Kariba weather in January

In January, Kariba sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 273 mm of rain across 22.1 wet days and about 12.9 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 13 hours at the start of January to 12 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Kariba's 12th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kariba's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
6th warmest
Overnight low
24°
9th coldest
Rainfall
273 mm
22.1 wet days
Daylight
12 h 54 min
5:48 AM – 6:41 PM
Cloud cover
74%
12th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.68 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.6
out of 10

Kariba is town in Mashonaland West province, Zimbabwe, located close to the Kariba Dam.

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

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month.

A typical January day in Kariba reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C cooler than December and on par with February.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13024
23024
33024
43024
53024
63024
73024
83024
93024
103024
113024
123024
133024
143024
153024
163024
173024
182924
192924
202924
212923
222923
232923
242923
252923
262923
272923
282923
292923
302923
312923

How January really feels in Kariba

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 31 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
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in January is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Kariba weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 6th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 24°27322.112.93.6
Feb30° / 23°20919.212.63.9
Mar30° / 23°13515.812.14.5
Apr29° / 21°375.711.66.2
May28° / 18°30.611.28.0
Jun26° / 16°10.2119.0
Jul26° / 15°10.211.19.1
Aug28° / 17°00.111.48.1
Sep32° / 21°20.311.95.5
Oct34° / 24°121.812.43.7
Nov33° / 25°781012.83.3
Dec31° / 24°21820.3133.5

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 72%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12773
22872
32872
42872
52872
62872
72872
82872
92872
102872
112872
122872
132773
142773
152773
162773
172674
182674
192674
202674
212674
222674
232872
242872
252872
262971
273070
283070
293070
303070
313268

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Kariba gets around 273 mm of rain over 22.1 wet days in January, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 72% and peaks near 74% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
171
271
371
470
570
670
770
870
970
1071
1171
1271
1372
1472
1573
1673
1774
1874
1974
2074
2174
2274
2374
2473
2573
2673
2773
2873
2973
3072
3172

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the oppressive band about 78% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 98% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
132473
242472
342472
442472
542373
642373
742373
842373
942274
1042274
1132176
1232176
1332176
1432077
1522078
1622078
1721979
1821979
1911881
2011881
2111881
2211881
2311881
2411881
2511881
2611881
2711881
2811881
2911881
3011881
3111782

Wind in January

Winds average 8 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 hours at the start of January to 12 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:39 AM to 5:56 AM, and sunset from 6:37 PM to 6:40 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.05:396:37
213.05:396:37
313.05:406:38
413.05:416:38
513.05:416:38
612.95:426:39
712.95:426:39
812.95:436:39
912.95:436:39
1012.95:446:40
1112.95:456:40
1212.95:456:40
1312.95:466:40
1412.95:466:40
1512.95:476:41
1612.95:486:41
1712.95:486:41
1812.95:496:41
1912.95:496:41
2012.95:506:41
2112.85:506:41
2212.85:516:41
2312.85:526:41
2412.85:526:41
2512.85:536:41
2612.85:536:41
2712.85:546:41
2812.85:546:41
2912.85:556:41
3012.85:556:41
3112.75:566:40

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.68 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.56 kWh/m² to a high of 7.13 kWh/m² in October across the year — January's 5.68 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
95.7Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.6Bright
175.6Bright
185.6Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
295.6Bright
305.6Bright
315.6Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Kariba

In seasonPeak

In January, Kariba sits inside its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Kariba'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 January a good time to visit Kariba?

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

3.6
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
4.9
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Kariba.

What to pack for Kariba in January

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

In January, Kariba sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 22 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Kariba in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 16 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kariba peaks around January 19 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 10 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeJan 19UV 15Jul 10UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May9Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep10Very high
Oct11Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Kariba in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Kariba is worst in September — around 32 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.7× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1531 µg/m³Dec 217 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar8Good
Apr8Good
May9Good
Jun12Good
Jul16Moderate
Aug25Moderate
Sep32Moderate
Oct23Moderate
Nov11Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kariba?

Kariba sits at 16.5°S, 28.8°E, 679 m above sea level, in Zimbabwe. The nearest listed city is Siavonga, 10 km away.

ChirunduKaroiKafueChilanga TownshipPalabanaChisankaneNtandabale

Topography around Kariba

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kariba has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 492 m around an average of 558 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 616 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,165 m.

The land around Kariba is covered by shrubs (52%) and trees (25%) within 3 km, water (41%) and shrubs (39%) within 16 km, and shrubs (53%) within 80 km.

3 km
492 m
16 km
616 m
80 km
1,165 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
January weather nearby: Siavonga 10 km · Chirundu 54 km · Karoi 101 km · Kafue 106 km · Chilanga Township 119 km · Palabana 122 km · Chisankane 125 km · Ntandabale 132 km

Zimbabwe travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type D / G
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 56% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$3,021
2025
Happiness
3.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
25%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
6.8
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
41.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Very high
EF EPI 602
Religion
Apostolic Sect 40%Pentecostal 17%Protestant 14%none 8%

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 Kariba (-16.5167°, 28.8°, elevation 679 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).