Solwezi climate
Solwezi (Zambia) has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa). The average temperature over the year is 20 °C69 °F, and about 1,201 mm47 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Solwezi climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2576 | 1762 | 2169 | 25610 |
| Feb | 2577 | 1662 | 2169 | 2078.1 |
| Mar | 2577 | 1661 | 2169 | 1917.5 |
| Apr | 2577 | 1458 | 2067 | 732.9 |
| May | 2576 | 1152 | 1864 | 40.2 |
| Jun | 2475 | 847 | 1661 | 00.0 |
| Jul | 2577 | 846 | 1661 | 10.0 |
| Aug | 2883 | 1151 | 1967 | 20.1 |
| Sep | 3289 | 1558 | 2374 | 60.2 |
| Oct | 3290 | 1864 | 2577 | 371.5 |
| Nov | 2883 | 1763 | 2373 | 1475.8 |
| Dec | 2578 | 1762 | 2170 | 27711 |
| Year | 3290 | 846 | 2069 | 1,20147 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84% | 90% | 5.2 | 12:46 |
| Feb | 84% | 88% | 5.3 | 12:30 |
| Mar | 84% | 81% | 5.4 | 12:12 |
| Apr | 81% | 54% | 5.6 | 11:51 |
| May | 71% | 30% | 5.6 | 11:34 |
| Jun | 63% | 20% | 5.4 | 11:25 |
| Jul | 56% | 18% | 5.5 | 11:28 |
| Aug | 44% | 19% | 6.0 | 11:43 |
| Sep | 36% | 34% | 6.3 | 12:03 |
| Oct | 45% | 57% | 6.4 | 12:24 |
| Nov | 68% | 80% | 5.7 | 12:42 |
| Dec | 82% | 90% | 5.3 | 12:50 |
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 Solwezi is like
The warmest month is October, with an average high of 32 °C90 °F and a low of 18 °C64 °F. The coldest is June, when highs average 24 °C75 °F and lows 8 °C47 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 9 °C16.2 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
It is wet, with about 1,201 mm47 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is December–February, which brings 62% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: May–September. The wettest month is December (277 mm11 in), the driest is June (0 mm0.0 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 36% in September to 84% in March. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 18%) are typical of July. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 6 km/h (4 mph) in February to 11 km/h (7 mph) in September. Daylight lasts from about 11.4 hours in June to 12.8 hours in December.
Best time to visit Solwezi
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are April–August. Average highs then reach 24 °C75 °F to 28 °C83 °F. Precipitation is 0 mm0.0 in to 73 mm2.9 in per month.
The most challenging month is December, which is very wet (277 mm11 in) and humid (82% 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 Solwezi
- Wetter months (November–March) — highs 2576 to 28 °C83 °F, lows 1661 to 17 °C63 °F, about 215 mm8.5 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–October) — highs 2475 to 32 °C90 °F, lows 846 to 18 °C64 °F, about 18 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 Solwezi compares
The nearest larger place is Lubumbashi, about 131 km to the northeast. Compared with it, Solwezi is on average 0.5 °C1 °F cooler. It receives 7% more precipitation (1,201 mm47 in vs 1,120 mm44 in). The difference is largest in November (0.9 °C1.6 °F cooler).
World Climates covers 15 places in Zambia. By annual mean temperature, Solwezi is the 13th warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the wettest. See all of them on the Zambia climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Kipushi (DR Congo, Cwa), Lubumbashi (DR Congo, Cwa) and Likasi (DR Congo, Cwa).
Nearby places
- Climate in Kipushi 104 km · 20 °C69 °F · 1,198 mm47 in
- Climate in Lubumbashi 131 km · 21 °C69 °F · 1,120 mm44 in
- Climate in Likasi 137 km · 21 °C70 °F · 1,052 mm41 in
- Climate in Chingola 167 km · 20 °C68 °F · 1,133 mm45 in
- Climate in Kolwezi 190 km · 20 °C68 °F · 1,150 mm45 in
- Climate in Mufulira 206 km · 21 °C69 °F · 1,133 mm45 in
- Climate in Kitwe 210 km · 21 °C70 °F · 1,032 mm41 in
- Climate in Luanshya 245 km · 21 °C70 °F · 1,032 mm41 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Solwezi?
October is the warmest month in Solwezi. Its average high is 32 °C (90 °F) and its average low is 18 °C (64 °F).
What is the coldest month in Solwezi?
June is the coldest month. Its average high is 24 °C (75 °F) and its average low is 8 °C (47 °F).
When does it rain the most in Solwezi?
December is the wettest month with about 277 mm (10.9 in) of precipitation. June is the driest with about 0 mm (0.0 in).
What is the best time to visit Solwezi?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are April–August.
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.