Mpika weather in March

In March, Mpika sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 182 mm of rain across 25 wet days and about 12.1 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 24°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time in March, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 12 min at the start of March to 11 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Mpika's 9th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mpika's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
6th warmest
Overnight low
17°
7th coldest
Rainfall
182 mm
25 wet days
Daylight
12 h 06 min
6:01 AM – 6:06 PM
Cloud cover
80%
9th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
5.13 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.5
out of 10

Mpika is human settlement.

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

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 24°C through the month.

A typical March day in Mpika reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 22°C and 26°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs on par with February and about 1°C warmer than April.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12417
22417
32417
42417
52417
62417
72417
82417
92417
102417
112417
122417
132417
142417
152417
162417
172417
182417
192417
202417
212417
222417
232417
242417
252417
262417
272417
282416
292416
302416
312416

Mpika weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 6th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 17°2942912.63.7
Feb24° / 17°24425.412.43.9
Mar24° / 17°1822512.14.5
Apr23° / 15°4811.311.76.7
May23° / 13°41.211.58.7
Jun22° / 11°10.211.38.8
Jul22° / 10°10.311.48.8
Aug24° / 12°10.211.69.2
Sep27° / 15°20.511.98.5
Oct29° / 17°153.112.36.7
Nov28° / 18°10112.112.55.6
Dec25° / 17°27725.812.74.2

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 82%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1892
2892
3892
4991
51090
61090
71288
81288
91387
101486
111585
121684
131783
141882
151882
161981
172179
182179
192278
202278
212278
222278
232377
242377
252377
262575
272575
282575
292773
302773
312971

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Mpika gets around 182 mm of rain over 25 wet days in March. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 80% and peaks near 90% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
190
289
389
488
588
687
786
886
985
1084
1184
1283
1382
1482
1581
1681
1780
1879
1979
2078
2177
2277
2376
2475
2574
2673
2772
2871
2969
3068
3167

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, March lands in the humid band about 81% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 12% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1018415
2028315
3028315
4028315
5028414
6028414
7028414
8028414
9038314
10038314
11038314
12038314
13048214
14048214
15058114
16058114
17068014
18068113
19068113
20078013
21078112
22088012
23088111
24098011
25098110
260108010
27011809
28012808
29113797
30114787
31115786

Wind in March

Winds average 9 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 11 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 min at the start of March to 11 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:00 AM to 6:02 AM, and sunset from 6:15 PM to 5:57 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.26:006:15
212.26:006:14
312.26:006:14
412.26:006:13
512.26:016:13
612.26:016:12
712.26:016:12
812.26:016:11
912.26:016:11
1012.16:016:10
1112.16:016:09
1212.16:016:09
1312.16:016:08
1412.16:016:08
1512.16:016:07
1612.16:016:06
1712.16:016:06
1812.16:016:05
1912.06:026:04
2012.06:026:04
2112.06:026:03
2212.06:026:02
2312.06:026:02
2412.06:026:01
2512.06:026:00
2612.06:026:00
2712.06:025:59
2811.96:025:59
2911.96:025:58
3011.96:025:57
3111.96:025:57

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 5.13 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.85 kWh/m² to a high of 7.16 kWh/m² in October across the year — March's 5.13 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
35.0Bright
45.1Bright
55.1Bright
65.1Bright
75.1Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.1Bright
255.1Bright
265.1Bright
275.1Bright
285.1Bright
295.1Bright
305.1Bright
315.1Bright
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Mpika

In seasonPeak

In March, Mpika sits inside its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Mpika'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 March a good time to visit Mpika?

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

4.5
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
3.9
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

March is a reasonable time to visit Mpika for sightseeing.

What to pack for Mpika in March

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

In March, Mpika sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 17°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 25 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

UV index in Mpika in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 16 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mpika peaks around February 19 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 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 highExtremeFeb 19UV 16Jun 17UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug11Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Mpika in March

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Mpika is worst in September — around 55 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 8.8× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModeratePoorModerateGoodSep 1652 µg/m³Dec 197 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb9Good
Mar8Good
Apr7Good
May7Good
Jun10Good
Jul18Moderate
Aug34Moderate
Sep55Poor
Oct36Poor
Nov11Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Mpika?

Mpika sits at 11.8°S, 31.5°E, 1,428 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Chinsali, 159 km away.

ChinsaliKasamaLundaziSerenjeSamfyaIsokaMzimbaChipata

Topography around Mpika

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Mpika has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 340 m around an average of 1,448 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 458 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,287 m.

The land around Mpika is covered by cropland (44%), shrubs (21%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 3 km, shrubs (36%), trees (24%) and cropland (22%) within 16 km, and trees (61%) and shrubs (23%) within 80 km.

3 km
340 m
16 km
458 m
80 km
1,287 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswetland
March weather nearby: Chinsali 159 km · Kasama 183 km · Lundazi 194 km · Serenje 204 km · Samfya 213 km · Isoka 226 km · Mzimba 234 km · Chipata 238 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 Mpika (-11.8343°, 31.4529°, elevation 1,428 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).