Chavuma weather in May

In May, Chavuma sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 1 mm of rain across 0.4 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 71% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of May to 11 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Chavuma's 4th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chavuma's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
4th warmest
Overnight low
15°
4th coldest
Rainfall
1 mm
0.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
6:44 AM – 6:07 PM
Cloud cover
27%
4th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
5.68 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.4
out of 10

Chavuma is city.

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 29°C through the month.

A typical May day in Chavuma reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and about 2°C warmer than June.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12916
22916
32916
42916
52916
62916
72916
82916
92916
102916
112916
122916
132916
142915
152915
162915
172915
182915
192915
202915
212915
222915
232915
242915
252915
262915
272815
282814
292814
302814
312814

How May really feels in Chavuma

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Chavuma weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 4th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 19°26027.812.73.7
Feb27° / 19°25324.712.43.8
Mar27° / 18°22625.212.14.1
Apr28° / 17°537.911.76.3
May29° / 15°10.411.47.4
Jun27° / 13°0011.28.9
Jul27° / 12°0011.38.8
Aug31° / 15°0011.66.5
Sep33° / 18°61.511.94.4
Oct33° / 19°529.912.33.7
Nov29° / 19°18724.212.63.6
Dec27° / 19°27228.612.83.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 71% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 11%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18317
28416
38416
48515
58614
68614
78614
88614
98614
108713
118713
128713
138713
148911
158911
168911
178911
188911
198911
209010
219010
229010
23919
24928
25928
26928
27928
28937
29937
30937
31937

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Chavuma gets around 1 mm of rain over 0.4 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 1% and peaks near 6% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
16
25
34
44
53
63
73
82
92
102
112
121
131
141
151
161
171
180
190
200
210
220
230
240
250
260
270
280
290
300
310

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 83% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
15230135
25530114
35829103
4612892
5642781
6672571
7692461
8712360
9742150
10771940
11791740
12811630
13831430
14861220
15871120
16891010
1791810
1891810
1993700
2094600
2195500
2295500
2395500
2496400
2596400
2696400
2796400
2897300
2997300
3097300
3198200

Wind in May

Winds average 10 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 9 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
19calm
29calm
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 30 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 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:40 AM to 6:48 AM, and sunset from 6:13 PM to 6:05 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:406:13
211.56:406:12
311.56:416:12
411.56:416:11
511.56:416:11
611.56:416:11
711.56:416:10
811.56:426:10
911.56:426:10
1011.56:426:09
1111.46:426:09
1211.46:436:09
1311.46:436:08
1411.46:436:08
1511.46:436:08
1611.46:446:07
1711.46:446:07
1811.46:446:07
1911.46:446:07
2011.46:456:07
2111.46:456:06
2211.46:456:06
2311.36:456:06
2411.36:466:06
2511.36:466:06
2611.36:466:06
2711.36:476:06
2811.36:476:06
2911.36:476:06
3011.36:486:05
3111.36:486:05

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.68 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.09 kWh/m² to a high of 6.68 kWh/m² in September across the year — May's 5.68 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.9Bright
25.9Bright
35.9Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.8Bright
75.8Bright
85.8Bright
95.8Bright
105.8Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.5Bright
265.5Bright
275.5Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Chavuma

In seasonPeak

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

Chavuma'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 Chavuma?

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

7.4
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
9.1
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Chavuma in May

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

In May, Chavuma sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 15°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Chavuma 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 Chavuma peaks around January 20 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 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 20UV 16Jun 20UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May10Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep11Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Chavuma 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 Chavuma is worst in September — around 54 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 8.2× the cleanest month (April, 7 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModeratePoorModerateGoodSep 1053 µg/m³Apr 137 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar8Good
Apr7Good
May10Good
Jun34Moderate
Jul40Poor
Aug51Poor
Sep54Poor
Oct22Moderate
Nov9Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Chavuma?

Chavuma sits at 13.1°S, 22.7°E, 1,101 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Zambezi, 70 km away.

CazomboLukuluKabompoLumbalaManyingaKalaboTshilenge

Topography around Chavuma

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Chavuma has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 120 m around an average of 1,080 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 136 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 451 m.

The land around Chavuma is covered by shrubs (58%) within 3 km, trees (34%), grassland (30%) and shrubs (28%) within 16 km, and grassland (47%) and trees (44%) within 80 km.

3 km
120 m
16 km
136 m
80 km
451 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
May weather nearby: Zambezi 70 km · Cazombo 132 km · Lukulu 157 km · Kabompo 174 km · Lumbala 177 km · Manyinga 183 km · Kalabo 214 km · Tshilenge 235 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 Chavuma (-13.0667°, 22.6833°, elevation 1,101 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).