Mpika weather in October

In October, Mpika sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 15 mm of rain across 3.1 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 06 min at the start of October to 12 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Mpika's 6th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mpika's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
1st warmest
Overnight low
17°
11th coldest
Rainfall
15 mm
3.1 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
5:31 AM – 5:47 PM
Cloud cover
37%
6th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
7.16 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.7
out of 10

Mpika is human settlement.

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

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month.

A typical October day in Mpika reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 2°C warmer than September and on par with November.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12816
22816
32816
42816
52917
62917
72917
82917
92917
102917
112917
122917
132917
142917
152917
162917
172917
182917
192917
202917
212917
222918
232918
242918
252918
262918
272918
282918
292918
302918
312918

Mpika weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 1st-warmest and 7th-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 October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 21%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18614
28416
38416
48317
58317
68218
78218
88119
98020
108020
118020
127921
137921
147921
157921
167921
178020
187921
197921
207921
217921
227921
237921
247921
257723
267723
277723
287525
297426
307426
317228

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Mpika gets around 15 mm of rain over 3.1 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 11% and peaks near 17% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
15
25
36
46
57
68
78
89
99
1010
1110
1210
1311
1411
1511
1611
1711
1811
1911
2011
2111
2211
2311
2412
2512
2613
2713
2814
2915
3016
3117

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, October lands in the dry band about 83% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19541
29451
39451
49262
59172
69172
79082
88983
98893
108893
1187103
1287103
1385114
1485114
1584124
1683134
1783134
1882144
1982144
2081154
2181154
2280164
2379174
2479174
2578184
2677194
2775205
2873216
2972226
3071227
3169238

Wind in October

Winds average 14 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 06 min at the start of October to 12 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 18 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 5:40 AM to 5:25 AM, and sunset from 5:46 PM to 5:50 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.15:405:46
212.15:395:46
312.15:395:46
412.15:385:46
512.15:375:46
612.25:375:46
712.25:365:46
812.25:365:47
912.25:355:47
1012.25:345:47
1112.25:345:47
1212.25:335:47
1312.25:335:47
1412.25:325:47
1512.35:325:47
1612.35:315:47
1712.35:315:47
1812.35:305:48
1912.35:305:48
2012.35:295:48
2112.35:295:48
2212.35:285:48
2312.35:285:48
2412.45:285:49
2512.45:275:49
2612.45:275:49
2712.45:265:49
2812.45:265:50
2912.45:265:50
3012.45:255:50
3112.45:255:50

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 7.16 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

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 — October's 7.16 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.2Intense
27.2Intense
37.2Intense
47.2Intense
57.2Intense
67.2Intense
77.2Intense
87.2Intense
97.2Intense
107.2Intense
117.2Intense
127.2Intense
137.2Intense
147.2Intense
157.2Intense
167.2Intense
177.2Intense
187.2Intense
197.2Intense
207.2Intense
217.2Intense
227.1Intense
237.1Intense
247.1Intense
257.1Intense
267.1Intense
277.1Intense
287.0Intense
297.0Intense
307.0Intense
317.0Intense
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Mpika

In seasonPeak

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

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 October a good time to visit Mpika?

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

6.7
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
8.4
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Mpika for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Mpika in October

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

In October, Mpika sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 17°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 3 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Mpika in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 13 (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 October

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where October 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
October 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).