Isoka weather in May

In May, Isoka sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 10 mm of rain across 2.6 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 7th-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 46% of the time in May, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 36 min at the start of May to 11 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Isoka's 6th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Isoka's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
9th warmest
Overnight low
15°
4th coldest
Rainfall
10 mm
2.6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
6:00 AM – 5:32 PM
Cloud cover
44%
6th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.21 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.1
out of 10

Isoka 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 26°C through the month.

A typical May day in Isoka reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 11°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 1°C warmer than June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12616
22616
32616
42616
52616
62616
72616
82615
92615
102615
112615
122615
132615
142615
152615
162615
172615
182615
192615
202615
212615
222615
232615
242615
252615
262615
272614
282614
292614
302614
312614

How May really feels in Isoka

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.

Isoka weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 9th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 19°26627.412.53.7
Feb27° / 19°22624.112.33.8
Mar27° / 18°19626.212.14.0
Apr26° / 17°9416.711.85.6
May26° / 15°102.611.58.1
Jun25° / 13°00.111.48.9
Jul25° / 12°0011.58.9
Aug28° / 13°00.111.78.1
Sep31° / 16°10.411.96.1
Oct33° / 18°92.212.24.6
Nov32° / 20°581012.54.0
Dec29° / 19°19622.312.63.9

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 46% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 26% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 28%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16733
26733
36733
46931
56931
66931
76931
87030
97030
107030
117030
127030
137030
146931
156931
167030
177030
187030
197030
207129
217327
227327
237426
247525
257624
267723
277723
287921
297921
308020
318119

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Isoka gets around 10 mm of rain over 2.6 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 8% and peaks near 22% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
122
220
319
417
516
615
714
813
912
1010
119
129
138
147
157
166
176
186
195
205
215
224
234
244
254
263
273
283
292
302
312

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 46% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1432568
2534547
3636526
4738505
5939475
61041454
71142434
81343413
91545382
101646362
111847341
122047321
132148301
142349280
152450260
162551240
172751220
182852200
192952190
203052180
213153160
223352150
233453130
243652120
253851110
264050100
27424990
28454880
29474670
30504460
31534250

Wind in May

Winds average 6 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 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 6 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:57 AM to 6:03 AM, and sunset from 5:36 PM to 5:30 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.65:575:36
211.65:575:36
311.65:585:35
411.65:585:35
511.65:585:35
611.65:585:34
711.65:585:34
811.65:585:34
911.65:585:33
1011.65:595:33
1111.65:595:33
1211.65:595:33
1311.65:595:32
1411.55:595:32
1511.55:595:32
1611.56:005:32
1711.56:005:32
1811.56:005:31
1911.56:005:31
2011.56:015:31
2111.56:015:31
2211.56:015:31
2311.56:015:31
2411.56:015:31
2511.56:025:31
2611.56:025:31
2711.56:025:31
2811.56:025:31
2911.56:035:30
3011.56:035:30
3111.56:035:30

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.21 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.05 kWh/m² to a high of 6.9 kWh/m² in October across the year — May's 5.21 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.2Bright
305.2Bright
315.2Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Isoka

In seasonPeak

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

Isoka'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 Isoka?

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

8.1
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
7.7
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Isoka in May

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

In May, Isoka sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 15°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Isoka 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 Isoka peaks around February 16 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 13 at about 10 (very high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeFeb 16UV 16Jun 13UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb17Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May10Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Isoka 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 Isoka is worst in August — around 52 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 7.0× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModeratePoorModerateGoodAug 2251 µg/m³Dec 208 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb11Good
Mar9Good
Apr9Good
May8Good
Jun15Moderate
Jul32Moderate
Aug52Poor
Sep49Poor
Oct46Poor
Nov15Moderate
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Isoka?

Isoka sits at 10.2°S, 32.6°E, 1,321 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Chinsali, 74 km away.

ChinsaliChitipaNakondeTundumaVwawaMlowoKarongaKyela

Topography around Isoka

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Isoka has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 248 m around an average of 1,376 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 675 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,624 m.

The land around Isoka is covered by cropland (32%), trees (29%) and shrubs (22%) within 3 km, trees (47%) and shrubs (26%) within 16 km, and trees (42%), shrubs (27%) and grassland (26%) within 80 km.

3 km
248 m
16 km
675 m
80 km
1,624 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswetland
May weather nearby: Chinsali 74 km · Chitipa 86 km · Nakonde 92 km · Tunduma 97 km · Vwawa 122 km · Mlowo 135 km · Karonga 145 km · Kyela 148 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 Isoka (-10.1606°, 32.6335°, elevation 1,321 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).