Kenya

Kenya Weather in May

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Kenya in May.

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Nairobi Diani Beach Mombasa Malindi

Planning a getaway to Kenya this May and curious about the weather you should prepare for? Discover all the vital details you need on this page, solving your puzzle:

What to Expect in Kenya in May

In May, Kenya experiences a range of weather conditions, with temperatures that range from pleasant to very hot and precipitation levels ranging from low to heavy.

Temperatures

The average highest temperatures fluctuate between pleasant in Naivasha at 21°C (70°F) to very hot in Lodwar at 36°C (97°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 26°C (79°F) in Lodwar and 13°C (55°F) in Naivasha.

To explore the conditions in Kenya in more detail, check the map below.

Precipitation

In May, precipitation varies across different areas. From low rainfall in Archers Post with an average of 18 mm (0.7 in) to heavy rainfall in Chale Island with 270 mm (11 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine amounts are decent in most places. Nairobi gets approximately 175 hours of sunlight in May, offering a reasonable amount of both bright and cloudy periods. Curious about sunnier destinations? Our weather planner makes it easy to find places worldwide with pleasant weather.

Explore Kenya by month

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Best Places to Visit in Kenya in May

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across Kenya.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in Kenya

What is the weather like in May for some of the most popular destinations in Kenya?

Temperature range in Kenya (May)

Precipitation variation in Kenya (May)

Nairobi

In May Nairobi generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 25°C (77°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 16°C (61°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
27°C (81°F)
25°C (77°F)
24°C (75°F)
Min temperature
17°C (63°F)
16°C (61°F)
15°C (59°F)
Monthly sun hours
204 hours
175 hours
159 hours
Monthly rainfall
136 mm (5.4 in)
90 mm (3.5 in)
41 mm (1.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
19 days
16 days
6 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
perfect
perfect
Climate in Nairobi →

Diani Beach

In May Diani Beach generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 29°C (84°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
31°C (88°F)
29°C (84°F)
28°C (82°F)
Min temperature
25°C (77°F)
25°C (77°F)
24°C (75°F)
Monthly sun hours
224 hours
202 hours
209 hours
Monthly rainfall
189 mm (7.4 in)
258 mm (10 in)
109 mm (4.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
15 days
18 days
12 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
unpleasant
pleasant
Climate in Diani Beach →

Malindi

In May Malindi generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 29°C (84°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
31°C (88°F)
29°C (84°F)
28°C (82°F)
Min temperature
26°C (79°F)
25°C (77°F)
25°C (77°F)
Monthly rainfall
147 mm (5.8 in)
204 mm (8 in)
89 mm (3.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
21 days
16 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
unpleasant
perfect
Climate in Malindi →

Watamu

In May Watamu generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 29°C (84°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
31°C (88°F)
29°C (84°F)
28°C (82°F)
Min temperature
26°C (79°F)
25°C (77°F)
24°C (75°F)
Monthly rainfall
146 mm (5.7 in)
202 mm (8 in)
93 mm (3.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
21 days
15 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
unpleasant
perfect
Climate in Watamu →

Mombasa

In May Mombasa generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 30°C (86°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 24°C (75°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
31°C (88°F)
30°C (86°F)
29°C (84°F)
Min temperature
25°C (77°F)
24°C (75°F)
23°C (73°F)
Monthly sun hours
224 hours
202 hours
209 hours
Monthly rainfall
146 mm (5.7 in)
206 mm (8.1 in)
91 mm (3.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
19 days
13 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
poor
perfect
Climate in Mombasa →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Kenya.

Popular cities in May

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Kenya in May.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Nairobi 25°C (77°F) 16°C (61°F) 90 mm (3.5 in)
Diani Beach 29°C (84°F) 25°C (77°F) 258 mm (10 in)
Mombasa 30°C (86°F) 24°C (75°F) 206 mm (8.1 in)
Malindi 29°C (84°F) 25°C (77°F) 204 mm (8 in)
Kisumu 27°C (81°F) 19°C (66°F) 217 mm (8.5 in)
Naivasha 21°C (70°F) 13°C (55°F) 123 mm (4.8 in)

Kenya weather in May: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Kenya in May?

Kenya typically experiences perfect weather in May, part of the season. Daytime highs in Nairobi average around 25°C (77°F), and temperatures drop to about 16°C (61°F) at night.

What is the average temperature in Kenya in May?

In Nairobi, the average daytime high in May is 25°C (77°F), while nighttime temperatures drop to around 16°C (61°F).

Does Kenya get a lot of rain in May?

May is on the drier side in Kenya. Nairobi averages only about 90 mm (3.5 in), with most days staying dry.

Is May a Good Time to Visit Kenya?

We believe that May is one of the best times to visit Kenya with overall perfect weather in Nairobi. However, the weather conditions may vary depending on your destination.

Generally speaking, January, February, March, May, June, July, August, September, October and December provide perfect weather in Nairobi.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Kenya.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to Kenya? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in Kenya.

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

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