Chipata weather in May

In May, Chipata sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 5 mm of rain across 1.2 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°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 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 Chipata's 5th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chipata's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
10th warmest
Overnight low
14°
4th coldest
Rainfall
5 mm
1.2 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
6:05 AM – 5:27 PM
Cloud cover
35%
5th clearest
Wind
11 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.22 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.7
out of 10

Chipata is city.

Founded
1899

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 25°C through the month.

A typical May day in Chipata reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°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)
12615
22615
32615
42615
52615
62615
72515
82514
92514
102514
112514
122514
132514
142514
152514
162514
172514
182514
192514
202514
212514
222514
232514
242514
252513
262513
272513
282513
292513
302413
312413

Chipata weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 19°27927.412.73.8
Feb26° / 18°21922.712.54.2
Mar26° / 18°16621.612.14.8
Apr26° / 16°357.311.77.2
May25° / 14°51.211.48.7
Jun24° / 12°10.111.29.1
Jul23° / 11°10.211.39.0
Aug26° / 13°10.211.58.8
Sep29° / 16°20.411.97.5
Oct31° / 19°183.412.35.7
Nov30° / 20°781212.64.6
Dec27° / 19°24025.212.84.0

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 25% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 17%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18218
28218
38218
48218
58218
68317
78317
88317
98317
108317
118317
128317
138317
148317
158317
168317
178317
188317
198317
208317
218317
228317
238317
248317
258317
268317
278317
288317
298515
308515
318515

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Chipata gets around 5 mm of rain over 1.2 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 4% and peaks near 7% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
17
27
37
46
56
66
75
85
95
104
114
124
134
144
154
164
174
184
194
204
214
223
233
243
253
263
272
282
292
301
311

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 56% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
1304624
2324522
3354520
4374419
5394318
6424216
7444015
8473914
9493813
10513712
11523711
12543610
1355369
1457358
1558357
1659356
1760355
1860355
1961354
2062353
2162353
2263352
2363352
2464342
2565341
2666331
2768311
2869301
2971281
3073261
3177230

Wind in May

Winds average 11 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112calm
212calm
312calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1511calm
1611calm
1711calm
1811calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

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 6:01 AM to 6:09 AM, and sunset from 5:32 PM to 5:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:015:32
211.56:015:32
311.56:015:31
411.56:025:31
511.56:025:30
611.56:025:30
711.56:025:30
811.46:025:29
911.46:035:29
1011.46:035:29
1111.46:035:28
1211.46:035:28
1311.46:045:28
1411.46:045:27
1511.46:045:27
1611.46:055:27
1711.46:055:27
1811.46:055:26
1911.36:055:26
2011.36:065:26
2111.36:065:26
2211.36:065:26
2311.36:075:25
2411.36:075:25
2511.36:075:25
2611.36:075:25
2711.36:085:25
2811.36:085:25
2911.36:085:25
3011.36:095:25
3111.36:095:25

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.22 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.88 kWh/m² to a high of 6.82 kWh/m² in October across the year — May's 5.22 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.4Bright
65.4Bright
75.4Bright
85.4Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.1Bright
225.1Bright
235.1Bright
245.1Bright
255.1Bright
265.1Bright
275.1Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Chipata

In seasonPeak

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

Chipata's monsoon runs December–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 Chipata?

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

8.7
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
7.8
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Chipata in May

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

In May, Chipata sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 14°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Chipata 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 Chipata peaks around January 19 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeJan 19UV 16Jun 18UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May10Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug11Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Chipata 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 Chipata is worst in August — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (December, 11 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodAug 1926 µg/m³Dec 1811 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Good
Feb14Moderate
Mar15Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May16Moderate
Jun18Moderate
Jul21Moderate
Aug26Moderate
Sep24Moderate
Oct19Moderate
Nov13Moderate
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Chipata?

Chipata sits at 13.6°S, 32.6°E, 1,147 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Mchinji, 31 km away.

KateteKasunguSindaMponelaLilongwePetaukeLundazi

Topography around Chipata

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Chipata has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 498 m around an average of 1,209 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 735 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,173 m.

The land around Chipata is covered by artificial surfaces (34%), shrubs (28%) and trees (21%) within 3 km, cropland (34%), trees (24%) and shrubs (24%) within 16 km, and cropland (38%), trees (25%) and shrubs (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
498 m
16 km
735 m
80 km
1,173 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
May weather nearby: Mchinji 31 km · Katete 77 km · Kasungu 112 km · Sinda 115 km · Mponela 118 km · Lilongwe 128 km · Petauke 159 km · Lundazi 160 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 Chipata (-13.6333°, 32.65°, elevation 1,147 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).