Samfya weather in May

In May, Samfya sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 2 mm of rain across 0.4 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 69% of the time in May, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 36 min at the start of May to 11 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Samfya's 5th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Samfya's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
8th warmest
Overnight low
17°
4th coldest
Rainfall
2 mm
0.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
6:14 AM – 5:42 PM
Cloud cover
29%
5th clearest
Wind
11 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.72 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.8
out of 10

Samfya 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 26°C through the month.

A typical May day in Samfya reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and about 1°C warmer than June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12618
22618
32618
42618
52618
62618
72618
82617
92617
102617
112617
122617
132617
142617
152617
162617
172617
182617
192617
202617
212617
222617
232617
242617
252616
262616
272616
282516
292516
302516
312516

Samfya weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 20°29628.912.63.6
Feb26° / 20°24324.112.43.9
Mar26° / 20°21125.112.14.4
Apr26° / 19°517.911.87.1
May26° / 17°20.411.58.8
Jun25° / 15°0011.39.4
Jul24° / 14°0011.49.5
Aug27° / 16°0011.68.9
Sep30° / 19°10.311.96.9
Oct31° / 21°183.212.35.5
Nov29° / 21°13515.812.54.7
Dec26° / 20°29827.912.73.8

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 69% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 15%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18020
28020
38119
48218
58317
68416
78416
88416
98614
108614
118614
128614
138614
148614
158614
168515
178515
188515
198515
208515
218416
228515
238515
248515
258515
268515
278614
288713
298713
308713
318812

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Samfya gets around 2 mm of rain over 0.4 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 1% and peaks near 3% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
13
23
33
43
53
62
72
82
92
102
111
121
131
141
151
161
171
181
191
201
211
221
231
241
251
261
270
280
290
300
310

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the comfortable band about 45% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
11043425
21144395
31346374
41547354
51748323
61948303
72148282
82449262
92649242
102849221
113049201
123249181
133449161
143649140
153750130
163949110
174049100
184249100
19434890
20454780
21464680
22474670
23494570
24504460
25514360
26534160
27554050
28573850
29603640
30623440
31643240

Wind in May

Winds average 11 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 11 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
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1511calm
1611calm
1711calm
1811calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of May to 11 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:11 AM to 6:18 AM, and sunset from 5:47 PM to 5:41 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:115:47
211.66:115:47
311.66:115:46
411.66:115:46
511.66:115:46
611.66:125:45
711.66:125:45
811.56:125:45
911.56:125:44
1011.56:125:44
1111.56:135:44
1211.56:135:43
1311.56:135:43
1411.56:135:43
1511.56:135:43
1611.56:145:42
1711.56:145:42
1811.56:145:42
1911.56:145:42
2011.56:155:42
2111.46:155:42
2211.46:155:41
2311.46:155:41
2411.46:165:41
2511.46:165:41
2611.46:165:41
2711.46:165:41
2811.46:175:41
2911.46:175:41
3011.46:175:41
3111.46:185:41

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.72 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.15 kWh/m² to a high of 7.13 kWh/m² in October across the year — May's 5.72 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.8Bright
75.8Bright
85.8Bright
95.8Bright
105.8Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.7Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.7Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
295.6Bright
305.6Bright
315.6Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Samfya

In seasonPeak

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

Samfya's monsoon runs November–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 Samfya?

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

8.8
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
8.2
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Samfya in May

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

In May, Samfya sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 17°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Samfya 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 Samfya peaks around February 21 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 at about 10 (very high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeFeb 21UV 16Jun 17UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug11Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Samfya 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 Samfya is worst in August — around 76 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 11.5× the cleanest month (May, 7 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateUnhealthyModerateAug 2376 µg/m³May 127 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb11Good
Mar9Good
Apr8Good
May7Good
Jun10Good
Jul30Moderate
Aug76Unhealthy
Sep74Unhealthy
Oct39Poor
Nov18Moderate
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Samfya?

Samfya sits at 11.4°S, 29.6°E, 1,183 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Mansa, 75 km away.

MansaLuwinguMokamboKawambwaMwansabombweMufuliraMapaloNdola

Topography around Samfya

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Samfya has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 39 m around an average of 1,175 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 96 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 327 m.

The land around Samfya is covered by water (34%) and cropland (20%) within 3 km, water (38%) within 16 km, and trees (24%) and wetland (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
39 m
16 km
96 m
80 km
327 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
May weather nearby: Mansa 75 km · Luwingu 129 km · Mokambo 177 km · Kawambwa 183 km · Mwansabombwe 192 km · Mufulira 195 km · Mapalo 199 km · Ndola 203 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 Samfya (-11.3649°, 29.5565°, elevation 1,183 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).