Chiengi weather in May

In May, Chiengi sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 10 mm of rain across 2 wet days and about 11.6 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 56% of the time in May, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 42 min at the start of May to 11 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Chiengi's 4th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chiengi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
4th warmest
Overnight low
18°
4th coldest
Rainfall
10 mm
2 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:11 AM – 5:48 PM
Cloud cover
37%
4th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
6.07 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

Chiengi is human settlement.

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 Chiengi reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C warmer than April and on par with June.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12919
22919
32919
42919
52919
62919
72919
82919
92919
102919
112919
122919
132919
142918
152918
162918
172918
182918
192918
202918
212918
222918
232918
242918
252918
262918
272918
282918
292918
302918
312917

Chiengi 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°21523.612.44.2
Feb28° / 19°18020.512.34.3
Mar28° / 19°24224.912.14.1
Apr28° / 19°11514.711.85.3
May29° / 18°10211.66.8
Jun28° / 16°0011.57.7
Jul28° / 16°0011.58.0
Aug30° / 17°10.111.76.4
Sep32° / 19°102.411.95.0
Oct31° / 20°7412.912.24.2
Nov28° / 19°20522.612.43.9
Dec27° / 19°26626.612.53.9

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 23%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16535
26634
36832
46832
57030
67228
77228
87327
97426
107525
117525
127624
137723
147822
157822
167822
177921
187921
197921
208020
218119
228218
238218
248218
258317
268416
278416
288416
298416
308515
318515

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Chiengi gets around 10 mm of rain over 2 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 6% and peaks near 17% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
117
216
315
414
513
612
711
810
99
109
118
127
136
146
155
165
174
184
194
204
213
223
233
242
252
262
272
282
291
301
311

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the comfortable band about 48% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
13265219
24285117
34305115
45324914
56344812
67364611
7838459
8940438
91042417
101244396
111345375
121447354
131549333
141651303
151753282
161854262
171955242
182057221
192157211
202258191
212359171
222558161
232659141
242858131
253058111
263257101
27355690
28385480
29415270
30445060
31484750

Wind in May

Winds average 8 km/h in May, the windiest month of the year.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min at the start of May to 11 h 30 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 6:10 AM to 6:15 AM, and sunset from 5:52 PM to 5:47 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.76:105:52
211.76:105:51
311.76:105:51
411.76:105:51
511.76:105:50
611.76:105:50
711.76:105:50
811.76:105:49
911.66:105:49
1011.66:115:49
1111.66:115:49
1211.66:115:48
1311.66:115:48
1411.66:115:48
1511.66:115:48
1611.66:115:48
1711.66:125:48
1811.66:125:47
1911.66:125:47
2011.66:125:47
2111.66:125:47
2211.66:135:47
2311.66:135:47
2411.66:135:47
2511.66:135:47
2611.66:135:47
2711.66:145:47
2811.56:145:47
2911.56:145:47
3011.56:145:47
3111.56:155:47

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.07 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.86 kWh/m² to a high of 6.85 kWh/m² in September across the year — May's 6.07 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.2Intense
26.2Intense
36.2Intense
46.2Intense
56.2Intense
66.2Intense
76.2Intense
86.2Intense
96.2Intense
106.2Intense
116.2Intense
126.1Intense
136.1Intense
146.1Intense
156.1Intense
166.1Intense
176.1Intense
186.1Intense
196.0Intense
206.0Intense
216.0Intense
226.0Intense
236.0Intense
246.0Bright
256.0Bright
266.0Bright
276.0Bright
286.0Bright
295.9Bright
305.9Bright
315.9Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Chiengi

In seasonPeak

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

Chiengi'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 Chiengi?

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

6.8
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
8.7
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Chiengi in May

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

In May, Chiengi sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Chiengi 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 Chiengi peaks around February 19 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near August 11 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 highExtremeFeb 19UV 16Aug 11UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Chiengi 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 Chiengi is worst in August — around 80 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 11.8× the cleanest month (May, 7 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodGoodModerateUnhealthyModerateGoodAug 1977 µg/m³May 107 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Good
Feb12Moderate
Mar9Good
Apr7Good
May7Good
Jun15Moderate
Jul46Poor
Aug80Unhealthy
Sep63Unhealthy
Oct28Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Chiengi?

Chiengi sits at 8.7°S, 29.2°E, 993 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Pweto, 36 km away.

NchelengeKawambwaPepaMporokosoMwansabombweKituku

Topography around Chiengi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Chiengi has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 260 m around an average of 985 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 471 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,011 m.

The land around Chiengi is covered by water (26%) and grassland (20%) within 3 km, trees (33%) and water (31%) within 16 km, and trees (49%) and water (22%) within 80 km.

3 km
260 m
16 km
471 m
80 km
1,011 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
May weather nearby: Pweto 36 km · Kaputa 59 km · Nchelenge 89 km · Kawambwa 126 km · Pepa 127 km · Mporokoso 132 km · Mwansabombwe 136 km · Kituku 166 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 Chiengi (-8.6604°, 29.1614°, elevation 993 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).