Petauke weather in May

In May, Petauke sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 5 mm of rain across 1 wet days and about 11.3 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of May to 11 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Petauke's 6th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Petauke's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
10th warmest
Overnight low
16°
4th coldest
Rainfall
5 mm
1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 18 min
6:11 AM – 5:31 PM
Cloud cover
36%
6th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.07 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.3
out of 10

Petauke is human settlement in Zambia.

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month.

A typical May day in Petauke reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and about 2°C warmer than June.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12817
22817
32717
42717
52717
62717
72717
82717
92717
102716
112716
122716
132716
142716
152716
162716
172716
182716
192716
202716
212716
222716
232716
242616
252616
262616
272615
282615
292615
302615
312615

How May really feels in Petauke

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Petauke weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 20°2722612.73.9
Feb28° / 20°2152112.54.3
Mar28° / 20°13918.412.15.1
Apr28° / 18°265.511.77.2
May27° / 16°5111.38.3
Jun25° / 14°10.111.29.0
Jul25° / 14°10.211.29.0
Aug28° / 16°10.111.58.2
Sep31° / 19°10.411.96.0
Oct33° / 21°9212.34.4
Nov32° / 22°751112.73.6
Dec29° / 21°23524.312.83.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

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

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 20%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17921
27921
37921
47921
57921
67921
77921
88020
98020
108020
118020
128020
138020
148020
158020
168020
178020
188020
198020
208020
218119
228119
238119
248119
258119
268218
278218
288218
298317
308317
318416

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Petauke gets around 5 mm of rain over 1 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 3% and peaks near 5% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
15
25
35
44
54
64
74
84
93
103
113
123
133
143
153
163
173
183
192
203
213
223
233
243
253
263
273
282
292
302
312

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 54% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
13242242
23442222
33741202
43941182
54240171
64440151
74639141
84838131
95037121
105137111
115337100
12543790
13553780
14563770
15563860
16563860
17573850
18573850
19573850
20583840
21583840
22583840
23593740
24593740
25603640
26613540
27633340
28653230
29673030
30692830
31712630

Wind in May

Winds average 13 km/h in May.

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

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min at the start of May to 11 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:07 AM to 6:15 AM, and sunset from 5:37 PM to 5:29 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:075:37
211.56:075:36
311.56:075:36
411.56:085:35
511.56:085:35
611.46:085:35
711.46:085:34
811.46:095:34
911.46:095:33
1011.46:095:33
1111.46:095:33
1211.46:105:32
1311.46:105:32
1411.46:105:32
1511.46:105:32
1611.36:115:31
1711.36:115:31
1811.36:115:31
1911.36:125:30
2011.36:125:30
2111.36:125:30
2211.36:125:30
2311.36:135:30
2411.36:135:30
2511.36:135:29
2611.36:145:29
2711.36:145:29
2811.26:145:29
2911.26:155:29
3011.26:155:29
3111.26:155:29

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.07 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.73 kWh/m² to a high of 6.97 kWh/m² in October across the year — May's 5.07 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.2Bright
115.2Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.0Bright
185.0Bright
195.0Bright
205.0Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
234.9Bright
244.9Bright
254.9Bright
264.9Bright
274.9Bright
284.9Bright
294.9Bright
304.9Bright
314.9Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Petauke

In seasonPeak

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

Petauke'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 May a good time to visit Petauke?

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

8.3
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
8.3
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Petauke for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Petauke in May

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

In May, Petauke sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 16°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Petauke in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Petauke peaks around January 20 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 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 highExtremeJan 20UV 16Jun 22UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May10Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug10Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Petauke in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Petauke is worst in September — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.2× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1026 µg/m³Apr 176 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb8Good
Mar7Good
Apr6Good
May7Good
Jun11Good
Jul18Moderate
Aug25Moderate
Sep26Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov9Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Petauke?

Petauke sits at 14.2°S, 31.3°E, 1,015 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Sinda, 48 km away.

KateteChipataSerenjeMchinjiSongoMkushi

Topography around Petauke

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Petauke has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 108 m around an average of 1,000 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 267 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 986 m.

The land around Petauke is covered by cropland (43%) and artificial surfaces (25%) within 3 km, cropland (55%) and grassland (20%) within 16 km, and cropland (34%) and shrubs (30%) within 80 km.

3 km
108 m
16 km
267 m
80 km
986 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
May weather nearby: Sinda 48 km · Nyimba 65 km · Katete 85 km · Chipata 159 km · Serenje 162 km · Mchinji 175 km · Songo 216 km · Mkushi 219 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 Petauke (-14.2412°, 31.3197°, elevation 1,015 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).