Mzuzu weather in January

In January, Mzuzu sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 300 mm of rain across 28.5 wet days and about 12.6 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in January, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 42 min at the start of January to 12 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Mzuzu's 12th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mzuzu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
5th warmest
Overnight low
18°
12th coldest
Rainfall
300 mm
28.5 wet days
Daylight
12 h 36 min
5:35 AM – 6:11 PM
Cloud cover
88%
12th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
4.95 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.7
out of 10

Mzuzu is city in Malawi.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month.

A typical January day in Mzuzu reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12518
22518
32518
42518
52518
62518
72518
82518
92518
102518
112518
122518
132518
142518
152518
162518
172518
182518
192518
202518
212518
222518
232518
242518
252518
262518
272518
282518
292518
302518
312518

Mzuzu weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 18°30028.512.63.7
Feb25° / 18°25124.812.43.9
Mar25° / 18°22329.112.13.8
Apr24° / 16°14024.211.84.7
May22° / 14°5013.511.56.5
Jun21° / 12°227.611.37.1
Jul20° / 11°196.811.47.3
Aug22° / 12°165.211.68.1
Sep25° / 15°123.611.98.5
Oct26° / 17°438.612.37.4
Nov27° / 18°10414.412.56.0
Dec26° / 18°24625.912.74.3

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 5% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 91%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11585
21486
31288
41288
51189
61189
71090
8991
9892
10892
11793
12892
13892
14892
15892
16892
17892
18892
19892
20892
21892
22892
23892
24892
25892
26892
27892
28892
29892
30892
31892

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Mzuzu gets around 300 mm of rain over 28.5 wet days in January, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 92% and peaks near 92% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
190
290
391
491
591
692
792
892
992
1092
1192
1292
1392
1492
1592
1692
1792
1892
1992
2092
2192
2292
2392
2492
2592
2691
2791
2891
2991
3090
3190

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of January feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, January lands in the muggy band about 69% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 69% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)
13169
23169
33169
43169
53169
63169
73169
83169
93169
103169
113169
123070
133070
143070
153070
163070
173070
183070
193070
203070
213070
223070
233070
243070
253070
263070
273169
283169
293169
303268
313268

Wind in January

Winds average 5 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 5 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 42 min at the start of January to 12 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:27 AM to 5:42 AM, and sunset from 6:07 PM to 6:12 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.75:276:07
212.75:286:07
312.75:286:08
412.75:296:08
512.75:296:08
612.65:306:09
712.65:306:09
812.65:316:09
912.65:316:10
1012.65:326:10
1112.65:326:10
1212.65:336:10
1312.65:346:11
1412.65:346:11
1512.65:356:11
1612.65:356:11
1712.65:366:12
1812.65:366:12
1912.65:376:12
2012.65:376:12
2112.65:386:12
2212.65:386:12
2312.65:386:12
2412.65:396:12
2512.65:396:12
2612.55:406:12
2712.55:406:13
2812.55:416:13
2912.55:416:13
3012.55:426:12
3112.55:426:12

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 4.95 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.95 kWh/m² to a high of 7.17 kWh/m² in October across the year — January's 4.95 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.1Bright
25.0Bright
35.0Bright
45.0Bright
55.0Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
85.0Bright
94.9Bright
104.9Bright
114.9Bright
124.9Bright
134.9Bright
144.9Bright
154.9Bright
164.9Bright
174.9Bright
184.9Bright
195.0Bright
205.0Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
245.0Bright
255.0Bright
265.0Bright
275.0Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Mzuzu

In seasonPeak

In January, Mzuzu sits inside its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Mzuzu sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Mzuzu's monsoon runs December–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

Cyclone
Monsoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Mzuzu?

Our two travel scores rate January for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

3.7
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
3.5
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Mzuzu.

What to pack for Mzuzu in January

From January's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In January, Mzuzu sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 18°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 29 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

UV index in Mzuzu in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 16 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mzuzu peaks around February 15 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 16 at about 9 (very high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeFeb 15UV 16Jun 16UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb17Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May10Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Mzuzu in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Mzuzu is worst in October — around 57 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 6.1× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModeratePoorModerateOct 1553 µg/m³Dec 2210 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb12Good
Mar11Good
Apr11Good
May12Good
Jun16Moderate
Jul21Moderate
Aug28Moderate
Sep32Moderate
Oct57Unhealthy
Nov24Moderate
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Mzuzu?

Mzuzu sits at 11.5°S, 34.0°E, 1,275 m above sea level, in Malawi. The nearest listed city is Nkhata Bay, 33 km away.

RumphiMzimbaTingiMbingaMatiriLundaziKigonsera

Topography around Mzuzu

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mzuzu.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Mzuzu has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 193 m around an average of 1,267 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 972 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,043 m.

The land around Mzuzu is covered by artificial surfaces (36%) and shrubs (29%) within 3 km, trees (42%) and shrubs (31%) within 16 km, and water (34%), trees (23%) and shrubs (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
193 m
16 km
972 m
80 km
2,043 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Nkhata Bay 33 km · Rumphi 53 km · Mzimba 67 km · Tingi 112 km · Mbinga 124 km · Matiri 125 km · Lundazi 130 km · Kigonsera 134 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
Protestant 34%other Christian 27%Roman Catholic 17%Muslim 14%

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 Mzuzu (-11.4656°, 34.0207°, elevation 1,275 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).