Lusaka weather in September

In September, Lusaka sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 2 mm of rain across 0.4 wet days and about 11.9 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 28°C in the first days to 31°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 83% of the time in September, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 42 min at the start of September to 12 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Lusaka's 1st-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Lusaka's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
17°
6th coldest
Rainfall
2 mm
0.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 54 min
6:04 AM – 5:59 PM
Cloud cover
18%
1st clearest
Wind
15 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
6.88 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.0
out of 10

Lusaka is capital of Zambia.

Density
6,145/km²
people per km²
Founded
1905

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in September

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 28°C in the first days to 31°C by the end.

A typical September day in Lusaka reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 33°C. Set against its neighbours, September runs about 4°C warmer than August and about 2°C cooler than October.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202530
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12815
22815
32815
42815
52916
62916
72916
82916
92916
102916
112916
122917
132917
143017
153017
163017
173017
183017
193018
203018
213018
223018
233118
243118
253118
263119
273119
283119
293119
303119

Lusaka weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 3rd-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 19°24025.512.84.0
Feb27° / 19°18721.812.54.3
Mar27° / 18°1291912.15.2
Apr26° / 16°275.511.77.5
May25° / 13°30.911.38.8
Jun23° / 11°10.111.19.2
Jul23° / 11°10.111.29.1
Aug26° / 13°00.111.59.0
Sep30° / 17°20.411.97.0
Oct32° / 20°153.312.35.2
Nov30° / 20°9814.312.74.3
Dec27° / 19°22824.512.94.1

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 83% of the time in September, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 9% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 9%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1946
2946
3946
4946
5946
6937
7937
8937
9937
10937
11937
12937
13928
14928
15919
16919
17919
18919
19919
209010
219010
229010
238911
248911
258911
268911
278812
288812
298812
308812

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Lusaka gets around 2 mm of rain over 0.4 wet days in September. 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 3% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
10
20
30
40
51
61
71
81
91
101
111
122
132
142
152
162
172
182
192
202
212
222
232
242
252
262
272
283
293
303

Humidity in September

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of September feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, September lands in the dry band about 96% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19910
29910
39910
49910
59910
69910
79910
89910
99820
109820
119820
129820
139721
149721
159721
169721
179721
189631
199631
209631
219541
229541
239451
249361
259361
269271
279181
289091
299091
3089101

Wind in September

Winds average 15 km/h in September, the windiest month of the year.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202530
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2015light breeze
2115light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min at the start of September to 12 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 24 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:16 AM to 5:53 AM, and sunset from 5:57 PM to 6:00 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.76:165:57
211.76:155:58
311.76:145:58
411.76:135:58
511.86:135:58
611.86:125:58
711.86:115:58
811.86:105:58
911.86:095:58
1011.86:095:58
1111.86:085:58
1211.96:075:58
1311.96:065:58
1411.96:055:58
1511.96:055:59
1611.96:045:59
1711.96:035:59
1811.96:025:59
1912.06:015:59
2012.06:005:59
2112.06:005:59
2212.05:595:59
2312.05:585:59
2412.05:575:59
2512.05:565:59
2612.15:565:59
2712.15:556:00
2812.15:546:00
2912.15:536:00
3012.15:536:00

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 6.88 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.8 kWh/m² to a high of 7.24 kWh/m² in October across the year — September's 6.88 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.5Intense
26.5Intense
36.6Intense
46.6Intense
56.6Intense
66.7Intense
76.7Intense
86.7Intense
96.7Intense
106.8Intense
116.8Intense
126.8Intense
136.8Intense
146.8Intense
156.9Intense
166.9Intense
176.9Intense
186.9Intense
197.0Intense
207.0Intense
217.0Intense
227.0Intense
237.0Intense
247.0Intense
257.1Intense
267.1Intense
277.1Intense
287.1Intense
297.1Intense
307.1Intense
Planning a trip in September

Hazard calendar for Lusaka

In seasonPeak

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

Lusaka'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 September a good time to visit Lusaka?

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

7.0
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
9.1
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Lusaka in September

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

In September, Lusaka sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 17°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Lusaka in September

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Lusaka peaks around January 19 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 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 23UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan17Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May10Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep11Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov14Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Lusaka in September

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where September falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Lusaka is worst in September — around 37 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 3.3× the cleanest month (December, 11 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateSep 1037 µg/m³Dec 2112 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb14Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May17Moderate
Jun22Moderate
Jul28Moderate
Aug36Poor
Sep37Poor
Oct26Moderate
Nov15Moderate
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Lusaka?

Lusaka sits at 15.4°S, 28.3°E, 1,277 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Chunga, 10 km away.

Topography around Lusaka

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Lusaka has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 78 m around an average of 1,272 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 226 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,089 m.

The land around Lusaka is covered by artificial surfaces (78%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (34%) and trees (22%) within 16 km, and grassland (32%), shrubs (23%) and trees (22%) within 80 km.

3 km
78 m
16 km
226 m
80 km
1,089 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwetland
September weather nearby: Chunga 10 km · Namalombwe 11 km · Chisankane 11 km · Madido 11 km · Ntandabale 15 km · Chilanga Township 18 km · Lusaka West 21 km · Palabana 27 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 Lusaka (-15.4067°, 28.2871°, elevation 1,277 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).