Hwange weather in May

In May, Hwange sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 2 mm of rain across 0.4 wet days and about 11.1 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 31°C in the first days to 28°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 85% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 18 min at the start of May to 11 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Hwange's 5th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Hwange's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
10th warmest
Overnight low
15°
4th coldest
Rainfall
2 mm
0.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 06 min
6:36 AM – 5:44 PM
Cloud cover
18%
5th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
5.09 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.2
out of 10

Hwange 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 31°C in the first days to 28°C by the end.

A typical May day in Hwange reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 15°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C cooler than April and about 3°C warmer than June.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13117
23117
33117
43016
53016
63016
73016
83016
93016
103016
113015
123015
133015
143015
152915
162915
172915
182915
192914
202914
212914
222914
232914
242914
252814
262814
272814
282813
292813
302813
312813

How May really feels in Hwange

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.

Hwange 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
Jan31° / 22°15318.4133.5
Feb31° / 21°11114.112.63.9
Mar31° / 21°551012.14.4
Apr31° / 18°13311.65.4
May29° / 15°20.411.17.2
Jun27° / 12°10.210.98.9
Jul26° / 12°00.1119.0
Aug30° / 14°0011.47.2
Sep33° / 18°20.311.94.6
Oct35° / 22°71.812.42.9
Nov34° / 23°549.712.92.8
Dec32° / 22°13217.213.13.3

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 85% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 4%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1937
2937
3955
4955
5955
6964
7964
8964
9964
10964
11964
12973
13973
14964
15964
16964
17964
18964
19964
20964
21964
22964
23964
24964
25973
26973
27964
28964
29964
30964
31955

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Hwange gets around 2 mm of rain over 0.4 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 1% and peaks near 2% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
12
22
32
42
52
62
71
81
91
101
111
121
131
141
151
161
171
181
191
201
211
221
231
241
251
261
271
281
291
301
311

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 81% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
16027121
26226111
36524101
4672391
5702280
6722170
7742060
8761950
9771850
10791740
11801640
12821530
13831520
14841420
15841420
16851410
17861310
18871300
19871300
20881200
21881200
22881200
23891100
24891100
25891100
26891100
27901000
28901000
2991900
3091900
3192800

Wind in May

Winds average 8 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 18 min at the start of May to 11 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:31 AM to 6:42 AM, and sunset from 5:52 PM to 5:41 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.36:315:52
211.36:315:51
311.36:325:50
411.36:325:50
511.36:325:49
611.36:335:49
711.36:335:48
811.26:335:48
911.26:345:47
1011.26:345:47
1111.26:345:46
1211.26:355:46
1311.26:355:46
1411.26:355:45
1511.26:365:45
1611.16:365:44
1711.16:365:44
1811.16:375:44
1911.16:375:43
2011.16:385:43
2111.16:385:43
2211.16:385:43
2311.16:395:42
2411.16:395:42
2511.06:395:42
2611.06:405:42
2711.06:405:42
2811.06:415:41
2911.06:415:41
3011.06:415:41
3111.06:425:41

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.09 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.62 kWh/m² to a high of 7.17 kWh/m² in October across the year — May's 5.09 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.2Bright
115.2Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.0Bright
185.0Bright
195.0Bright
205.0Bright
215.0Bright
224.9Bright
234.9Bright
244.9Bright
254.9Bright
264.9Bright
274.8Bright
284.8Bright
294.8Bright
304.8Bright
314.8Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Hwange

In seasonPeak

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

Hwange's rainy season runs December–February, 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 Hwange?

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

7.2
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
9.2
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Hwange in May

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

In May, Hwange sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 15°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Hwange in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Hwange peaks around January 18 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 7 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeJan 18UV 16Jun 22UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr10Extreme
May9Very high
Jun7Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep10Very high
Oct10Very high
Nov14Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Hwange 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 Hwange is worst in September — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.9× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1822 µg/m³Apr 196 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb7Good
Mar7Good
Apr6Good
May6Good
Jun8Good
Jul9Good
Aug16Moderate
Sep23Moderate
Oct19Moderate
Nov9Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Hwange?

Hwange sits at 18.4°S, 26.5°E, 767 m above sea level, in Zimbabwe. The nearest listed city is Victoria Falls, 85 km away.

Victoria FallsLivingstoneMaambaKalomoKasaneSinazongweChomaNata

Topography around Hwange

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Hwange has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 186 m around an average of 773 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 479 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 850 m.

The land around Hwange is covered by trees (38%) and shrubs (35%) within 3 km, shrubs (45%) and trees (37%) within 16 km, and shrubs (54%) and trees (30%) within 80 km.

3 km
186 m
16 km
479 m
80 km
850 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
May weather nearby: Victoria Falls 85 km · Livingstone 90 km · Maamba 131 km · Kalomo 149 km · Kasane 155 km · Sinazongwe 159 km · Choma 181 km · Nata 209 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 Hwange (-18.3645°, 26.4988°, elevation 767 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).