Mbala in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Mbala sees average daytime highs around 25°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 619 mm of rain over about 73 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 25°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels humid.
Summer is Mbala's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Mbala's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 25°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 18°C
- Rainfall
- 619 mm
- 73 wet days
- Avg wind
- 5 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.3
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Mbala in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 25°C.
A typical summer day in Mbala reaches about 25°C and drops to 18°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
Mbala 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 | 25° / 18° | 197 | 24.6 | 12.5 | 4.3 |
| Feb | 25° / 18° | 159 | 21 | 12.3 | 4.5 |
| Mar | 26° / 19° | 211 | 26.3 | 12.1 | 4.1 |
| Apr | 26° / 18° | 107 | 16.5 | 11.8 | 5.6 |
| May | 27° / 17° | 10 | 2.6 | 11.6 | 8.0 |
| Jun | 26° / 16° | 0 | 0 | 11.5 | 8.8 |
| Jul | 26° / 15° | 0 | 0 | 11.5 | 9.0 |
| Aug | 27° / 16° | 0 | 0.1 | 11.7 | 8.4 |
| Sep | 29° / 18° | 3 | 0.8 | 11.9 | 6.8 |
| Oct | 29° / 20° | 52 | 7.9 | 12.2 | 5.6 |
| Nov | 27° / 19° | 207 | 22.3 | 12.4 | 4.5 |
| Dec | 25° / 18° | 263 | 27.2 | 12.5 | 4.0 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Mbala gets around 619 mm of rain over 73 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 5 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min in early December to 12 h 12 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 5.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Mbala
In summer, Mbala overlaps its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Mbala sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.
Mbala's monsoon runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Mbala?
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 Mbala for sightseeing.
What to pack for Mbala in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Mbala sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 18°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 73 days see rain.
UV index in Mbala 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 Mbala peaks around February 17 at about 17 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 at about 10 (extreme).
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 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Extreme |
| Feb | 17 | Extreme |
| Mar | 16 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 10 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Air quality in Mbala 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 Mbala is worst in September — around 31 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 5.2× the cleanest month (May, 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) | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 18 | 29 | 31 | 26 | 13 | 8 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Good |
| Feb | 11 | Good |
| Mar | 9 | Good |
| Apr | 8 | Good |
| May | 6 | Good |
| Jun | 9 | Good |
| Jul | 18 | Moderate |
| Aug | 29 | Moderate |
| Sep | 31 | Moderate |
| Oct | 26 | Moderate |
| Nov | 13 | Moderate |
| Dec | 8 | Good |
Where is Mbala?
Mbala sits at 8.8°S, 31.4°E, 1,622 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Mpulungu, 29 km away.
Topography around Mbala
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mbala.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Mbala has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 137 m around an average of 1,623 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 791 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,499 m.
The land around Mbala is covered by cropland (41%) within 3 km, grassland (31%), trees (30%) and shrubs (20%) within 16 km, and trees (28%), cropland (25%) and grassland (20%) 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 Mbala (-8.8402°, 31.3659°, elevation 1,622 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.