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Zanzibar in May: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Planning a trip and want to know what the weather in Zanzibar in May will be like? Take a look at our weather guide for Zanzibar, based on historical data.
Check flight prices to Zanzibar on Avionero:
May

Weather in Zanzibar in May 2024

OK Weather
Warm
☁️
Cloudy
If you plan to visit Zanzibar in May, the weather is typically alright, with an average high temperature of +82°F during the day and approximately 5 sunny days. Expect some rainy, though, as there are typically 13 rainy days in the month and around 141 mm of precipitation. The weather is changeable so you may have to pack for every eventuality. Search flights in one click on Avionero.

Average weather

☀️
+82°F
Avg. max. temperature
+73°F
Min.
+86°F
Max.
141 mm
Total precipitation
82%
Avg. humidity
3 m/s
Avg. wind
5 ☀️
Sunny Days
13 ⛅️
Cloudy
13 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Zanzibar has OK weather in May.

Average temperature in Zanzibar in May

Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Zanzibar for May based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The expected average maximum temperature in May is +84°F with a maximum of +86°F and a minimum of +75°F.

The average maximum temperature goes up 0% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +82°F to +82°F.

Is Zanzibar warm or cold in May?

Zanzibar is typically warm in May.

Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +82°F to +82°F. The minimum temperature also goes down from +77°F to +77°F.

It’s generally warm, but pack a long-sleeve shirt for evenings.

Take a look at how May is compared to other months in Zanzibar:

Climate in Zanzibar in May

Zanzibar weather looks like this, on average, in May and the surrounding months.
AprilMayJune
Avg. temperature
+82°F+82°F+81°F
Min. temperature
+75°F+73°F+72°F
Max. temperature
+90°F+86°F+86°F
Rainfall
189 mm141 mm38 mm
Wind
2 m/s3 m/s3 m/s
Humidity
83%82%78%
Air pressure
1010 HPa1012 HPa1014 HPa
Sunny days
256
Cloudy days
81320
Rainy days
20134
Snowy days
000

May weather is still as ok as in April. The temperature levels stay the same in the area of +82°F for average maximum temperature during the day. As May arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 189 mm to 141 mm. It feels drier, as humidity decreases from 83% to 82%. Winds are stronger in comparison to April, going up from 2 m/s to 3 m/s on average. The good news is there are likely to be more sunny days in May, from 2 to 5.

But maybe it is worth considering traveling in June as the weather gets better.

Wind

Wind speed in Zanzibar in May based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The average wind speed is 5 m/s getting up to 6 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in Zanzibar is gradually increasing during May, going from 5 m/s to 5 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during May in Zanzibar based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
A chance of rain on a typical day in May stands at 39%, leading to total precipitation of around 25 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 6 mm, which is considered light rain. May is a pretty wet month with over 12 rainy days, so don’t forget to pack an umbrella, raincoat, and a pair of wellies.
May is one of the rainiest months in Zanzibar, here is a comparison with other months, total mm:
Zanzibar wettest month is April, where a typical day has a 67% chance of precipitation and 189 mm of rainfall per day. September, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 7% chance of precipitation and 27 mm of rainfall per day.

How was the weather last May in Zanzibar?

This is the weather in Zanzibar in May 2023:
1 May
☁️
+82°F
2 May
☁️
+85°F
3 May
☁️
+85°F
4 May
☁️
+82°F
5 May
🌧️
+81°F
6 May
☁️
+82°F
7 May
☀️
+85°F
8 May
☁️
+85°F
9 May
☁️
+86°F
10 May
☀️
+85°F
11 May
☀️
+85°F
12 May
☀️
+83°F
13 May
☀️
+83°F
14 May
☀️
+84°F
15 May
☀️
+83°F
16 May
☀️
+84°F
17 May
☀️
+85°F
18 May
☁️
+83°F
19 May
☀️
+84°F
20 May
☁️
+82°F
21 May
☀️
+82°F
22 May
☀️
+85°F
23 May
☀️
+86°F
24 May
☀️
+84°F
25 May
☀️
+84°F
26 May
☀️
+85°F
27 May
☀️
+85°F
28 May
☀️
+84°F
29 May
☀️
+83°F
30 May
☀️
+83°F
31 May
☁️
+82°F
In May 2023 Zanzibar had 20 sunny days, 10 cloudy days, and 1 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +84°F, with an absolute maximum of +86°F and a minimum of +81°F. The average humidity was 76%, with a maximum of 94% and a minimum of 45%. The average wind speed was 5 m/s, with a maximum of 12 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in May?

Climate Change Over the Years

This is how Zanzibar climate has changed over the last 43 years.

The climate in Zanzibar in May has not changed that much over the last 43 years.

The average temperature was the lowest in 1984 (+81°F) and the highest in 2022 (+88°F). The driest year was 2004 with only 21 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2019 with 289 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Zanzibar in May:

Is May a good time to visit Zanzibar?

It’s always a good time to visit Zanzibar, but the weather is changeable in May, so plan a mix of indoor and outdoor activities and exploring, and pack for every eventuality.

Can you sunbathe in Zanzibar in May?

May is warm in Zanzibar. You may enjoy some beach or pool time in the day, but pack something a tad warmer for the evening.

Is Zanzibar rainy in May?

Zanzibar is often rainy in May. You may get a bit damp when outside, so pack an umbrella, and maybe even a raincoat.

Is it sunny in Zanzibar in May?

Usually, it’s not very sunny in Zanzibar in May, often it’s pretty cloudy. Pack for any eventuality; layering can help reduce the number of bulky items needed.

Other cities in Tanzania

Check out the weather for other cities in Tanzania.

Monthly weather in Zanzibar

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Zanzibar, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2022.

For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.