Zambezi in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Zambezi sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 711 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 27°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels muggy.
Summer is Zambezi's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Zambezi's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 27°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 19°C
- Rainfall
- 711 mm
- 79 wet days
- Avg wind
- 7 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.8
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Zambezi in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C.
A typical summer day in Zambezi reaches about 27°C and drops to 19°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest December.
How summer really feels in Zambezi
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
summer sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Zambezi 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 | 27° / 19° | 242 | 27.4 | 12.7 | 3.7 |
| Feb | 27° / 19° | 228 | 24.2 | 12.5 | 3.9 |
| Mar | 27° / 19° | 190 | 23.2 | 12.1 | 4.4 |
| Apr | 28° / 18° | 39 | 6.2 | 11.7 | 6.6 |
| May | 28° / 16° | 1 | 0.1 | 11.4 | 7.7 |
| Jun | 27° / 13° | 0 | 0 | 11.2 | 9.0 |
| Jul | 27° / 12° | 0 | 0 | 11.3 | 8.9 |
| Aug | 30° / 15° | 0 | 0 | 11.6 | 6.6 |
| Sep | 33° / 19° | 4 | 1.2 | 11.9 | 4.4 |
| Oct | 33° / 20° | 38 | 8.5 | 12.3 | 3.6 |
| Nov | 29° / 19° | 157 | 22 | 12.6 | 3.7 |
| Dec | 27° / 19° | 241 | 27.5 | 12.8 | 3.7 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Zambezi gets around 711 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 7 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 42 min in early December to 12 h 18 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 5.2 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Zambezi
In summer, Zambezi overlaps its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Zambezi's monsoon runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Zambezi?
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 Zambezi.
What to pack for Zambezi in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Zambezi sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 19°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 79 days see rain.
UV index in Zambezi 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 Zambezi peaks around January 20 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 9 (very high).
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 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 10 | Very high |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 10 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Air quality in Zambezi 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 Zambezi is worst in September — around 89 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 14.2× the cleanest month (April, 6 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) | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 21 | 35 | 62 | 89 | 41 | 10 | 7 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Good |
| Feb | 9 | Good |
| Mar | 8 | Good |
| Apr | 6 | Good |
| May | 9 | Good |
| Jun | 21 | Moderate |
| Jul | 35 | Poor |
| Aug | 62 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 89 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 41 | Poor |
| Nov | 10 | Good |
| Dec | 7 | Good |
Where is Zambezi?
Zambezi sits at 13.5°S, 23.1°E, 1,079 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Chavuma, 70 km away.
Topography around Zambezi
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Zambezi.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Zambezi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 51 m around an average of 1,054 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 78 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 390 m.
The land around Zambezi is covered by grassland (39%) within 3 km, trees (58%) within 16 km, and trees (52%) and grassland (33%) 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 Zambezi (-13.5432°, 23.1047°, elevation 1,079 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.