Kariba weather in May

In May, Kariba sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 3 mm of rain across 0.6 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 29°C in the first days to 27°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 77% of the time in May, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of May to 11 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Kariba's 5th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kariba's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
10th warmest
Overnight low
18°
4th coldest
Rainfall
3 mm
0.6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
6:24 AM – 5:38 PM
Cloud cover
25%
5th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
5 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.0
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 May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 29°C in the first days to 27°C by the end.

A typical May day in Kariba reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12920
22920
32920
42919
52919
62919
72919
82919
92919
102819
112819
122819
132819
142818
152818
162818
172818
182818
192818
202818
212818
222818
232818
242718
252717
262717
272717
282717
292717
302717
312717

How May really feels in Kariba

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.

Kariba 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
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 May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 77% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 8%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1919
2919
3928
4928
5928
6928
7937
8937
9937
10937
11937
12937
13937
14928
15928
16928
17928
18928
19928
20928
21928
22928
23928
24928
25937
26937
27937
28937
29937
30937
31937

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Kariba gets around 3 mm of rain over 0.6 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 2% and peaks near 5% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
15
24
34
44
54
63
73
83
92
102
112
122
132
142
152
162
172
182
192
202
212
222
232
242
252
262
272
282
292
302
312

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 52% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
133447151
243646141
343845120
444044110
554243100
65434290
76454180
86473970
97493870
107513660
118533450
129533350
1310553140
1411553040
1512562930
1613582720
1713592620
1814592520
1915592420
2016602310
2117602210
2219592110
2320592010
2421591910
2523581810
2624581710
2725581610
2827571510
2929571400
3030571300
3132561200

Wind in May

Winds average 8 km/h in May.

Across May, 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 May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min at the start of May to 11 h 06 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 6:20 AM to 6:29 AM, and sunset from 5:44 PM to 5:35 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:205:44
211.46:205:44
311.46:205:43
411.46:205:43
511.46:215:42
611.36:215:42
711.36:215:41
811.36:225:41
911.36:225:41
1011.36:225:40
1111.36:235:40
1211.36:235:39
1311.36:235:39
1411.36:235:39
1511.26:245:38
1611.26:245:38
1711.26:245:38
1811.26:255:37
1911.26:255:37
2011.26:255:37
2111.26:265:37
2211.26:265:36
2311.26:275:36
2411.26:275:36
2511.16:275:36
2611.16:285:36
2711.16:285:35
2811.16:285:35
2911.16:295:35
3011.16:295:35
3111.16:295:35

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5 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 — May's 5 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.0Bright
155.0Bright
165.0Bright
175.0Bright
184.9Bright
194.9Bright
204.9Bright
214.9Bright
224.9Bright
234.8Bright
244.8Bright
254.8Bright
264.8Bright
274.8Bright
284.8Bright
294.8Bright
304.7Bright
314.7Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Kariba

In seasonPeak

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

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 May a good time to visit Kariba?

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

8.0
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
8.9
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Kariba in May

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

In May, Kariba sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Kariba in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 9 (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 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 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
May 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).