When to go · Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone in May
Mixed month. Rains start; roads inland begin to suffer.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Crowds
- Low
- Sierra Leone
- Prices
- Low
- Sierra Leone
Verdict
Rains start; roads inland begin to suffer.
Is another month better than May?
May is rated mixed. These months rate higher:
Weather in May
- Freetown Peninsula and coast · Freetown, River No. 2, Bureh, Banana Islands, Bontherainy
One of the wettest capitals in the world: over 3 m of rain a year, most of it July–September, with floods and landslides.
- Eastern forest · Tiwai, Gola, Kenemarainy
Rainforest; trails and roads become hard in the rains.
- North and highlands · Makeni, Outamba-Kilimi, Loma Mountainsrainy
Drier savanna; Harmattan haze in January; Mount Bintumani best Dec–Mar.
- Freetown31 °C (88 °F) / 24 °C (75 °F), 17 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 75 °F (24 °C), 17 rain days
- Banana Islands31 °C (88 °F) / 25 °C (77 °F), 12 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 77 °F (25 °C), 12 rain days
- Bo34 °C (93 °F) / 25 °C (77 °F), 9 rain days93 °F (34 °C) / 77 °F (25 °C), 9 rain days
- Bonthe31 °C (88 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 14 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 14 rain days
- Kenema31 °C (88 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 17 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 17 rain days
- Koidu31 °C (88 °F) / 22 °C (72 °F), 14 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 72 °F (22 °C), 14 rain days
- Magburaka32 °C (90 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 14 rain days90 °F (32 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 14 rain days
- Makeni32 °C (90 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 12 rain days90 °F (32 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 12 rain days
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha
Moves yearly (lunar)
Public holidays.
Rainy season
About May to October · Freetown
Heavy rain, floods and landslide risk; slow roads and rougher boat crossings.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Sierra Leone
- Low
- Prices · Sierra Leone
- Low
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Sierra Leone, side by side.
Verdict
May: Mixed
Jan: Great (better)
Crowds
May: Low
Jan: Medium
Prices
May: Low
Jan: Medium
Festivals listed
May: 2
Jan: 3
May: Rains start; roads inland begin to suffer.
January: Dry and sunny, some Harmattan haze; peak beach season.
Sierra Leone: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast
Where to go in May
Better another month
Rainy season starts; heavy rain and flooding.