Malawi weather by month

In Lilongwe, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.

The clearer part of the year begins around April 11 and lasts for 7.3 months, ending around November 18. The clearest month is September, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 89% of the time on average.

The cloudier part of the year begins around November 19 and lasts for 4.7 months, ending around April 10. The cloudiest month is January, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 90% of the time.

This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.

Across the year, average wind speed in Lilongwe is typically calm, near 10 km/h, and varies moderately with the seasons.

The windier part of the year lasts 5.3 months, from around Jun 27 to Dec 5. The windiest month is October, averaging about 13 km/h (light breeze).

The calmer part of the year runs from around Dec 6 to Jun 26, with February the calmest month at about 7 km/h.

Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.

Lilongwe receives about 5.6 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — bright — with a clear seasonal swing between 4.7 and 6.9 kWh/m².

The brighter stretch of the year lasts 3.9 months, from around Aug 15 to Dec 12. The brightest month is October, averaging about 6.9 kWh/m² (intense).

The dimmest month is July, down near 4.8 kWh/m² — roughly 30% less than the October peak.