Nkhata Bay in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Nkhata Bay sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 1201 mm of rain over about 84 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels muggy.
Summer is Nkhata Bay's weakest season of the year 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
- 26°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 23°C
- Rainfall
- 1201 mm
- 84 wet days
- Avg wind
- 7 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.7
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Nkhata Bay in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C.
A typical summer day in Nkhata Bay reaches about 26°C and drops to 23°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest December.
Nkhata Bay 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 | 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 Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Nkhata Bay gets around 1201 mm of rain over 84 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 7 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 36 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 5.4 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Nkhata Bay
In summer, 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 summer a good time to visit Nkhata Bay?
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 Nkhata Bay.
What to pack for Nkhata Bay in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Nkhata Bay sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 23°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 84 days see rain.
UV index in Nkhata Bay 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 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 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 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.