1926
2025
2125
2224
2323
2423
2522
2622
2721
2820
2919
3018
3116

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 76% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1077815
2077914
3187912
4188011
519819
619828
7110827
8110836
9111835
10112834
11113833
12114823
13115822
14116812
15117811
16118801
17119791
18020791
19122770
20123760
21124750
22126730
23127720
24129700
25230680
26231670
27233650
28334630
29436600
30437590
31539560

Wind in May

Winds average 17 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
316light breeze
416light breeze
516light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1918light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2518light breeze
2618light breeze
2718light breeze
2818light breeze
2918light breeze
3018light breeze
3118light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min at the start of May to 11 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:28 AM to 6:34 AM, and sunset from 6:10 PM to 6:05 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.76:286:10
211.76:296:09
311.76:296:09
411.76:296:09
511.76:296:09
611.76:296:08
711.66:296:08
811.66:296:08
911.66:296:07
1011.66:296:07
1111.66:306:07
1211.66:306:07
1311.66:306:07
1411.66:306:06
1511.66:306:06
1611.66:306:06
1711.66:316:06
1811.66:316:06
1911.66:316:06
2011.66:316:05
2111.66:316:05
2211.66:326:05
2311.66:326:05
2411.66:326:05
2511.56:326:05
2611.56:326:05
2711.56:336:05
2811.56:336:05
2911.56:336:05
3011.56:336:05
3111.56:346:05

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.93 kWh/m² to a high of 6.46 kWh/m² in October across the year — May's 5 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
35.0Bright
45.0Bright
55.0Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
135.0Bright
145.0Bright
155.0Bright
165.0Bright
175.0Bright
185.0Bright
195.0Bright
205.0Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
245.0Bright
255.0Bright
265.0Bright
275.0Bright
285.0Bright
295.1Bright
305.1Bright
315.1Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Kilwa Masoko

In seasonPeak

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

Kilwa Masoko sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Kilwa Masoko's monsoon runs December–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Kilwa Masoko?

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

6.1
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
7.3
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Kilwa Masoko for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Kilwa Masoko in May

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

In May, Kilwa Masoko sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Kilwa Masoko 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 13 km away) is warmest in March at about 29°C and coldest in August near 26°C.

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

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Tropical
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Kilwa Masoko in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kilwa Masoko peaks around March 15 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeMar 15UV 15Jun 22UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Kilwa Masoko 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 Kilwa Masoko is worst in January — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodJan 2015 µg/m³Apr 228 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan15Moderate
Feb13Moderate
Mar9Good
Apr8Good
May8Good
Jun8Good
Jul10Good
Aug10Good
Sep9Good
Oct10Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kilwa Masoko?

Kilwa Masoko sits at 8.9°S, 39.5°E, 23 m above sea level, in Tanzania. The nearest listed city is Kilindoni, 114 km away.

KilindoniLindiIkwiririRuangwaKibitiBunguNyangaoMtwara

Topography around Kilwa Masoko

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kilwa Masoko has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 20 m around an average of 5 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 114 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 559 m.

The land around Kilwa Masoko is covered by water (45%) and grassland (31%) within 3 km, water (57%) within 16 km, and water (42%) and trees (37%) within 80 km.

3 km
20 m
16 km
114 m
80 km
559 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Kilindoni 114 km · Lindi 121 km · Ikwiriri 123 km · Ruangwa 142 km · Kibiti 148 km · Bungu 152 km · Nyangao 159 km · Mtwara 166 km

Tanzania travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type D / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 29% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,319
2025
Happiness
3.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
31%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
3.7
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
31.1
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 479
Religion
Christian 63%Muslim 34%folk religion 1%

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 Kilwa Masoko (-8.9251°, 39.5131°, elevation 23 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).