Gwanda weather in May

In May, Gwanda sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 11°C, with 9 mm of rain across 2 wet days and about 11 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 27°C in the first days to 25°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 75% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 12 min at the start of May to 10 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Gwanda's 2nd-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gwanda's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
10th warmest
Overnight low
11°
4th coldest
Rainfall
9 mm
2 wet days
Daylight
11 hours
6:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Cloud cover
22%
2nd clearest
Wind
10 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
4.66 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.7
out of 10

Gwanda is city in Zimbabwe.

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 27°C in the first days to 25°C by the end.

A typical May day in Gwanda reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 11°C overnight — a 14°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12713
22713
32713
42713
52713
62713
72613
82612
92612
102612
112612
122612
132612
142612
152612
162611
172611
182511
192511
202511
212511
222511
232511
242510
252510
262510
272510
282510
292510
302510
312410

Gwanda weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 20°11212.913.14.8
Feb29° / 19°10411.512.75.1
Mar28° / 18°678.912.16.1
Apr27° / 15°214.611.57.6
May26° / 11°92118.7
Jun23° / 71.110.89.1
Jul23° / 61.610.98.8
Aug26° / 11°30.911.38.9
Sep29° / 15°82.111.96.9
Oct31° / 18°184.512.55.5
Nov31° / 19°7310.4134.6
Dec30° / 19°11214.113.24.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 75% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 13%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18317
28515
38515
48614
58614
68812
78812
88812
98911
108911
118911
128812
138812
148812
158812
168713
178614
188614
198614
208614
218515
228614
238614
248614
258614
268614
278614
288614
298812
308614
318614

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Gwanda gets around 9 mm of rain over 2 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 7% and peaks near 10% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
110
29
39
49
58
68
77
87
97
107
117
127
137
147
157
167
177
187
197
207
217
226
236
246
256
265
275
285
295
305
315

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 88% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
172226
273216
376195
478184
579174
681163
783152
884142
986131
1086131
1187121
1288111
1390100
1490100
159190
169190
179280
189280
199280
209370
219370
229370
239460
249460
259460
269550
279550
289640
299640
309640
319640

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
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1511calm
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 11 h 12 min at the start of May to 10 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 24 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:24 AM to 6:36 AM, and sunset from 5:38 PM to 5:26 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.26:245:38
211.26:245:38
311.26:255:37
411.26:255:37
511.26:255:36
611.26:265:35
711.16:265:35
811.16:275:34
911.16:275:34
1011.16:275:33
1111.16:285:33
1211.16:285:32
1311.06:295:32
1411.06:295:31
1511.06:305:31
1611.06:305:30
1711.06:305:30
1811.06:315:30
1911.06:315:29
2011.06:325:29
2110.96:325:29
2210.96:335:28
2310.96:335:28
2410.96:335:28
2510.96:345:27
2610.96:345:27
2710.96:355:27
2810.96:355:27
2910.96:365:27
3010.86:365:26
3110.86:365:26

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.66 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.09 kWh/m² to a high of 6.45 kWh/m² in October across the year — May's 4.66 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.9Bright
24.9Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.9Bright
64.9Bright
74.8Bright
84.8Bright
94.8Bright
104.8Bright
114.8Bright
124.7Bright
134.7Bright
144.7Bright
154.7Bright
164.6Bright
174.6Bright
184.6Bright
194.6Bright
204.5Bright
214.5Bright
224.5Bright
234.5Bright
244.5Bright
254.4Bright
264.4Bright
274.4Bright
284.4Bright
294.4Bright
304.3Bright
314.3Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Gwanda

In seasonPeak

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

Gwanda's rainy season runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Gwanda?

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

8.7
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
8.1
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Gwanda for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Gwanda in May

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

In May, Gwanda sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 11°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Gwanda in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Gwanda peaks around January 18 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeJan 18UV 15Jun 20UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr10Very high
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul7High
Aug8Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct11Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Gwanda 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 Gwanda is worst in September — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.3× the cleanest month (January, 5 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1215 µg/m³Jan 115 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan5Good
Feb6Good
Mar7Good
Apr9Good
May12Moderate
Jun13Moderate
Jul13Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov7Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Gwanda?

Gwanda sits at 20.9°S, 29.0°E, 986 m above sea level, in Zimbabwe. The nearest listed city is Bulawayo, 98 km away.

BulawayoBobonongZvishavaneFrancistownSelebi-PhikweTonotaShurugwiBeitbridge

Topography around Gwanda

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Gwanda has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 250 m around an average of 1,002 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 341 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 928 m.

The land around Gwanda is covered by trees (47%) and shrubs (38%) within 3 km, trees (58%) and shrubs (36%) within 16 km, and shrubs (56%) and trees (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
250 m
16 km
341 m
80 km
928 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
May weather nearby: Bulawayo 98 km · Bobonong 129 km · Zvishavane 129 km · Francistown 158 km · Selebi-Phikwe 167 km · Tonota 170 km · Shurugwi 175 km · Beitbridge 176 km

Zimbabwe travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type D / G
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 56% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$3,021
2025
Happiness
3.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
25%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
6.8
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
41.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Very high
EF EPI 602
Religion
Apostolic Sect 40%Pentecostal 17%Protestant 14%none 8%

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 Gwanda (-20.9362°, 29.007°, elevation 986 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).