Vejret i Madaba Governorate i maj

May at the Dead Sea is early in the hot half and already hot: regulars give high-80s to low-90s Fahrenheit, which is our row's 31.7C average high, and call May one of the better months precisely because it usually stays under 35C. The water is a long way behind the air, around 21 to 23C in early May, and that is warm enough to float in comfortably - floating being the whole activity, since swimming here is a mistake. The advice attached is three to four litres of water a day, timing your float for early morning or late afternoon, and water shoes, because the bed is rock and sharp salt crystals. Regulars blame the dryness; our row's 52 percent humidity is milder than that word suggests, but a 34C feels-like makes the same point. The record: 23.4C nights, 1.5 precipitation days and 12.7 hours of sun.

Jordan's forum consistently rates October as one of the best months to visit, and posters who specifically included Madaba on an October itinerary described the weather as close to perfect for the whole trip - warm, balmy days and cool, breezy evenings that call for just a light fleece. Multiple longtime visitors said they've never actually seen rain in Jordan during October across several years of trips, which lines up with the real record: it essentially doesn't rain here until November. It's an easy month to plan around without much weather risk.

Forum posters consistently name April and May as the best weather window for Jordan overall, with temperatures warm but still comfortable for a full day of outdoor sightseeing. Posters do flag that recent years have brought real rain, and even snow, into early April in parts of the country, though rainfall generally tapers off noticeably by late April - meaning early-month visitors should pack for a wider range of conditions than late-month ones. Posters consistently describe Madaba as a calm, easy small town to overnight in, commonly paired with Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea on a broader Jordan itinerary, with the back half of April generally delivering the more stable, reliably pleasant conditions.