Climate and average weather in Mchinji
In Mchinji, the summers are hot, fairly dry, and mostly clear and the winters are warm and mostly clear.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in Mchinji typically varies from 11°C to 30°C, and is rarely below 9°C or above 34°C. October is the hottest month of the year, while July is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best time of year to visit Mchinji for warm-weather activities is from mid April to late September.
- Hottest
- Oct
- 30°
- Coldest
- Jul
- 11°
- Wettest
- Jan
- 267 mm
- Driest
- Jun
- 1 mm
- Rain / yr
- 986 mm
- 118 wet days
- Daylight
- 11.2–12.8 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- 1,186 m
- 13.8°S
- Clearest
- Sep
- 29% cloud
Mchinji is human settlement in Mchinji District, Malawi.
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Mchinji weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around mid April to late September.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in Mchinji, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
The hot season lasts 2.5 months, from September 18 to December 3, with daily high temperatures above 29°C. The hottest month of the year in Mchinji is October, with an average high of 30°C and low of 18°C.
The cool season lasts 2.1 months, from June 1 to August 3, with daily high temperatures below 24°C. The coldest month of the year in Mchinji is July, with an average low of 11°C and high of 23°C.
Days typically run about 11°C warmer than nights, with the widest day–night swing (around 13°C) in August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 28 |
| Avg low (°C) | 18 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 19 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26 | 18 |
| Feb | 26 | 18 |
| Mar | 26 | 18 |
| Apr | 26 | 16 |
| May | 25 | 14 |
| Jun | 24 | 12 |
| Jul | 23 | 11 |
| Aug | 26 | 13 |
| Sep | 29 | 16 |
| Oct | 30 | 18 |
| Nov | 30 | 19 |
| Dec | 28 | 19 |
Average hourly temperature in Mchinji
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on October afternoons, near 30°C, and coldest before dawn in July, near 11°C.
Mchinji weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26° / 18° | 267 | 27 | 12.7 | 3.9 |
| Feb | 26° / 18° | 211 | 22.5 | 12.5 | 4.2 |
| Mar | 26° / 18° | 159 | 21.1 | 12.1 | 4.8 |
| Apr | 26° / 16° | 35 | 7.1 | 11.7 | 7.2 |
| May | 25° / 14° | 5 | 1.2 | 11.4 | 8.6 |
| Jun | 24° / 12° | 1 | 0.1 | 11.2 | 9.0 |
| Jul | 23° / 11° | 1 | 0.1 | 11.3 | 8.9 |
| Aug | 26° / 13° | 1 | 0.1 | 11.5 | 8.8 |
| Sep | 29° / 16° | 2 | 0.4 | 11.9 | 7.6 |
| Oct | 30° / 18° | 18 | 3.2 | 12.3 | 5.8 |
| Nov | 30° / 19° | 70 | 11.3 | 12.6 | 4.7 |
| Dec | 28° / 19° | 217 | 24.4 | 12.8 | 4.0 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
Mchinji gets about 986 mm of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is often wet, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 4.9 months, from around Nov 12 to Apr 9, peaking in January at about 87% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around Jun 22.
January is the wettest month by volume, with 267 mm over about 27 wet days; June is the driest, with 1 mm.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 86 | 80 | 68 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 38 | 78 |
| Rain days | 27 | 23 | 21 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 24 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 86 | 27 |
| Feb | 80 | 23 |
| Mar | 68 | 21 |
| Apr | 24 | 7 |
| May | 4 | 1 |
| Jun | 1 | 0 |
| Jul | 0 | 0 |
| Aug | 0 | 0 |
| Sep | 2 | 0 |
| Oct | 10 | 3 |
| Nov | 38 | 11 |
| Dec | 78 | 24 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, Mchinji collects about 986 mm of rain across 118 wet days — roughly 82 mm in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. January is the wettest month with 267 mm, while June is the driest at just 1 mm. The three wettest months alone bring about 71% of the year’s total.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (mm) | 267 | 211 | 159 | 35 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 70 | 217 |
| Rain days | 27 | 23 | 21 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 24 |
| Rainfall (mm) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 267 | 27 |
| Feb | 211 | 23 |
| Mar | 159 | 21 |
| Apr | 35 | 7 |
| May | 5 | 1 |
| Jun | 1 | 0 |
| Jul | 1 | 0 |
| Aug | 1 | 0 |
| Sep | 2 | 0 |
| Oct | 18 | 3 |
| Nov | 70 | 11 |
| Dec | 217 | 24 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In Mchinji, 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 12 and lasts for 7.2 months, ending around November 16. The clearest month is September, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 85% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around November 17 and lasts for 4.8 months, ending around April 11. The cloudiest month is January, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 91% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 9 | 13 | 27 | 62 | 79 | 80 | 77 | 81 | 85 | 82 | 56 | 19 |
| Cloudier (%) | 91 | 87 | 73 | 38 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 19 | 15 | 18 | 44 | 81 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | 91 |
| Feb | 13 | 87 |
| Mar | 27 | 73 |
| Apr | 62 | 38 |
| May | 79 | 21 |
| Jun | 80 | 20 |
| Jul | 77 | 23 |
| Aug | 81 | 19 |
| Sep | 85 | 15 |
| Oct | 82 | 18 |
| Nov | 56 | 44 |
| Dec | 19 | 81 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. The longest day, around January 1, brings about 12 h 48 min of light; the shortest, around June 1, only 11 h 12 min — a swing of roughly 1 h 36 min.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 12.7 | 12.5 | 12.1 | 11.7 | 11.4 | 11.2 | 11.3 | 11.5 | 11.9 | 12.3 | 12.6 | 12.8 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:36 | 5:49 | 5:55 | 5:58 | 6:04 | 6:13 | 6:16 | 6:06 | 5:45 | 5:24 | 5:14 | 5:20 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:20 | 6:17 | 6:01 | 5:39 | 5:26 | 5:24 | 5:32 | 5:39 | 5:41 | 5:43 | 5:53 | 6:09 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12.7 | 5:36 | 6:20 |
| Feb | 12.5 | 5:49 | 6:17 |
| Mar | 12.1 | 5:55 | 6:01 |
| Apr | 11.7 | 5:58 | 5:39 |
| May | 11.4 | 6:04 | 5:26 |
| Jun | 11.2 | 6:13 | 5:24 |
| Jul | 11.3 | 6:16 | 5:32 |
| Aug | 11.5 | 6:06 | 5:39 |
| Sep | 11.9 | 5:45 | 5:41 |
| Oct | 12.3 | 5:24 | 5:43 |
| Nov | 12.6 | 5:14 | 5:53 |
| Dec | 12.8 | 5:20 | 6:09 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
Mchinji averages about 11 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 1 and 21 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 6.8 months, from around Apr 20 to Nov 13. The sunniest month is August, with roughly 19 sunny days (bright).
The greyest month is January, down near 1 sunny days — about 96% fewer than the August peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 10 | 3 |
| Sky | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Mixed | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Mixed | Gloomy |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1 | Gloomy |
| Feb | 1 | Gloomy |
| Mar | 3 | Gloomy |
| Apr | 10 | Mixed |
| May | 17 | Bright |
| Jun | 17 | Bright |
| Jul | 17 | Bright |
| Aug | 19 | Bright |
| Sep | 20 | Bright |
| Oct | 17 | Bright |
| Nov | 10 | Mixed |
| Dec | 3 | Gloomy |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
In Mchinji, how humid it feels changes dramatically over the year.
The more humid part of the year lasts 5.2 months, from around November 16 to April 22. The muggiest month is January, when the air feels humid, muggy or worse about 100% of the time.
The most comfortable stretch runs from around April 23 to November 15, and June is the most comfortable month — the air is dry or comfortable 100% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 56 | 94 | 100 | 99 | 96 | 70 | 27 | 3 |
| Comfortable (%) | 0 | 1 | 5 | 34 | 36 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 24 | 31 | 8 |
| Humid (%) | 24 | 29 | 43 | 46 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 35 | 38 |
| Muggy (%) | 75 | 70 | 52 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 51 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0 | 0 | 24 | 75 |
| Feb | 0 | 1 | 29 | 70 |
| Mar | 0 | 5 | 43 | 52 |
| Apr | 10 | 34 | 46 | 10 |
| May | 56 | 36 | 8 | 0 |
| Jun | 94 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug | 99 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep | 96 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Oct | 70 | 24 | 7 | 0 |
| Nov | 27 | 31 | 35 | 7 |
| Dec | 3 | 8 | 38 | 51 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
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 Mchinji is typically calm, near 10 km/h, and varies moderately with the seasons.
The windier part of the year lasts 5.8 months, from around Jun 5 to Nov 28. The windiest month is October, averaging about 14 km/h (light breeze).
The calmer part of the year runs from around Nov 29 to Apr 10, with January the calmest month at about 7 km/h.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 9 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | light breeze | light breeze | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | calm |
| Feb | 7 | calm |
| Mar | 9 | calm |
| Apr | 10 | calm |
| May | 10 | calm |
| Jun | 11 | calm |
| Jul | 11 | calm |
| Aug | 12 | calm |
| Sep | 13 | light breeze |
| Oct | 14 | light breeze |
| Nov | 12 | calm |
| Dec | 9 | calm |
Hazard calendar for Mchinji
When the seasonal hazards worth planning around — the rainy season, tropical-cyclone risk and dust haze — are active through the year.
Mchinji's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Best time to visit Mchinji
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Mchinji throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around mid September, Mchinji is still near the tail of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds already thinning.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 18°C and 28°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Mchinji for general outdoor tourist activities is from mid April to mid September, with a peak score in the first week of June.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.9 | 7.2 | 8.6 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 7.6 | 5.8 | 4.7 | 4.1 |
| Rating | fair | fair | fair | good | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | good | fair | fair |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.9 | fair |
| Feb | 4.2 | fair |
| Mar | 4.9 | fair |
| Apr | 7.2 | good |
| May | 8.6 | ideal |
| Jun | 9.0 | ideal |
| Jul | 8.9 | ideal |
| Aug | 8.8 | ideal |
| Sep | 7.6 | ideal |
| Oct | 5.8 | good |
| Nov | 4.7 | fair |
| Dec | 4.1 | fair |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 24°C and 34°C. Based on this score, the best times of year to visit Mchinji for hot-weather activities run from late April to mid June and again from late July to early November, with a peak score in the third week of September.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for Mchinji, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
For a warm-season trip around October (highs near 30°C), the essentials are light clothes and sun protection. In the cold season around July (highs near 23°C), pack light clothes and sun protection.
In October, Mchinji sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 3 days see rain.
UV index (midday) in Mchinji by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mchinji peaks around January 19 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 9 (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 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 10 | Very high |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 14 | Extreme |
Average hourly UV index in Mchinji
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in January the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 9 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 7 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 9 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8 | 7 | 6.5 | 7 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 7 | 7 | 6.5 | 6 | 5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | 7 |
| Feb | 8.5 | 7 |
| Mar | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Apr | 8 | 6 |
| May | 7 | 5 |
| Jun | 6.5 | 4.5 |
| Jul | 7 | 4.5 |
| Aug | 7 | 5 |
| Sep | 7.5 | 5.5 |
| Oct | 8 | 6 |
| Nov | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Dec | 9 | 7 |
Air quality in Mchinji by month
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see which months the air is worst, not just the yearly average.
Air quality in Mchinji is worst in August — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (December, 11 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) | 12 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 21 | 26 | 24 | 19 | 13 | 11 |
| Level | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Good |
| Feb | 14 | Moderate |
| Mar | 15 | Moderate |
| Apr | 15 | Moderate |
| May | 16 | Moderate |
| Jun | 18 | Moderate |
| Jul | 21 | Moderate |
| Aug | 26 | Moderate |
| Sep | 24 | Moderate |
| Oct | 19 | Moderate |
| Nov | 13 | Moderate |
| Dec | 11 | Good |
Growing season
Mchinji is frost-free year round — even the coldest nights rarely reach freezing, so there is no start or end to the growing season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Frost nights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 |
| May | 100 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 100 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 10°C: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. Mchinji banks about 4,107 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around November.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | 379 | 340 | 371 | 326 | 292 | 227 | 223 | 286 | 364 | 446 | 445 | 408 |
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 379 |
| Feb | 340 |
| Mar | 371 |
| Apr | 326 |
| May | 292 |
| Jun | 227 |
| Jul | 223 |
| Aug | 286 |
| Sep | 364 |
| Oct | 446 |
| Nov | 445 |
| Dec | 408 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
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.
Mchinji receives about 5.6 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — bright — with a clear seasonal swing between 4.8 and 6.8 kWh/m².
The brighter stretch of the year lasts 4.0 months, from around Aug 14 to Dec 13. The brightest month is October, averaging about 6.8 kWh/m² (intense).
The dimmest month is July, down near 4.9 kWh/m² — roughly 28% less than the October peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 5.1 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.7 | 6.5 | 6.8 | 6.5 | 5.6 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense | Bright |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.1 | Bright |
| Feb | 5.3 | Bright |
| Mar | 5.4 | Bright |
| Apr | 5.3 | Bright |
| May | 5.2 | Bright |
| Jun | 4.9 | Bright |
| Jul | 4.9 | Bright |
| Aug | 5.7 | Bright |
| Sep | 6.5 | Intense |
| Oct | 6.8 | Intense |
| Nov | 6.5 | Intense |
| Dec | 5.6 | Bright |
Where is Mchinji?
Mchinji sits at 13.8°S, 32.9°E, 1,186 m above sea level, in Malawi. The nearest listed city is Chipata, 31 km away.
Topography around Mchinji
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mchinji.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Mchinji has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 462 m around an average of 1,216 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 848 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,185 m.
The land around Mchinji is covered by cropland (39%) and trees (30%) within 3 km, cropland (46%) and trees (23%) within 16 km, and cropland (46%) and trees (23%) 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 Mchinji (-13.7984°, 32.8802°, elevation 1,186 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. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).