Mafinga weather in May

In May, Mafinga sees average daytime highs of 21°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 14 mm of rain across 3.7 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 21°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 42 min at the start of May to 11 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Mafinga's 6th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mafinga's year-round climate.

Daytime high
21°
9th warmest
Overnight low
13°
5th coldest
Rainfall
14 mm
3.7 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:46 AM – 6:24 PM
Cloud cover
49%
6th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.1 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.6
out of 10

Mafinga is city in Mafinga Town, Iringa Region, Tanzania.

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 21°C through the month.

A typical May day in Mafinga reaches about 21°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 20°C and 23°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and about 1°C warmer than June.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12214
22214
32214
42214
52214
62214
72213
82213
92213
102113
112113
122113
132113
142113
152113
162113
172113
182113
192113
202113
212113
222113
232112
242112
252112
262112
272112
282112
292112
302112
312112

Mafinga weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 9th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan23° / 15°31926.412.44.1
Feb23° / 15°27023.212.34.2
Mar23° / 15°28825.912.14.2
Apr22° / 15°10916.511.85.5
May21° / 13°143.711.67.6
Jun21° / 11°10.211.58.2
Jul20° / 10°0011.68.2
Aug21° / 11°10.111.78.5
Sep23° / 12°30.5128.8
Oct25° / 13°153.212.28.3
Nov25° / 15°10610.412.46.8
Dec23° / 15°28822.112.54.9

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 34% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 32%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15644
25644
35842
45842
56040
66040
76139
86337
96337
106535
116634
126634
136733
146832
156832
166832
176931
187030
197030
207129
217129
227228
237327
247426
257426
267624
277723
287723
297921
307921
318020

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Mafinga gets around 14 mm of rain over 3.7 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 12% 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
321
420
519
618
718
817
916
1016
1115
1214
1314
1413
1513
1612
1712
1811
1911
2010
219
229
238
247
256
266
275
285
294
304
313

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 59% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
125723
227703
329683
431672
534642
636622
739592
841572
944551
1047521
1150491
1252471
1355441
1457421
1561390
1663370
1765350
1866340
1968320
2070300
2171290
2273270
2374260
2476240
2577230
2679210
2780200
2882180
2983170
3085150
3186140

Wind in May

Winds average 16 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 16 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
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
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min at the start of May to 11 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:45 AM to 6:50 AM, and sunset from 6:27 PM to 6:23 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.76:456:27
211.76:456:27
311.76:456:27
411.76:456:26
511.76:456:26
611.76:456:26
711.76:456:26
811.76:456:25
911.76:456:25
1011.76:466:25
1111.66:466:25
1211.66:466:24
1311.66:466:24
1411.66:466:24
1511.66:466:24
1611.66:466:24
1711.66:476:24
1811.66:476:23
1911.66:476:23
2011.66:476:23
2111.66:476:23
2211.66:486:23
2311.66:486:23
2411.66:486:23
2511.66:486:23
2611.66:486:23
2711.66:496:23
2811.66:496:23
2911.66:496:23
3011.66:496:23
3111.66:506:23

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.1 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.97 kWh/m² to a high of 6.64 kWh/m² in October across the year — May's 5.1 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.1Bright
25.1Bright
35.1Bright
45.1Bright
55.1Bright
65.1Bright
75.1Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.1Bright
235.1Bright
245.1Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.2Bright
305.2Bright
315.2Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Mafinga

In seasonPeak

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

Mafinga's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Mafinga?

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

7.6
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
4.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Mafinga in May

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

In May, Mafinga sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 13°C. Worth packing: sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

sun protection

UV index in Mafinga in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mafinga peaks around March 10 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 10UV 16Jun 17UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct14Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Mafinga 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 Mafinga is worst in October — around 34 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.2× the cleanest month (May, 8 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateOct 2133 µg/m³May 168 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb12Good
Mar11Good
Apr9Good
May8Good
Jun9Good
Jul13Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep24Moderate
Oct34Moderate
Nov32Moderate
Dec14Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Mafinga?

Mafinga sits at 8.3°S, 35.3°E, 1,766 m above sea level, in Tanzania. The nearest listed city is Iringa, 74 km away.

IringaMakumbakoMlimbaMtwangoIlembulaIlulaRujewaUrunda

Topography around Mafinga

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Mafinga has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 149 m around an average of 1,854 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 416 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,993 m.

The land around Mafinga is covered by artificial surfaces (32%), cropland (27%) and grassland (26%) within 3 km, grassland (40%) and trees (27%) within 16 km, and trees (38%) and shrubs (31%) within 80 km.

3 km
149 m
16 km
416 m
80 km
1,993 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
May weather nearby: Iringa 74 km · Makumbako 79 km · Mlimba 80 km · Mtwango 96 km · Ilembula 103 km · Ilula 107 km · Rujewa 110 km · Urunda 116 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 Mafinga (-8.3002°, 35.2937°, elevation 1,766 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).