Nungwi weather in May

In May, Nungwi sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 233 mm of rain across 24.4 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 48 min at the start of May to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Nungwi's 11th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Nungwi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
6th warmest
Overnight low
25°
6th coldest
Rainfall
233 mm
24.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:27 AM – 6:11 PM
Cloud cover
54%
11th clearest
Wind
20 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
4.29 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.5
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month.

A typical May day in Nungwi reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 28°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)
12726
22726
32726
42726
52726
62726
72726
82726
92726
102726
112725
122725
132725
142725
152725
162725
172725
182725
192725
202725
212725
222725
232725
242725
252725
262725
272725
282725
292725
302725
312725

How May really feels in Nungwi

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.

Nungwi weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 26°348.412.36.9
Feb28° / 27°286.612.26.9
Mar28° / 26°13119.8124.8
Apr28° / 26°2782711.93.9
May27° / 25°23324.411.74.5
Jun26° / 25°6619.411.75.3
Jul26° / 24°4616.411.75.9
Aug25° / 24°3311.211.86.9
Sep26° / 24°278127.5
Oct26° / 25°6912.512.16.7
Nov27° / 25°8818.712.35.5
Dec28° / 26°8218.812.35.5

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 23% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 38%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
25050
35050
45149
55248
65248
75347
85446
95545
105644
115743
125842
135941
146040
156139
166337
176436
186535
196634
206733
216832
226931
237030
247129
257129
267228
277228
287228
297327
307327
317327

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Nungwi gets around 233 mm of rain over 24.4 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 79% and peaks near 85% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
185
285
384
483
583
682
781
881
980
1080
1179
1279
1379
1479
1579
1679
1779
1879
1979
2078
2178
2278
2377
2477
2576
2676
2775
2874
2973
3072
3171

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 92% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
118514
218613
318712
428711
528810
62899
72908
82917
92926
102926
112935
122944
132944
142953
152953
162962
172962
182962
192962
202971
213961
223961
233961
244951
254960
265950
276940
287930
298920
309910
3111890

Wind in May

Winds average 20 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 20 km/h on the calmest days to 21 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
120light breeze
220light breeze
320light breeze
420light breeze
520light breeze
620light breeze
720breezy
820breezy
920breezy
1020breezy
1120breezy
1220breezy
1320breezy
1420breezy
1521breezy
1621breezy
1721breezy
1821breezy
1921breezy
2021breezy
2121breezy
2221breezy
2321breezy
2421breezy
2521breezy
2621breezy
2721breezy
2821breezy
2921breezy
3021breezy
3121breezy

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 48 min at the start of May to 11 h 42 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 6:26 AM to 6:29 AM, and sunset from 6:14 PM to 6:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.86:266:14
211.86:266:14
311.86:266:14
411.86:266:13
511.86:266:13
611.86:266:13
711.86:266:13
811.86:266:12
911.86:266:12
1011.86:266:12
1111.86:266:12
1211.86:266:12
1311.86:276:12
1411.76:276:11
1511.76:276:11
1611.76:276:11
1711.76:276:11
1811.76:276:11
1911.76:276:11
2011.76:276:11
2111.76:286:11
2211.76:286:11
2311.76:286:11
2411.76:286:11
2511.76:286:11
2611.76:286:11
2711.76:296:11
2811.76:296:11
2911.76:296:11
3011.76:296:11
3111.76:296:11

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.29 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.29 kWh/m² to a high of 6.44 kWh/m² in February across the year — May's 4.29 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
104.3Bright
114.3Bright
124.3Bright
134.3Bright
144.3Bright
154.3Bright
164.3Bright
174.3Bright
184.3Bright
194.3Bright
204.3Bright
214.3Bright
224.3Bright
234.4Bright
244.4Bright
254.4Bright
264.4Bright
274.4Bright
284.4Bright
294.5Bright
304.5Bright
314.5Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Nungwi

In seasonPeak

In May, Nungwi sits inside its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

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

Nungwi's monsoon runs March–May, 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 Nungwi?

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

4.5
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
4.6
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Nungwi for sightseeing.

What to pack for Nungwi in May

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

In May, Nungwi sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: a windbreaker. About 24 days see rain.

light clothesrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Nungwi 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 14 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
Jan28Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Tropical
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Nungwi 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 Nungwi peaks around March 17 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 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 17UV 15Jun 18UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Nungwi 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 Nungwi is worst in January — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateGoodJan 2018 µg/m³Nov 118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan18Moderate
Feb16Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Nungwi?

Nungwi sits at 5.7°S, 39.3°E, 8 m above sea level, in Tanzania. The nearest listed city is Zanzibar, 50 km away.

Chake ChakeTangaSokoniMuhezaWeteBagamoyo

Topography around Nungwi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Nungwi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 41 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 85 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 626 m.

The land around Nungwi is covered by water (69%) within 3 km, water (85%) within 16 km, and water (69%) within 80 km.

3 km
41 m
16 km
85 m
80 km
626 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
May weather nearby: Zanzibar 50 km · Mkoani 56 km · Chake Chake 74 km · Tanga 76 km · Sokoni 83 km · Muheza 84 km · Wete 89 km · Bagamoyo 91 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 Nungwi (-5.7265°, 39.2987°, elevation 8 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).