Kairouan weather in May

In May, Kairouan sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 17 mm of rain across 3.8 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 27°C in the first days to 30°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 54% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Kairouan's 5th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kairouan's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
5th warmest
Overnight low
16°
7th coldest
Rainfall
17 mm
3.8 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
5:20 AM – 7:12 PM
Cloud cover
40%
5th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
6.87 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.9
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 27°C in the first days to 30°C by the end.

A typical May day in Kairouan reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 4°C warmer than April and about 5°C cooler than June.

10°20°30°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12614
22614
32714
42715
52715
62715
72715
82815
92815
102815
112816
122816
132816
142816
152816
162916
172916
182916
192917
202917
212917
222917
232917
243017
253017
263017
273018
283018
293018
303018
313118

How May really feels in Kairouan

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.

Kairouan weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan17° / 273.99.96.5
Feb18° / 224.210.66.8
Mar21° / 345.411.77.3
Apr24° / 12°254.612.97.9
May28° / 16°173.813.96.9
Jun33° / 20°71.714.44.4
Jul36° / 23°20.614.22.6
Aug36° / 23°102.113.32.7
Sep32° / 21°375.112.24.9
Oct27° / 17°395.311.17.3
Nov22° / 12°253.910.17.9
Dec18° / 223.89.67.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 54% 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 29%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17228
27228
37228
47327
57327
67327
77228
87228
97327
107228
117129
127129
137030
147030
157030
166832
176832
186832
196832
206832
216832
226931
236931
246931
257030
267030
277129
287129
297327
307327
317426

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Kairouan gets around 17 mm of rain over 3.8 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 12% and peaks near 14% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
114
214
314
414
513
613
713
813
913
1013
1112
1212
1312
1412
1511
1611
1711
1811
1911
2011
2111
2211
2311
2411
2511
2611
2711
2811
2910
3010
3110

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 68% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
179192
279192
379192
478193
577203
677203
777203
876213
975214
1074224
1173234
1273234
1372244
1472244
1570255
1670255
1769265
1868275
1967285
2066295
2164306
2263316
2362326
2460337
2560337
2659347
2759347
2857358
2956368
3054379
3154379

Wind in May

Winds average 10 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 11 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:34 AM to 5:11 AM, and sunset from 7:00 PM to 7:23 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:347:00
213.55:337:00
313.55:327:01
413.55:317:02
513.65:307:03
613.65:297:04
713.65:287:05
813.65:277:06
913.75:267:06
1013.75:257:07
1113.75:247:08
1213.85:237:09
1313.85:227:10
1413.85:217:11
1513.95:207:11
1613.95:207:12
1713.95:197:13
1813.95:187:14
1914.05:177:15
2014.05:177:15
2114.05:167:16
2214.05:157:17
2314.15:157:18
2414.15:147:18
2514.15:137:19
2614.15:137:20
2714.15:127:21
2814.25:127:21
2914.25:117:22
3014.25:117:23
3114.25:117:23

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.87 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.5 kWh/m² to a high of 7.6 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 6.87 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.5Intense
26.6Intense
36.6Intense
46.6Intense
56.7Intense
66.7Intense
76.7Intense
86.8Intense
96.8Intense
106.8Intense
116.8Intense
126.8Intense
136.8Intense
146.8Intense
156.8Intense
166.9Intense
176.9Intense
186.9Intense
196.9Intense
206.9Intense
216.9Intense
226.9Intense
236.9Intense
247.0Intense
257.0Intense
267.0Intense
277.0Intense
287.0Intense
297.0Intense
307.1Intense
317.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Kairouan

In seasonPeak

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

Kairouan sees seasonal dust haze (April–June), heaviest in June.

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

Is May a good time to visit Kairouan?

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

6.9
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
8.1
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Kairouan in May

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

In May, Kairouan sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 16°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Kairouan in May

The nearest coast averages about 19°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 52 km away) is warmest in August at about 27°C and coldest in February near 15°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 29 to Nov 27 — about 6 months when the water holds above 20°C.

15°20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan16Cool
Feb15Bracing
Mar15Bracing
Apr16Cool
May19Cool
Jun22Refreshing
Jul25Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct24Refreshing
Nov21Refreshing
Dec18Cool

UV index in Kairouan in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kairouan peaks around July 17 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighHighVery highHighModerateJul 17UV 10Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar6High
Apr5Moderate
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Kairouan 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 Kairouan is worst in November — around 29 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateNov 1329 µg/m³Jul 1522 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan27Moderate
Feb28Moderate
Mar28Moderate
Apr28Moderate
May24Moderate
Jun23Moderate
Jul21Moderate
Aug23Moderate
Sep26Moderate
Oct29Moderate
Nov29Moderate
Dec28Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Kairouan?

Kairouan sits at 35.7°N, 10.1°E, 65 m above sea level, in Tunisia. The nearest listed city is Msaken, 44 km away.

MsakenKalaa SriraKelaa KebiraEzzouhourAkoudaZaouiet SousseHammam SousseSousse

Topography around Kairouan

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kairouan has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 29 m around an average of 58 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 158 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,365 m.

The land around Kairouan is covered by artificial surfaces (52%) and cropland (21%) within 3 km, cropland (53%) and grassland (22%) within 16 km, and cropland (38%) and grassland (34%) within 80 km.

3 km
29 m
16 km
158 m
80 km
1,365 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Msaken 44 km · Kalaa Srira 45 km · Kelaa Kebira 45 km · Ezzouhour 46 km · Akouda 47 km · Zaouiet Sousse 49 km · Hammam Sousse 50 km · Sousse 51 km

Tunisia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / E
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 29% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$4,657
2025
Happiness
4.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
65%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
4.7
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
16.5
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 498
Religion
Muslim 99%

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 Kairouan (35.6781°, 10.0963°, elevation 65 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).