Nkhotakota in Fall

In fall (March, April and May), Nkhotakota sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 351 mm of rain over about 42 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 2nd-wettest season.

Over the season highs ease from about 27°C in early March to 25°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 54% of the time across fall, and the air most often feels muggy.

Fall is Nkhotakota's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Nkhotakota's year-round climate.

Avg daytime high
26°C
3rd-warmest season
Avg overnight low
22°C
Rainfall
351 mm
42 wet days
Avg wind
11 km/h
Travel score
6.4
3rd-best season
Months
Mar · Apr · May

Temperature in Nkhotakota in Fall

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Over the season highs ease from about 27°C in early March to 25°C by late May.

A typical fall day in Nkhotakota reaches about 26°C and drops to 22°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is March, the coolest May.

15°20°25°30°MarAprMay

Nkhotakota 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.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 23°37929.312.73.5
Feb27° / 23°32024.812.43.7
Mar27° / 23°25225.712.14.1
Apr27° / 22°9113.811.76.4
May25° / 21°92.411.48.6
Jun24° / 19°20.511.39.3
Jul23° / 18°20.611.39.2
Aug25° / 19°10.111.69.3
Sep27° / 21°10.211.98.6
Oct29° / 24°172.912.37.0
Nov29° / 24°8712.112.65.2
Dec28° / 23°31525.712.73.9

Cloud cover in Fall

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 54% of the time across fall.

0%25%50%75%100%MarAprMay

Chance of precipitation in Fall

Any precipitation

Nkhotakota gets around 351 mm of rain over 42 wet days across fall. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

0%20%40%60%80%100%MarAprMay

Humidity in Fall

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

0%25%50%75%100%MarAprMay

Wind in Fall

Winds average 11 km/h across fall.

051015MarAprMay

Sunrise & sunset in Fall

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min in early March to 11 h 18 min by late May. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AMMarAprMay

Solar energy in Fall

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across fall, about 5.6 kWh/m².

0246MarAprMay
Planning a trip in fall

Hazard calendar for Nkhotakota

In seasonPeak

In fall, Nkhotakota overlaps its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

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

Nkhotakota's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is fall a good time to visit Nkhotakota?

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.

6.4
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
6.2
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

fall is a reasonable time to visit Nkhotakota for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Nkhotakota in Fall

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

In fall, Nkhotakota sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 42 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Nkhotakota in Fall

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

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 Nkhotakota peaks around January 22 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeJan 22UV 16Jun 18UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May9Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep11Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Nkhotakota in Fall

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Nkhotakota is worst in September — around 30 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.2× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1729 µg/m³Dec 207 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar9Good
Apr8Good
May8Good
Jun9Good
Jul13Moderate
Aug23Moderate
Sep30Moderate
Oct24Moderate
Nov12Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Nkhotakota?

Nkhotakota sits at 12.9°S, 34.3°E, 497 m above sea level, in Malawi. The nearest listed city is Kasungu, 89 km away.

KasunguMponelaSalimaLichingaLilongweMzimbaLundaziMonkey Bay

Topography around Nkhotakota

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Nkhotakota has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 59 m around an average of 489 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 189 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,230 m.

The land around Nkhotakota is covered by water (34%) within 3 km, water (49%) and grassland (21%) within 16 km, and water (41%) and cropland (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
59 m
16 km
189 m
80 km
1,230 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
Fall weather nearby: Kasungu 89 km · Mponela 90 km · Salima 96 km · Lichinga 111 km · Lilongwe 128 km · Mzimba 137 km · Lundazi 140 km · Monkey Bay 145 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 Nkhotakota (-12.9274°, 34.2961°, elevation 497 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.