Mpulungu in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Mpulungu sees average daytime highs around 25°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 753 mm of rain over about 79 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 4% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels muggy.
Summer is Mpulungu's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Mpulungu's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 25°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 20°C
- Rainfall
- 753 mm
- 79 wet days
- Avg wind
- 4 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.0
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Mpulungu in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 25°C.
A typical summer day in Mpulungu reaches about 25°C and drops to 20°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
Mpulungu 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° / 20° | 271 | 27.3 | 12.5 | 3.9 |
| Feb | 26° / 20° | 215 | 23.5 | 12.3 | 4.1 |
| Mar | 26° / 20° | 227 | 26.7 | 12.1 | 4.0 |
| Apr | 27° / 20° | 102 | 15.1 | 11.8 | 5.7 |
| May | 27° / 19° | 10 | 2.4 | 11.6 | 7.9 |
| Jun | 27° / 17° | 0 | 0 | 11.5 | 8.6 |
| Jul | 26° / 17° | 0 | 0 | 11.5 | 8.8 |
| Aug | 28° / 18° | 0 | 0.1 | 11.7 | 8.2 |
| Sep | 29° / 20° | 3 | 0.8 | 11.9 | 6.7 |
| Oct | 29° / 21° | 48 | 8.6 | 12.2 | 5.6 |
| Nov | 27° / 20° | 178 | 22.2 | 12.4 | 4.5 |
| Dec | 25° / 20° | 267 | 28 | 12.5 | 3.9 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Mpulungu gets around 753 mm of rain over 79 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 4 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 Mpulungu
In summer, Mpulungu overlaps its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
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.
Is summer a good time to visit Mpulungu?
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 weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Mpulungu.
What to pack for Mpulungu in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Mpulungu sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 20°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 79 days see rain.
UV index in Mpulungu 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 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.
| 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 Mpulungu 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 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 11 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 29 | 51 | 51 | 35 | 13 | 9 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Good |
| Feb | 11 | Good |
| Mar | 9 | Good |
| Apr | 7 | Good |
| May | 7 | Good |
| Jun | 14 | Moderate |
| Jul | 29 | Moderate |
| Aug | 51 | Poor |
| Sep | 51 | Poor |
| Oct | 35 | Poor |
| Nov | 13 | Moderate |
| Dec | 9 | Good |
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.
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.
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 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.