Malawi climate

World Climates covers 4 places in Malawi. By annual mean temperature, the warmest is Zomba (21 °C70 °F) and the coolest is Mzuzu (19 °C67 °F). The wettest is Mzuzu with 1,250 mm49 in of precipitation per year, the driest Lilongwe with 1,047 mm41 in.

The most common climate types (Köppen classification computed from these averages) are hot-summer Mediterranean (Csa, 4 places).

The highest monthly average high is in Blantyre (32 °C90 °F in October); the lowest monthly average low is in Lilongwe (10 °C49 °F in July).

Across the places in Malawi, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are May, June and July (4, 4 and 4 of 4 places respectively).

Temperature and rainfall across Malawi

Annual mean temperatures in Malawi range from 19 °C67 °F to 21 °C70 °F. The typical place (the median of all 4) has a year average of 21 °C69 °F. Annual precipitation ranges from 1,047 mm41 in to 1,250 mm49 in. The median place receives about 1,210 mm48 in in an average year.

In 0 places of 4, the coldest month has an average low below 0 °C (32 °F). In 3 places, the warmest month has an average high above 30 °C (86 °F). No place here gets less than 250 mm (10 in) of precipitation a year. None gets more than 2,000 mm (79 in) a year.

Averaged over all 4 places, November is the warmest month, with a mean of 25 °C77 °F. July is the coldest, with 16 °C61 °F. The wettest month on average is January (310 mm12 in). The driest is August (5 mm0.2 in). Single places can differ a lot from this average, so check the page of each city.

The table below lists the places sorted by population. The largest ones covered here are Lilongwe, Blantyre and Mzuzu. Each city page has a chart and a table for every month. It also shows the best time to visit and what to pack. The figures are 25-year averages for 2001–2025 from NASA POWER. They describe grid cells of roughly 50–70 km, not single weather stations.

Climate of each place in Malawi

Lilongwe has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa). Its year average is 21 °C70 °F. The warmest month is November, with an average high of 32 °C89 °F. The coldest is July, with an average low of 10 °C49 °F. About 1,047 mm41 in of precipitation falls in a year. January is the wettest month and June the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are April–September.

Blantyre has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa). Its year average is 21 °C69 °F. The warmest month is November, with an average high of 32 °C89 °F. The coldest is July, with an average low of 10 °C49 °F. About 1,176 mm46 in of precipitation falls in a year. January is the wettest month and August the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are April–September.

Mzuzu has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa). Its year average is 19 °C67 °F. The warmest month is November, with an average high of 29 °C83 °F. The coldest is July, with an average low of 10 °C50 °F. About 1,250 mm49 in of precipitation falls in a year. January is the wettest month and August the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are May–November.

Zomba has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa). Its year average is 21 °C70 °F. The warmest month is November, with an average high of 32 °C89 °F. The coldest is July, with an average low of 11 °C51 °F. About 1,244 mm49 in of precipitation falls in a year. January is the wettest month and August the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are April–September.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the warmest place in Malawi?

By annual mean temperature, the warmest place in Malawi is Zomba at 21 °C70 °F. The coolest is Mzuzu at 19 °C67 °F.

Where does it rain the most in Malawi?

Mzuzu gets the most precipitation, 1,250 mm49 in in an average year. The driest place is Lilongwe with 1,047 mm41 in.

How many places in Malawi does this site cover?

World Climates has climate data for 4 places in Malawi. Each one has a page with monthly averages for temperature, rainfall, humidity and daylight.

When is the best time to visit Malawi?

It depends on the place. Across Malawi, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are May, June and July. Check the page of each city for its own best months.