Kabwe weather in May

In May, Kabwe sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 3 mm of rain across 0.6 wet days and about 11.3 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 64% 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 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Kabwe's 5th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kabwe's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
10th warmest
Overnight low
13°
4th coldest
Rainfall
3 mm
0.6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 18 min
6:22 AM – 5:42 PM
Cloud cover
31%
5th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.22 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.9
out of 10

Kabwe is city in central province of 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 25°C through the month.

A typical May day in Kabwe reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 22°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12614
22514
32514
42514
52514
62514
72514
82514
92514
102514
112513
122513
132513
142513
152513
162513
172513
182513
192513
202513
212513
222513
232513
242513
252413
262413
272412
282412
292412
302412
312412

Kabwe 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
Jan27° / 19°23925.312.84.1
Feb27° / 18°18721.312.54.4
Mar26° / 18°12017.712.15.4
Apr26° / 16°24511.77.6
May25° / 13°30.611.38.9
Jun23° / 11°10.111.29.1
Jul23° / 11°10.111.29.0
Aug26° / 13°0011.59.1
Sep29° / 17°10.211.97.2
Oct31° / 20°102.212.35.4
Nov30° / 20°8712.212.74.6
Dec27° / 19°21123.312.84.3

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 64% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% 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 (%)
18020
28020
38119
48119
58218
68218
78218
88317
98416
108416
118416
128416
138416
148515
158515
168515
178515
188515
198416
208416
218416
228416
238416
248416
258416
268317
278317
288317
298317
308317
318317

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Kabwe gets around 3 mm of rain over 0.6 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 2% and peaks near 4% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
14
24
33
43
53
63
73
83
93
102
112
122
132
142
152
161
171
181
191
201
211
221
231
241
251
261
271
281
291
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 73% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
14837151
25036131
35235121
45534110
55733100
6593290
7623080
8642970
9652870
10682660
11692560
12712450
13732340
14742240
15762130
16772030
17782020
18791920
19791920
20801820
21811810
22811810
23811810
24821710
25821710
26821710
27831610
28831610
29851500
30861400
31871300

Wind in May

Winds average 13 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min at the start of May to 11 h 12 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 6:19 AM to 6:27 AM, and sunset from 5:48 PM to 5:40 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:195:48
211.56:195:48
311.56:195:47
411.56:195:47
511.46:205:46
611.46:205:46
711.46:205:45
811.46:205:45
911.46:215:45
1011.46:215:44
1111.46:215:44
1211.46:215:44
1311.46:225:43
1411.46:225:43
1511.36:225:43
1611.36:225:42
1711.36:235:42
1811.36:235:42
1911.36:235:42
2011.36:245:41
2111.36:245:41
2211.36:245:41
2311.36:255:41
2411.36:255:41
2511.36:255:41
2611.26:265:40
2711.26:265:40
2811.26:265:40
2911.26:275:40
3011.26:275:40
3111.26:275:40

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 4.87 kWh/m² to a high of 7.17 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
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.1Bright
235.1Bright
245.1Bright
255.0Bright
265.0Bright
275.0Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Kabwe

In seasonPeak

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

Kabwe'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 Kabwe?

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

8.9
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
7.9
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Kabwe in May

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

In May, Kabwe sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 13°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Kabwe 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 Kabwe peaks around January 20 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 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 21UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May10Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug10Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov14Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Kabwe 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 Kabwe is worst in August — around 42 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 4.7× the cleanest month (April, 9 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModeratePoorModerateAug 1841 µg/m³Apr 199 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb14Moderate
Mar11Good
Apr9Good
May10Good
Jun15Moderate
Jul29Moderate
Aug42Poor
Sep33Moderate
Oct21Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kabwe?

Kabwe sits at 14.4°S, 28.4°E, 1,191 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Kapiri Mposhi, 58 km away.

ChungaMadidoChongweLusaka WestNtandabaleLusakaNamalombwe

Topography around Kabwe

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kabwe has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 35 m around an average of 1,188 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 110 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 922 m.

The land around Kabwe is covered by artificial surfaces (53%) and grassland (21%) within 3 km, grassland (41%) and cropland (27%) within 16 km, and grassland (32%), cropland (23%) and trees (22%) within 80 km.

3 km
35 m
16 km
110 m
80 km
922 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwetland
May weather nearby: Kapiri Mposhi 58 km · Chunga 99 km · Madido 101 km · Chongwe 101 km · Lusaka West 103 km · Ntandabale 105 km · Lusaka 108 km · Namalombwe 108 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 Kabwe (-14.4469°, 28.4464°, elevation 1,191 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).