Balaka in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Balaka sees average daytime highs around 29°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 636 mm of rain over about 65 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the wettest season of the year.
Over the season highs ease from about 31°C in early December to 29°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels muggy.
Summer is Balaka's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Balaka's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 29°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 21°C
- Rainfall
- 636 mm
- 65 wet days
- Avg wind
- 6 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.9
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Balaka in Summer
Over the season highs ease from about 31°C in early December to 29°C by late February.
A typical summer day in Balaka reaches about 29°C and drops to 21°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
How summer really feels in Balaka
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 6 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in summer is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Balaka weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28° / 21° | 279 | 25.3 | 12.8 | 3.7 |
| Feb | 28° / 21° | 190 | 19.1 | 12.5 | 4.2 |
| Mar | 29° / 21° | 122 | 16.3 | 12.1 | 4.9 |
| Apr | 28° / 19° | 25 | 5.3 | 11.7 | 7.2 |
| May | 27° / 17° | 5 | 1 | 11.3 | 8.4 |
| Jun | 25° / 15° | 2 | 0.8 | 11.1 | 8.8 |
| Jul | 24° / 14° | 3 | 0.9 | 11.2 | 8.9 |
| Aug | 27° / 16° | 2 | 0.5 | 11.5 | 8.6 |
| Sep | 30° / 18° | 2 | 0.5 | 11.9 | 6.8 |
| Oct | 32° / 21° | 15 | 2.3 | 12.3 | 5.2 |
| Nov | 32° / 22° | 59 | 8.3 | 12.7 | 4.1 |
| Dec | 30° / 22° | 167 | 20.5 | 12.9 | 3.7 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Balaka gets around 636 mm of rain over 65 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 6 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 48 min in early December to 12 h 18 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 5.6 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Balaka
In summer, Balaka overlaps its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Balaka's monsoon runs December–February, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Balaka?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Balaka.
What to pack for Balaka in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Balaka sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 65 days see rain.
UV index in Balaka in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Balaka peaks around January 18 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 at about 8 (very high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 16 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 8 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 14 | Extreme |
Air quality in Balaka in Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Balaka is worst in August — around 46 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 3.3× the cleanest month (December, 14 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 15 | 19 | 22 | 25 | 32 | 36 | 41 | 46 | 42 | 28 | 17 | 14 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Moderate |
| Feb | 19 | Moderate |
| Mar | 22 | Moderate |
| Apr | 25 | Moderate |
| May | 32 | Moderate |
| Jun | 36 | Poor |
| Jul | 41 | Poor |
| Aug | 46 | Poor |
| Sep | 42 | Poor |
| Oct | 28 | Moderate |
| Nov | 17 | Moderate |
| Dec | 14 | Moderate |
Where is Balaka?
Balaka sits at 15.0°S, 35.0°E, 633 m above sea level, in Malawi. The nearest listed city is Liwonde, 31 km away.
Topography around Balaka
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Balaka.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Balaka has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 80 m around an average of 636 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 327 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,811 m.
The land around Balaka is covered by cropland (57%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 3 km, cropland (65%) within 16 km, and cropland (48%) and shrubs (24%) within 80 km.
Malawi travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type G
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 53% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $672
- 2025
- Happiness
- 3.3 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 18%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 1.8
- per 100k, 2012
- Road deaths
- 33.4
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Low
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 465
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Balaka (-14.9793°, 34.9558°, elevation 633 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.