Chambishi weather in May

In May, Chambishi sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 3 mm of rain across 0.8 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 58% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 36 min at the start of May to 11 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Chambishi's 5th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chambishi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
8th warmest
Overnight low
14°
4th coldest
Rainfall
3 mm
0.8 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
6:21 AM – 5:47 PM
Cloud cover
36%
5th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.42 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.5
out of 10

Chambishi is town in Copperbelt Province, Zambia.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month.

A typical May day in Chambishi reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and about 2°C warmer than June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12715
22715
32715
42715
52715
62715
72715
82715
92714
102714
112714
122714
132614
142614
152614
162614
172614
182614
192614
202614
212614
222614
232614
242614
252613
262613
272613
282613
292613
302613
312613

Chambishi weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 8th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 18°2732812.73.7
Feb26° / 18°22724.312.43.9
Mar26° / 17°17221.612.14.8
Apr26° / 16°326.711.77.1
May26° / 14°30.811.48.5
Jun25° / 12°00.111.39.2
Jul25° / 11°0011.39.3
Aug27° / 14°0011.68.4
Sep30° / 17°10.311.96.3
Oct32° / 19°173.712.35.0
Nov29° / 19°12416.512.64.4
Dec27° / 18°25326.812.73.9

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 58% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 23% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 20%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17426
27525
37525
47525
57624
67624
77723
87921
97921
108020
118020
128119
138119
148119
158218
168218
178218
188218
198218
208218
218317
228317
238317
248317
258317
268317
278317
288317
298317
308317
318317

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Chambishi gets around 3 mm of rain over 0.8 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 3% and peaks near 5% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
15
25
35
44
54
64
73
83
93
102
112
122
132
142
152
162
172
182
192
202
212
222
232
242
252
262
272
282
292
302
312

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 79% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
1533512
2563311
3583210
460319
563298
665287
768266
869256
972235
1074224
1176204
1278193
1379183
1482162
1583152
1684142
1785141
1886131
1987121
2087121
2188111
2289110
2389110
2489110
2589110
2690100
2790100
2890100
299190
309280
319280

Wind in May

Winds average 10 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 10 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
110calm
210calm
310calm
410calm
510calm
610calm
710calm
810calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of May to 11 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:18 AM to 6:26 AM, and sunset from 5:52 PM to 5:45 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:185:52
211.56:185:51
311.56:195:51
411.56:195:50
511.56:195:50
611.56:195:50
711.56:195:49
811.56:205:49
911.56:205:49
1011.56:205:48
1111.56:205:48
1211.56:205:48
1311.46:215:47
1411.46:215:47
1511.46:215:47
1611.46:215:47
1711.46:225:46
1811.46:225:46
1911.46:225:46
2011.46:235:46
2111.46:235:46
2211.46:235:45
2311.46:235:45
2411.46:245:45
2511.46:245:45
2611.36:245:45
2711.36:245:45
2811.36:255:45
2911.36:255:45
3011.36:255:45
3111.36:265:45

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.42 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.05 kWh/m² to a high of 6.97 kWh/m² in October across the year — May's 5.42 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.5Bright
145.5Bright
155.5Bright
165.4Bright
175.4Bright
185.4Bright
195.4Bright
205.3Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.3Bright
245.3Bright
255.3Bright
265.3Bright
275.3Bright
285.3Bright
295.3Bright
305.3Bright
315.3Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Chambishi

In seasonPeak

None of Chambishi's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Chambishi's monsoon runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Chambishi?

Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

8.5
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
8.2
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Chambishi for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Chambishi in May

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

In May, Chambishi sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 14°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Chambishi in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Chambishi peaks around January 21 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 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 21UV 16Jun 19UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Chambishi in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Chambishi is worst in August — around 72 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.8× the cleanest month (May, 15 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateUnhealthyPoorModerateAug 1669 µg/m³May 915 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan16Moderate
Feb18Moderate
Mar17Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun25Moderate
Jul56Unhealthy
Aug72Unhealthy
Sep51Poor
Oct35Moderate
Nov21Moderate
Dec16Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Chambishi?

Chambishi sits at 12.6°S, 28.1°E, 1,304 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Chingola, 22 km away.

Ndola

Topography around Chambishi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Chambishi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 232 m around an average of 1,297 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 308 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 456 m.

The land around Chambishi is covered by grassland (25%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 3 km, trees (38%) and grassland (31%) within 16 km, and trees (63%) and grassland (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
232 m
16 km
308 m
80 km
456 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Chingola 22 km · Mufulira 22 km · Kalulushi 24 km · Kitwe 26 km · Chililabombwe 39 km · Mokambo 39 km · Luanshya 68 km · Ndola 73 km

Zambia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / D / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 30% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,318
2025
Happiness
4.1 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
5.2
per 100k, 2015
Road deaths
20.5
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
High
EF EPI 573
Religion
Protestant 75%Roman Catholic 20%other 3%none 2%

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 Chambishi (-12.6325°, 28.0537°, elevation 1,304 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. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).