Mpulungu weather in October

In October, Mpulungu sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 48 mm of rain across 8.6 wet days and about 12.2 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-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 24% of the time in October, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 06 min at the start of October to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Mpulungu's 6th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mpulungu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
21°
12th coldest
Rainfall
48 mm
8.6 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
5:35 AM – 5:46 PM
Cloud cover
61%
6th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
6.52 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.6
out of 10

Mpulungu is human settlement in Zambia.

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 Mpulungu reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs on par with September and about 2°C warmer than November.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13021
23021
33021
43021
53021
63021
72921
82921
92921
102921
112921
122921
132921
142921
152921
162921
172921
182921
192921
202921
212921
222921
232921
242921
252921
262921
272921
282821
292821
302821
312821

Mpulungu weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 2nd-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 20°27127.312.53.9
Feb26° / 20°21523.512.34.1
Mar26° / 20°22726.712.14.0
Apr27° / 20°10215.111.85.7
May27° / 19°102.411.67.9
Jun27° / 17°0011.58.6
Jul26° / 17°0011.58.8
Aug28° / 18°00.111.78.2
Sep29° / 20°30.811.96.7
Oct29° / 21°488.612.25.6
Nov27° / 20°17822.212.44.5
Dec25° / 20°2672812.53.9

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 26% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 50%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16337
26337
36139
46040
55941
65842
75842
85743
95644
105545
115446
125446
135347
145248
155050
165050
174951
184852
194753
204753
214456
224456
234357
244357
254159
264159
274159
284060
293961
303961
313862

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Mpulungu gets around 48 mm of rain over 8.6 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 28% and peaks near 52% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
112
213
314
415
516
616
717
818
918
1019
1119
1220
1321
1423
1524
1626
1727
1829
1930
2032
2133
2235
2336
2438
2540
2642
2744
2846
2948
3050
3152

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, October lands in the humid band about 31% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 12% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
15725153
25526163
35227183
45028193
54828204
64628224
74429234
84329244
94129255
104029265
113829276
123729287
133529297
143428308
1532283110
1630273211
1729273312
1827263413
1925263414
2023263516
2121263617
2220253718
2318253819
2416243920
2515244021
2613234122
2711234223
2810224324
299224426
308214427
317204528

Wind in October

Winds average 7 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 06 min at the start of October to 12 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 5:42 AM to 5:30 AM, and sunset from 5:47 PM to 5:48 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.15:425:47
212.15:425:47
312.15:415:47
412.15:415:47
512.15:405:47
612.15:395:47
712.15:395:46
812.15:385:46
912.15:385:46
1012.15:375:46
1112.25:375:46
1212.25:365:46
1312.25:365:46
1412.25:365:46
1512.25:355:46
1612.25:355:46
1712.25:345:47
1812.25:345:47
1912.25:335:47
2012.25:335:47
2112.25:335:47
2212.25:325:47
2312.35:325:47
2412.35:325:47
2512.35:315:47
2612.35:315:47
2712.35:315:48
2812.35:315:48
2912.35:305:48
3012.35:305:48
3112.35:305:48

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 6.52 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.34 kWh/m² to a high of 6.63 kWh/m² in September across the year — October's 6.52 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.7Intense
26.6Intense
36.6Intense
46.6Intense
56.6Intense
66.6Intense
76.6Intense
86.6Intense
96.6Intense
106.6Intense
116.6Intense
126.6Intense
136.6Intense
146.6Intense
156.6Intense
166.6Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.5Intense
226.5Intense
236.5Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.4Intense
276.4Intense
286.4Intense
296.3Intense
306.3Intense
316.3Intense
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Mpulungu

In seasonPeak

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

Mpulungu sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Mpulungu's monsoon runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

Cyclone
Monsoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is October a good time to visit Mpulungu?

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

5.6
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
7.1
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Mpulungu in October

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

In October, Mpulungu sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

UV index in Mpulungu 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 Mpulungu 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeFeb 17UV 17Jun 17UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb17Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Mpulungu 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 Mpulungu is worst in September — around 51 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 7.5× the cleanest month (May, 7 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModeratePoorModerateGoodSep 951 µg/m³May 107 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb11Good
Mar9Good
Apr7Good
May7Good
Jun14Moderate
Jul29Moderate
Aug51Poor
Sep51Poor
Oct35Poor
Nov13Moderate
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Mpulungu?

Mpulungu sits at 8.8°S, 31.1°E, 800 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Mbala, 29 km away.

SumbawangaLaelaMporokosoChalaNamanyere

Topography around Mpulungu

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Mpulungu has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 176 m around an average of 790 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,008 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,496 m.

The land around Mpulungu is covered by water (43%) within 3 km, water (44%) and trees (25%) within 16 km, and trees (37%) within 80 km.

3 km
176 m
16 km
1,008 m
80 km
1,496 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
October weather nearby: Mbala 29 km · Matai 68 km · Sumbawanga 104 km · Laela 105 km · Mporokoso 128 km · Chala 132 km · Namanyere 139 km · Kirando 160 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 Mpulungu (-8.7623°, 31.114°, elevation 800 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).