Zambia climate

World Climates covers 15 places in Zambia. By annual mean temperature, the warmest is Mongu (24 °C74 °F) and the coolest is Kasama (20 °C68 °F). The wettest is Solwezi with 1,201 mm47 in of precipitation per year, the driest Livingstone with 613 mm24 in.

The most common climate types (Köppen classification computed from these averages) are monsoon-influenced humid subtropical (Cwa, 9 places), hot-summer Mediterranean (Csa, 3 places), hot semi-arid (BSh, 2 places) and tropical savanna (dry winter) (Aw, 1 place).

The highest monthly average high is in Mongu (37 °C98 °F in October); the lowest monthly average low is in Chingola (8 °C46 °F in July).

Across the places in Zambia, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are April, May and June (15, 15 and 15 of 15 places respectively).

Temperature and rainfall across Zambia

Annual mean temperatures in Zambia range from 20 °C68 °F to 24 °C74 °F. The typical place (the median of all 15) has a year average of 21 °C70 °F. Annual precipitation ranges from 613 mm24 in to 1,201 mm47 in. The median place receives about 1,032 mm41 in in an average year.

In 0 places of 15, the coldest month has an average low below 0 °C (32 °F). In 15 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 15 places, October is the warmest month, with a mean of 26 °C79 °F. July is the coldest, with 17 °C63 °F. The wettest month on average is January (240 mm9.4 in). The driest is July (1 mm0.0 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 Lusaka, Kitwe and Ndola. 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.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the warmest place in Zambia?

By annual mean temperature, the warmest place in Zambia is Mongu at 24 °C74 °F. The coolest is Kasama at 20 °C68 °F.

Where does it rain the most in Zambia?

Solwezi gets the most precipitation, 1,201 mm47 in in an average year. The driest place is Livingstone with 613 mm24 in.

How many places in Zambia does this site cover?

World Climates has climate data for 15 places in Zambia. Each one has a page with monthly averages for temperature, rainfall, humidity and daylight.

When is the best time to visit Zambia?

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