Kitwe in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Kitwe sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 765 mm of rain over about 80 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels muggy.
Summer is Kitwe's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Kitwe's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 26°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 18°C
- Rainfall
- 765 mm
- 80 wet days
- Avg wind
- 6 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.8
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Kitwe in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C.
A typical summer day in Kitwe reaches about 26°C and drops to 18°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
Kitwe weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26° / 18° | 277 | 28.5 | 12.7 | 3.7 |
| Feb | 26° / 18° | 231 | 24.2 | 12.4 | 3.9 |
| Mar | 27° / 18° | 173 | 21.9 | 12.1 | 4.7 |
| Apr | 27° / 16° | 34 | 6.8 | 11.7 | 7.0 |
| May | 27° / 14° | 3 | 0.8 | 11.4 | 8.4 |
| Jun | 25° / 12° | 0 | 0.1 | 11.3 | 9.2 |
| Jul | 25° / 11° | 0 | 0 | 11.3 | 9.3 |
| Aug | 28° / 14° | 0 | 0 | 11.6 | 8.4 |
| Sep | 30° / 17° | 1 | 0.2 | 11.9 | 6.3 |
| Oct | 32° / 19° | 17 | 3.6 | 12.3 | 5.0 |
| Nov | 30° / 19° | 123 | 17 | 12.6 | 4.3 |
| Dec | 27° / 18° | 257 | 27.7 | 12.7 | 3.8 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Kitwe gets around 765 mm of rain over 80 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 6 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 42 min in early December to 12 h 18 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 5.2 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Kitwe
In summer, Kitwe overlaps its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Kitwe's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Kitwe?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Kitwe.
What to pack for Kitwe in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Kitwe sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 18°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 80 days see rain.
UV index in Kitwe in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kitwe peaks around March 10 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 at about 9 (very high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 10 | Extreme |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 10 | Very high |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 14 | Extreme |
Air quality in Kitwe in Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Kitwe is worst in August — around 55 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 5.2× the cleanest month (May, 11 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 15 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 19 | 37 | 55 | 48 | 30 | 18 | 14 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Moderate |
| Feb | 16 | Moderate |
| Mar | 14 | Moderate |
| Apr | 11 | Good |
| May | 11 | Good |
| Jun | 19 | Moderate |
| Jul | 37 | Poor |
| Aug | 55 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 48 | Poor |
| Oct | 30 | Moderate |
| Nov | 18 | Moderate |
| Dec | 14 | Moderate |
Where is Kitwe?
Kitwe sits at 12.8°S, 28.2°E, 1,224 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Kalulushi, 14 km away.
Topography around Kitwe
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Kitwe.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Kitwe has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 75 m around an average of 1,229 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 168 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 476 m.
The land around Kitwe is covered by artificial surfaces (58%) and trees (23%) within 3 km, trees (29%) and grassland (29%) within 16 km, and trees (60%) and grassland (21%) within 80 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
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 Kitwe (-12.8024°, 28.2132°, elevation 1,224 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.