Livingstone in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Livingstone sees average daytime highs around 29°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 551 mm of rain over about 59 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels muggy.
Summer is Livingstone's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Livingstone's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 29°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 20°C
- Rainfall
- 551 mm
- 59 wet days
- Avg wind
- 8 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.0
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Livingstone in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C.
A typical summer day in Livingstone reaches about 29°C and drops to 20°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
How summer really feels in Livingstone
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
summer sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Livingstone 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 | 29° / 20° | 208 | 21.2 | 12.9 | 3.9 |
| Feb | 29° / 20° | 162 | 17.4 | 12.6 | 4.3 |
| Mar | 29° / 19° | 97 | 14 | 12.1 | 5.0 |
| Apr | 29° / 17° | 20 | 3.8 | 11.6 | 6.8 |
| May | 27° / 13° | 2 | 0.5 | 11.2 | 8.6 |
| Jun | 25° / 11° | 1 | 0.2 | 11 | 9.3 |
| Jul | 25° / 10° | 0 | 0 | 11 | 9.4 |
| Aug | 28° / 13° | 0 | 0 | 11.4 | 8.1 |
| Sep | 32° / 17° | 3 | 0.5 | 11.9 | 5.3 |
| Oct | 34° / 21° | 11 | 3 | 12.4 | 3.6 |
| Nov | 32° / 21° | 88 | 13.5 | 12.8 | 3.5 |
| Dec | 30° / 20° | 181 | 20.6 | 13 | 3.8 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Livingstone gets around 551 mm of rain over 59 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 8 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 13 hours in early December to 12 h 24 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 6.0 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Livingstone
In summer, Livingstone overlaps its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Livingstone's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Livingstone?
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 reasonable time to visit Livingstone for sightseeing.
What to pack for Livingstone in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Livingstone sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 20°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 59 days see rain.
UV index in Livingstone 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 Livingstone peaks around January 18 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 8 (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) | 16 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Extreme |
| Feb | 14 | Extreme |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 10 | Extreme |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 8 | Very high |
| Jul | 8 | Very high |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 10 | Very high |
| Oct | 10 | Extreme |
| Nov | 14 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Air quality in Livingstone 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 Livingstone is worst in September — around 29 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 5.0× the cleanest month (April, 6 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) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 29 | 23 | 10 | 6 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Good |
| Feb | 7 | Good |
| Mar | 7 | Good |
| Apr | 6 | Good |
| May | 8 | Good |
| Jun | 11 | Good |
| Jul | 12 | Good |
| Aug | 19 | Moderate |
| Sep | 29 | Moderate |
| Oct | 23 | Moderate |
| Nov | 10 | Good |
| Dec | 6 | Good |
Where is Livingstone?
Livingstone sits at 17.8°S, 25.9°E, 969 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Victoria Falls, 10 km away.
Topography around Livingstone
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Livingstone.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Livingstone has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 91 m around an average of 935 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 373 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 785 m.
The land around Livingstone is covered by artificial surfaces (38%) and trees (37%) within 3 km, shrubs (45%), grassland (25%) and trees (23%) within 16 km, and shrubs (42%), grassland (28%) and trees (24%) 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 Livingstone (-17.8419°, 25.8543°, elevation 969 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.