Lilongwe climate
Lilongwe (Malawi) has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa). The average temperature over the year is 21 °C70 °F, and about 1,047 mm41 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Lilongwe climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2679 | 1865 | 2272 | 30712 |
| Feb | 2679 | 1864 | 2271 | 2168.5 |
| Mar | 2678 | 1763 | 2171 | 1515.9 |
| Apr | 2578 | 1559 | 2068 | 401.6 |
| May | 2576 | 1254 | 1865 | 60.2 |
| Jun | 2374 | 1050 | 1762 | 20.1 |
| Jul | 2474 | 1049 | 1762 | 30.1 |
| Aug | 2679 | 1253 | 1966 | 20.1 |
| Sep | 3085 | 1558 | 2272 | 30.1 |
| Oct | 3289 | 1864 | 2577 | 120.5 |
| Nov | 3289 | 1967 | 2578 | 632.5 |
| Dec | 2882 | 1966 | 2374 | 2429.5 |
| Year | 3289 | 1049 | 2170 | 1,04741 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84% | 88% | 5.3 | 12:52 |
| Feb | 85% | 82% | 5.6 | 12:34 |
| Mar | 85% | 74% | 5.6 | 12:12 |
| Apr | 82% | 51% | 5.5 | 11:48 |
| May | 75% | 37% | 5.3 | 11:28 |
| Jun | 71% | 36% | 4.8 | 11:18 |
| Jul | 67% | 38% | 4.9 | 11:22 |
| Aug | 59% | 30% | 5.6 | 11:39 |
| Sep | 51% | 24% | 6.4 | 12:02 |
| Oct | 49% | 34% | 6.8 | 12:26 |
| Nov | 56% | 54% | 6.6 | 12:47 |
| Dec | 76% | 81% | 5.7 | 12:57 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Lilongwe is like
The warmest month is November, with an average high of 32 °C89 °F and a low of 19 °C67 °F. The coldest is July, when highs average 24 °C74 °F and lows 10 °C49 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 8.8 °C15.9 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
It is wet, with about 1,047 mm41 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is December–February, which brings 73% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: May–October. The wettest month is January (307 mm12 in), the driest is June (2 mm0.1 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 49% in October to 85% in March. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 24%) are typical of September. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 6 km/h (4 mph) in February to 13 km/h (8 mph) in October. Daylight lasts from about 11.3 hours in June to 12.9 hours in December.
Best time to visit Lilongwe
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are April–September. Average highs then reach 23 °C74 °F to 30 °C85 °F. Precipitation is 2 mm0.1 in to 40 mm1.6 in per month.
The most challenging month is January, which is very wet (307 mm12 in) and humid (84% relative humidity).
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Lilongwe
- Wetter months (December–March) — highs 2678 to 28 °C82 °F, lows 1763 to 19 °C66 °F, about 229 mm9.0 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and a good rain jacket or umbrella and quick-drying shoes.
- Drier months (April–November) — highs 2374 to 32 °C89 °F, lows 1049 to 19 °C67 °F, about 17 mm0.7 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
How Lilongwe compares
World Climates covers 4 places in Malawi. By annual mean temperature, Lilongwe is the 2nd warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 4th wettest. See all of them on the Malawi climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Chipata (Zambia, Csa), Kasama (Zambia, Csa) and Kadoma (Zimbabwe, Cwa).
Nearby places
- Climate in Chipata 128 km · 21 °C70 °F · 939 mm37 in
- Climate in Lichinga 173 km · 20 °C68 °F · 1,025 mm40 in
- Climate in Mandimba 205 km · 23 °C73 °F · 1,093 mm43 in
- Climate in Zomba 228 km · 21 °C70 °F · 1,244 mm49 in
- Climate in Blantyre 241 km · 21 °C69 °F · 1,176 mm46 in
- Climate in Tete 244 km · 27 °C80 °F · 850 mm33 in
- Climate in Mzuzu 279 km · 19 °C67 °F · 1,250 mm49 in
- Climate in Gurúè 382 km · 22 °C71 °F · 1,570 mm62 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Lilongwe?
November is the warmest month in Lilongwe. Its average high is 32 °C (89 °F) and its average low is 19 °C (67 °F).
What is the coldest month in Lilongwe?
July is the coldest month. Its average high is 24 °C (74 °F) and its average low is 10 °C (49 °F).
When does it rain the most in Lilongwe?
January is the wettest month with about 307 mm (12.1 in) of precipitation. June is the driest with about 2 mm (0.1 in).
What is the best time to visit Lilongwe?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are April–September.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.
The grid cell’s average elevation is 1,168 m, while Lilongwe lies at about 1,056 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +0.7 °C1.3 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.