Nkhata Bay in Fall
In fall (March, April and May), Nkhata Bay sees average daytime highs around 24°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 854 mm of rain over about 70 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 2nd-wettest season.
Over the season highs ease from about 26°C in early March to 23°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time across fall, and the air most often feels muggy.
Fall is Nkhata Bay's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. Nkhata Bay has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Nkhata Bay's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 24°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 21°C
- Rainfall
- 854 mm
- 70 wet days
- Avg wind
- 10 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.0
- 3rd-best season
- Months
- Mar · Apr · May
Temperature in Nkhata Bay in Fall
Over the season highs ease from about 26°C in early March to 23°C by late May.
A typical fall day in Nkhata Bay reaches about 24°C and drops to 21°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is March, the coolest May.
Nkhata Bay weather by month
How the three fall months (March, April and May) 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 | 26° / 23° | 414 | 29.5 | 12.6 | 3.6 |
| Feb | 26° / 23° | 352 | 26 | 12.4 | 3.7 |
| Mar | 25° / 22° | 452 | 29.9 | 12.1 | 3.7 |
| Apr | 25° / 21° | 320 | 25.5 | 11.7 | 4.7 |
| May | 23° / 20° | 82 | 14.1 | 11.5 | 6.7 |
| Jun | 22° / 19° | 39 | 9.5 | 11.3 | 7.2 |
| Jul | 21° / 18° | 30 | 8.6 | 11.4 | 7.4 |
| Aug | 23° / 19° | 22 | 5.4 | 11.6 | 8.3 |
| Sep | 25° / 21° | 16 | 3.5 | 11.9 | 8.6 |
| Oct | 27° / 23° | 76 | 9.1 | 12.3 | 7.3 |
| Nov | 28° / 23° | 227 | 16.9 | 12.5 | 5.6 |
| Dec | 26° / 22° | 434 | 28.5 | 12.7 | 3.9 |
Cloud cover in Fall
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time across fall.
Chance of precipitation in Fall
Nkhata Bay gets around 854 mm of rain over 70 wet days across fall. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Fall
Most of fall feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Fall
Winds average 10 km/h across fall.
Sunrise & sunset in Fall
Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 min in early March to 11 h 24 min by late May. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Fall
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across fall, about 5.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Nkhata Bay
In fall, Nkhata Bay overlaps its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Nkhata Bay sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.
Nkhata Bay's monsoon runs November–April, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is fall a good time to visit Nkhata Bay?
Our two travel scores rate fall for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
fall is a reasonable time to visit Nkhata Bay for sightseeing.
What to pack for Nkhata Bay in Fall
From fall's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In fall, Nkhata Bay sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 21°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 70 days see rain.
UV index in Nkhata Bay in Fall
Clear-sky midday UV across fall averages around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Nkhata Bay peaks around February 16 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 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) | 15 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Extreme |
| Feb | 16 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 10 | Very high |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Air quality in Nkhata Bay in Fall
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where fall falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Nkhata Bay is worst in September — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.7× the cleanest month (December, 7 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) | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 20 | 26 | 23 | 13 | 7 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Good |
| Feb | 10 | Good |
| Mar | 9 | Good |
| Apr | 8 | Good |
| May | 7 | Good |
| Jun | 8 | Good |
| Jul | 11 | Good |
| Aug | 20 | Moderate |
| Sep | 26 | Moderate |
| Oct | 23 | Moderate |
| Nov | 13 | Moderate |
| Dec | 7 | Good |
Where is Nkhata Bay?
Nkhata Bay sits at 11.6°S, 34.3°E, 547 m above sea level, in Malawi. The nearest listed city is Mzuzu, 33 km away.
Topography around Nkhata Bay
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Nkhata Bay.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Nkhata Bay has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 263 m around an average of 560 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 809 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,549 m.
The land around Nkhata Bay is covered by trees (37%), shrubs (35%) and water (23%) within 3 km, water (47%) and trees (26%) within 16 km, and water (52%) and trees (20%) 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 Nkhata Bay (-11.6066°, 34.2907°, elevation 547 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.