South Africa
Durban in May: weather, sea & travel advice
This month's data profile
Sea conditions lead
Durban in May is climatically well suited to city breaks, family holidays, beach holidays and active holidays and hiking. The average daily high is around 23 °C, and the sea is about 24 °C. With about 6 rainy days it is moderate.
Historical monthly averages, not a weather forecast. Individual days and years can differ substantially.
Rank among 12 monthly averages
88/100 · #1
Warmth
#6
Dryness
#4
Sun
#10
Sea warmth
#6
Published best categories: Overall, Beach, City break, Active, Family
Durban · MayPhoto: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE · CC BY-SA 2.0Climate facts
- Average high
- 23 °C
- Average low
- 21 °C
- Sea
- 24 °C
- Rainy days (est.)
- 6 rainy days (est.)
- Sun (est.)
- 4 h/day
- Humidity
- 73 %
Climate evidence with direct month comparison
The highlighted row is the selected month. Precipitation total and rainy days are separate monthly averages.
| Month | Avg high °C | Avg low °C | Rainy days (est.) | Precipitation mm | Sun h/day (est.) | Humidity % | Wind m/s | Sea °C | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | 24 | 22 | 11 | 81 | 5.2 | 77 | 5.5 | 25 | 82 |
| May (selected) | 23 | 21 | 6 | 47 | 4.4 | 73 | 5.2 | 24 | 88 |
| June | 22 | 19 | 4 | 30 | 3.9 | 69 | 5.2 | 22 | 87 |
How do the previous and next months compare?
Baseline: May (88/100)
Positive and negative values show the change from the selected month.
| Score Δ | Average high Δ | Average low Δ | Rainy days Δ | Rain Δ | Sun Δ | Humidity Δ | Wind Δ | Sea Δ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | -6 | +1.1 °C | +1.3 °C | +4.7 | +33.8 mm | +0.8 h | +3.8 % | +0.3 m/s | +1.1 °C |
| June | -1 | -1.3 °C | -1.7 °C | -2.1 | -16.9 mm | -0.5 h | -4.6 % | ±0 m/s | -1.2 °C |
All twelve months in context
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Frequently asked questions
How warm is Durban in May?
The average daily high is around 23 °C, with an average daily low of about 21 °C.
Can you swim in Durban in May?
The sea is about 24 °C (swimmable).
Does it rain a lot in Durban in May?
The curated estimate is about 6 rainy days per month, not a directly measured long-term average. Total precipitation averages around 47 mm for the month. A rainy day does not mean all-day rain.
When is the best time to visit Durban?
By the climate score, April, May, June and July are the strongest months for Durban. For a beach trip: February, March, April and May. May is one of them.