Abu Dhabi weather in May

In May, Abu Dhabi sees average daytime highs of 36°C and overnight lows near 27°C, with 0 mm of rain across 0.1 wet days and about 13.2 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 35°C in the first days to 37°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 89% of the time in May, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 54 min at the start of May to 13 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Abu Dhabi's 4th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Abu Dhabi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
36°
5th warmest
Overnight low
27°
8th coldest
Rainfall
0 mm
0.1 wet days
Daylight
13 h 12 min
5:43 AM – 6:54 PM
Cloud cover
11%
4th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
7.6 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.7
out of 10

Abu Dhabi is capital city of the United Arab Emirates.

Air quality
Very high
PM2.5 44.4 µg/m³ · 2019
Density
1,859/km²
people per km²

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 35°C in the first days to 37°C by the end.

A typical May day in Abu Dhabi reaches about 36°C in the afternoon and slips back to 27°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 33°C and 39°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 4°C warmer than April and about 2°C cooler than June.

20°25°30°35°40°45°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13425
23525
33525
43525
53526
63526
73526
83526
93626
103626
113626
123626
133627
143627
153627
163627
173627
183627
193727
203727
213727
223727
233727
243728
253728
263728
273728
283728
293728
303828
313828

How May really feels in Abu Dhabi

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 31 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
31
14 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Abu Dhabi weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan23° / 16°91.610.78.8
Feb25° / 17°91.311.19.1
Mar28° / 19°131.611.87.9
Apr32° / 23°40.512.65.3
May36° / 27°00.113.22.7
Jun38° / 29°0013.51.3
Jul39° / 31°1013.40.4
Aug40° / 32°10.112.90.1
Sep38° / 29°0012.21.4
Oct35° / 26°10.111.43.7
Nov30° / 22°30.710.86.9
Dec26° / 18°5110.58.9

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 89% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 4% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 7%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18614
28614
38713
48713
58812
68911
79010
89010
9919
10919
11928
12928
13937
14937
15937
16946
17955
18955
19955
20955
21955
22964
23964
24964
25964
26964
27973
28982
29982
30982
31982

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Abu Dhabi gets around 0 mm of rain over 0.1 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 0% and peaks near 1% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
11
21
31
41
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
220
230
240
250
260
270
280
290
300
310

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the muggy band about 41% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 66% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1417403540
2416393650
3316393750
4315383760
5315373870
6215373980
7214363990
8214354091
91133440101
101123341121
111123242131
121113043141
130102944152
14092845172
15082645182
16072546192
17062446212
18052346233
19052147243
20042046263
21031946284
22031745304
23031644325
24021543345
25021442366
26021340386
27021239407
28021137428
29021036449
30029344510
31018334711

Wind in May

Winds average 15 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2015light breeze
2115light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 54 min at the start of May to 13 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 30 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:53 AM to 5:38 AM, and sunset from 6:47 PM to 7:02 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.95:536:47
212.95:526:47
312.95:516:48
413.05:506:48
513.05:506:49
613.05:496:49
713.05:486:50
813.05:486:50
913.15:476:51
1013.15:466:51
1113.15:466:52
1213.15:456:52
1313.15:456:53
1413.15:446:53
1513.25:446:54
1613.25:436:54
1713.25:436:55
1813.25:426:55
1913.25:426:56
2013.25:416:56
2113.35:416:57
2213.35:416:57
2313.35:406:58
2413.35:406:58
2513.35:406:59
2613.35:396:59
2713.35:397:00
2813.45:397:00
2913.45:397:01
3013.45:387:01
3113.45:387:02

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.6 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.1 kWh/m² to a high of 7.6 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 7.6 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.4Intense
27.4Intense
37.4Intense
47.5Intense
57.5Intense
67.5Intense
77.5Intense
87.5Intense
97.5Intense
107.6Intense
117.6Intense
127.6Intense
137.6Intense
147.6Intense
157.6Intense
167.6Intense
177.6Intense
187.7Intense
197.7Intense
207.7Intense
217.7Intense
227.6Intense
237.6Intense
247.6Intense
257.6Intense
267.6Intense
277.6Intense
287.6Intense
297.6Intense
307.6Intense
317.6Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Abu Dhabi

In seasonPeak

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

Abu Dhabi sits in the North Indian Ocean cyclone zone; the season peaks May and October–November.

Abu Dhabi sees seasonal dust haze (March–August), heaviest in July.

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

Is May a good time to visit Abu Dhabi?

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

2.7
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
6.4
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Abu Dhabi. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Abu Dhabi in May

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

In May, Abu Dhabi sees daytime highs around 36°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Abu Dhabi in May

The nearest coast averages about 29°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 19 km away) is warmest in August at about 34°C and coldest in February near 21°C.

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

20°25°30°35°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan22Refreshing
Feb21Refreshing
Mar22Refreshing
Apr25Warm
May29Tropical
Jun32Tropical
Jul33Tropical
Aug34Tropical
Sep33Tropical
Oct31Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec24Warm

UV index in Abu Dhabi 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 Abu Dhabi peaks around May 18 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 5 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highVery highVery highHighMay 18UV 10Dec 16UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan6High
Feb9Very high
Mar8Very high
Apr9Very high
May11Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug10Extreme
Sep8Very high
Oct8Very high
Nov6High
Dec5Moderate

Air quality in Abu Dhabi 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 Abu Dhabi is worst in July — around 72 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.7× the cleanest month (November, 26 µg/m³).

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Abu Dhabi's WHO annual average of 44.4 µg/m³.

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJul 2271 µg/m³Nov 2326 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan31Moderate
Feb37Poor
Mar44Poor
Apr43Poor
May47Poor
Jun53Poor
Jul72Unhealthy
Aug69Unhealthy
Sep50Poor
Oct35Poor
Nov26Moderate
Dec26Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Abu Dhabi?

Abu Dhabi sits at 24.5°N, 54.4°E, 6 m above sea level, in United Arab Emirates. The nearest listed city is Musaffah, 13 km away.

Bani Yas CityAl Shamkhah CityJebel AliDubai Investments ParkAl Furjan

Topography around Abu Dhabi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Abu Dhabi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 27 m around an average of 4 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 39 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 167 m.

The land around Abu Dhabi is covered by artificial surfaces (53%) within 3 km, water (57%) and bare terrain (22%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (53%) and water (44%) within 80 km.

3 km
27 m
16 km
39 m
80 km
167 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
May weather nearby: Musaffah 13 km · Mohammed Bin Zayed City 20 km · Khalifah A City 21 km · Bani Yas City 28 km · Al Shamkhah City 32 km · Jebel Ali 94 km · Dubai Investments Park 99 km · Al Furjan 99 km

United Arab Emirates travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 63% of US
price level, 2024
GDP per capita
$50,274
2024
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
99%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.7
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
8.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 487

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 Abu Dhabi (24.4512°, 54.397°, elevation 6 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).