Zomba in Fall
In fall (March, April and May), Zomba sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 152 mm of rain over about 23 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 2nd-wettest season.
Over the season highs ease from about 28°C in early March to 25°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time across fall, and the air most often feels muggy.
Fall is Zomba's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Zomba's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 27°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 18°C
- Rainfall
- 152 mm
- 23 wet days
- Avg wind
- 6 km/h
- Travel score
- 7.1
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Mar · Apr · May
Temperature in Zomba in Fall
Over the season highs ease from about 28°C in early March to 25°C by late May.
A typical fall day in Zomba reaches about 27°C and drops to 18°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is March, the coolest May.
Zomba 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 | 28° / 21° | 274 | 25.7 | 12.8 | 4.0 |
| Feb | 28° / 20° | 167 | 19.1 | 12.5 | 4.6 |
| Mar | 28° / 20° | 121 | 16.5 | 12.1 | 5.4 |
| Apr | 27° / 18° | 26 | 5.3 | 11.7 | 7.3 |
| May | 26° / 16° | 5 | 1.2 | 11.3 | 8.5 |
| Jun | 24° / 14° | 2 | 0.4 | 11.1 | 8.9 |
| Jul | 24° / 13° | 2 | 0.6 | 11.2 | 8.8 |
| Aug | 26° / 15° | 2 | 0.4 | 11.5 | 8.8 |
| Sep | 28° / 17° | 2 | 0.6 | 11.9 | 7.7 |
| Oct | 30° / 19° | 16 | 2.7 | 12.3 | 5.9 |
| Nov | 31° / 21° | 62 | 9.3 | 12.7 | 4.7 |
| Dec | 29° / 21° | 180 | 21.5 | 12.9 | 4.0 |
Cloud cover in Fall
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time across fall.
Chance of precipitation in Fall
Zomba gets around 152 mm of rain over 23 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 6 km/h across fall.
Sunrise & sunset in Fall
Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min in early March to 11 h 12 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 5.1 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Zomba
None of Zomba's seasonal hazards peak in fall. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Zomba's monsoon runs December–February, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is fall a good time to visit Zomba?
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 one of the better times to visit Zomba for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Zomba in Fall
From fall's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In fall, Zomba sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 23 days see rain.
UV index in Zomba 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 Zomba peaks around January 17 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 8 (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 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
| 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 | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 8 | Very high |
| Jul | 8 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 14 | Extreme |
Air quality in Zomba 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 Zomba is worst in September — around 65 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.1× the cleanest month (January, 21 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) | 21 | 27 | 31 | 37 | 51 | 55 | 59 | 62 | 65 | 43 | 27 | 23 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21 | Moderate |
| Feb | 27 | Moderate |
| Mar | 31 | Moderate |
| Apr | 37 | Poor |
| May | 51 | Poor |
| Jun | 55 | Poor |
| Jul | 59 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 62 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 65 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 43 | Poor |
| Nov | 27 | Moderate |
| Dec | 23 | Moderate |
Where is Zomba?
Zomba sits at 15.4°S, 35.3°E, 949 m above sea level, in Malawi. The nearest listed city is Liwonde, 37 km away.
Topography around Zomba
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Zomba.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Zomba has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 841 m around an average of 1,026 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,495 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,804 m.
The land around Zomba is covered by trees (45%) and shrubs (20%) within 3 km, cropland (57%) and shrubs (22%) within 16 km, and cropland (48%) and grassland (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 Zomba (-15.386°, 35.3188°, elevation 949 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.