Nkhotakota in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Nkhotakota sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 1014 mm of rain over about 80 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 27°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Summer is Nkhotakota's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Nkhotakota's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 27°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 23°C
- Rainfall
- 1014 mm
- 80 wet days
- Avg wind
- 7 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.7
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Nkhotakota in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C.
A typical summer day in Nkhotakota reaches about 27°C and drops to 23°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
Nkhotakota 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 | 27° / 23° | 379 | 29.3 | 12.7 | 3.5 |
| Feb | 27° / 23° | 320 | 24.8 | 12.4 | 3.7 |
| Mar | 27° / 23° | 252 | 25.7 | 12.1 | 4.1 |
| Apr | 27° / 22° | 91 | 13.8 | 11.7 | 6.4 |
| May | 25° / 21° | 9 | 2.4 | 11.4 | 8.6 |
| Jun | 24° / 19° | 2 | 0.5 | 11.3 | 9.3 |
| Jul | 23° / 18° | 2 | 0.6 | 11.3 | 9.2 |
| Aug | 25° / 19° | 1 | 0.1 | 11.6 | 9.3 |
| Sep | 27° / 21° | 1 | 0.2 | 11.9 | 8.6 |
| Oct | 29° / 24° | 17 | 2.9 | 12.3 | 7.0 |
| Nov | 29° / 24° | 87 | 12.1 | 12.6 | 5.2 |
| Dec | 28° / 23° | 315 | 25.7 | 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
Nkhotakota gets around 1014 mm of rain over 80 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels oppressive — 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 42 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 5.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Nkhotakota
In summer, 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.
Is summer a good time to visit Nkhotakota?
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 Nkhotakota.
What to pack for Nkhotakota in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Nkhotakota sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 80 days see rain.
UV index in Nkhotakota 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 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 16 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Air quality in Nkhotakota 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 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 23 | 30 | 24 | 12 | 7 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Good |
| Feb | 10 | Good |
| Mar | 9 | Good |
| Apr | 8 | Good |
| May | 8 | Good |
| Jun | 9 | Good |
| Jul | 13 | Moderate |
| Aug | 23 | Moderate |
| Sep | 30 | Moderate |
| Oct | 24 | Moderate |
| Nov | 12 | Good |
| Dec | 7 | Good |
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.
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.
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 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.