Cotonou weather in May
Temperature, rain and sunshine in May: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in May
Fair
Best time to visit: December – February
What is the weather like in Cotonou in May?
In May, Cotonou is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 24 days, totalling 164 mm. On about 6 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, May is a so-so month for a holiday in Cotonou.
May compared
How the weather changes from April to June. Tap a month to open it.
More details for May
- Daylight
- 12 h 24 min06:34 – 18:59
- UV index
- 13 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 31 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 15 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 78 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 6 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Time zone
- UTC+1Africa/Porto-Novo
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %74 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %55 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %0 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in May
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Insect repellent
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Cotonou in May: quick answers
Is Cotonou hot in May?
Yes. In May, Cotonou is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C and nights stay around 26 °C. On about 6 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more.
Does it rain much in Cotonou in May?
It rains often – on about 24 days, adding up to 164 mm.
Cotonou month by month
The whole year in CotonouAll destinations: BeninWhere to go in May
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences