Zomba climate — normals and trends

Q: What is the climate of Zomba?

Zomba has a humid subtropical, dry winter climate (Köppen Cwa). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 21.9 °C and it receives 887 mm of precipitation per year.

Q: What is the hottest day ever recorded in Zomba?

The hottest day measured in Zomba between 1940 and 2025 was 27 November 1951, reaching 38.1 °C.

Q: What is the coldest day in Zomba?

The coldest day measured in Zomba between 1940 and 2025 was 26 July 1975, at 6.3 °C.

Q: Does it snow in Zomba?

Almost never: Zomba sees virtually no snow, with about 0 frost days per year.

Q: Has the climate of Zomba warmed?

Yes: Zomba warmed by +1.0 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

Q: What is the wettest day in Zomba?

The wettest day measured in Zomba between 1940 and 2025 was 14 March 2023, with 178 mm of rain in 24 hours.

Q: What was the windiest day in Zomba?

The windiest day measured in Zomba between 1940 and 2025 was 13 March 1941, with winds reaching 37.0 km/h.

Q: What is the warmest month in Zomba?

The warmest month in Zomba is November (25.3 °C on average); the coldest is July (17.7 °C).

Q: How much does it rain in Zomba?

Zomba receives on average 887 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 112 rainy days.

Q: Is it sunny in Zomba?

Zomba gets on average 10.5 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,833 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Zomba (Malawi) has a humid subtropical, dry winter climate (Cwa) under the Köppen-Geiger classification. Its mean annual temperature is 21.9 °C and it receives 887 mm of precipitation per year.

These figures are normals computed over 86 complete calendar years, from 1940 to 2025, using ERA5 reanalysis data from the Copernicus programme.

The warmest month is November (25.3 °C on average) and the coldest is July (17.7 °C). Rainfall peaks in January.

Zomba averages 0 frost days, 62 hot days (≥ 30 °C) and 112 rainy days per year.

Zomba has warmed by +1.0 °C between 1940 and 2025, or +0.12 °C per decade. This trend is statistically significant.

The hottest day of the period reached 38.1 °C (on 27 November 1951) and the coldest 6.3 °C (on 26 July 1975).

Data from ERA5 reanalysis (Copernicus Climate Change Service), redistributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence. Normals are recomputed whenever the archive is updated.

Climate normals · ERA5

ZombaSouthern Region

coords: -15.39°, 35.32°
period: 1940–2025 · 86 yrs

CwaHumid subtropical, dry winterWarmest monthNovemberColdest monthJulyWettest monthJanuaryDriest monthAugust

Mean daily temperature

21.9°C

Average daily high

27.1°C

Average daily low

17.4°C

Annual rainfall

887mm

Sunshine / day

10.5h

Mean relative humidity

69%

Average peak wind

11.4km/h

Seasonal range

7.6°C

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

62 d/yr

Rainy days (≥ 1 mm)

112 d/yr

Annual snowfall

0.0 cm

Average feels-like high

28.8 °C

Average feels-like low

18.4 °C

Average peak gust

28.8 km/h

Tropical nights (≥ 20 °C)

103 d/yr

Solar radiation

19.2 MJ/m²

Has the climate changed?

One stripe per year, 1940 to 2025

+1.0 °C

since 1940

+0.1 °C per decade · r² = 0.35 · p = < 0.001

19402025

Trend fitted by linear regression (ordinary least squares) on annual means. A trend is shown only when it is statistically significant (p < 0.05).

A climograph overlays rainfall (bars) and temperature (line): the standard reading in climatology, where you can see at a glance whether the warm season is also the dry one.

Records for the period

Hottest day

38.1 °C

27 November 1951

Coldest day

6.3 °C

26 July 1975

Wettest day

178 mm

14 March 2023

Windiest day

37.0 km/h

13 March 1941

Strongest gust

81.7 km/h

24 January 2022

Hottest feels-like

41.4 °C

13 December 2023

Coldest feels-like

4.0 °C

26 July 1975

Sunniest day

12.9 h

12 December 2024

Year	Hottest day	Coldest day	Annual mean	Rainfall	Hot days
2025	34.8 °C27 October 2025	9.1 °C4 August 2025	22.4 °C	1,199 mm	54
2024	36.6 °C29 October 2024	9.7 °C10 July 2024	23.1 °C	677 mm	113
2023	37.2 °C13 December 2023	10.2 °C26 June 2023	22.8 °C	1,398 mm	81
2022	34.5 °C20 November 2022	9.8 °C28 July 2022	22.1 °C	1,118 mm	56
2021	36.2 °C29 December 2021	8.5 °C3 August 2021	22.4 °C	734 mm	86
2020	36.7 °C25 November 2020	7.9 °C11 August 2020	22.7 °C	842 mm	100
2019	36.8 °C29 October 2019	8.6 °C24 July 2019	22.5 °C	1,155 mm	73
2018	35.2 °C22 November 2018	10.6 °C26 July 2018	22.6 °C	869 mm	71
2017	35.9 °C17 October 2017	9.7 °C14 July 2017	22.6 °C	832 mm	69
2016	34.6 °C8 January 2016	7.9 °C10 July 2016	22.9 °C	766 mm	114
2015	36.0 °C2 November 2015	9.9 °C5 August 2015	22.5 °C	1,086 mm	72
2014	34.7 °C13 December 2014	9.9 °C19 June 2014	22.3 °C	813 mm	79
2013	35.8 °C2 November 2013	9.0 °C16 July 2013	22.0 °C	954 mm	71
2012	36.1 °C19 October 2012	6.8 °C20 July 2012	22.1 °C	846 mm	68
2011	36.8 °C1 November 2011	8.6 °C21 July 2011	22.5 °C	740 mm	85
2010	35.5 °C12 October 2010	8.8 °C16 August 2010	22.4 °C	893 mm	88
2009	34.5 °C18 December 2009	8.3 °C30 July 2009	22.0 °C	815 mm	70
2008	35.5 °C15 November 2008	7.8 °C30 June 2008	21.7 °C	821 mm	68
2007	34.7 °C24 November 2007	8.8 °C1 August 2007	21.9 °C	1,075 mm	49
2006	35.5 °C3 November 2006	8.0 °C6 June 2006	22.1 °C	807 mm	54
2005	36.1 °C17 November 2005	9.1 °C2 July 2005	22.4 °C	666 mm	85
2004	34.6 °C30 October 2004	8.9 °C17 June 2004	21.6 °C	848 mm	34
2003	33.8 °C6 November 2003	9.5 °C25 July 2003	21.8 °C	1,004 mm	66
2002	34.9 °C5 November 2002	9.8 °C27 June 2002	22.3 °C	665 mm	63
2001	34.8 °C9 November 2001	10.2 °C20 June 2001	22.2 °C	829 mm	73
2000	33.6 °C25 October 2000	10.1 °C19 July 2000	21.6 °C	1,009 mm	33
1999	33.3 °C24 October 1999	8.3 °C23 June 1999	21.5 °C	801 mm	45
1998	34.1 °C4 November 1998	8.6 °C17 July 1998	22.2 °C	649 mm	71
1997	35.3 °C16 November 1997	10.0 °C22 July 1997	21.7 °C	1,259 mm	44
1996	34.4 °C18 November 1996	8.0 °C12 July 1996	21.9 °C	1,015 mm	66
1995	36.2 °C26 October 1995	7.1 °C11 July 1995	22.6 °C	692 mm	98
1994	37.0 °C24 November 1994	9.0 °C31 May 1994	22.2 °C	576 mm	78
1993	34.0 °C8 December 1993	10.3 °C8 June 1993	22.1 °C	817 mm	54
1992	35.3 °C26 February 1992	9.1 °C3 July 1992	22.9 °C	533 mm	113
1991	33.5 °C31 October 1991	9.4 °C15 June 1991	21.8 °C	873 mm	47
1990	34.8 °C19 December 1990	9.5 °C4 July 1990	22.1 °C	668 mm	63
1989	33.4 °C10 November 1989	10.1 °C10 July 1989	21.5 °C	1,119 mm	38
1988	33.5 °C11 October 1988	10.4 °C17 July 1988	21.8 °C	902 mm	37
1987	34.5 °C20 November 1987	9.4 °C11 June 1987	22.3 °C	679 mm	76
1986	33.0 °C7 October 1986	9.2 °C14 June 1986	21.2 °C	932 mm	23
1985	34.3 °C4 November 1985	6.6 °C15 July 1985	21.2 °C	1,016 mm	16
1984	33.4 °C3 December 1984	10.6 °C7 June 1984	21.7 °C	989 mm	44
1983	35.2 °C12 November 1983	9.6 °C22 July 1983	22.6 °C	735 mm	86
1982	34.3 °C21 November 1982	7.9 °C13 July 1982	21.5 °C	1,047 mm	42
1981	34.4 °C6 November 1981	8.7 °C3 July 1981	21.3 °C	751 mm	52
1980	34.8 °C14 November 1980	9.1 °C17 June 1980	21.9 °C	871 mm	63
1979	34.1 °C1 October 1979	9.6 °C26 June 1979	21.9 °C	638 mm	76
1978	33.5 °C12 November 1978	8.1 °C15 June 1978	21.5 °C	1,160 mm	38
1977	34.8 °C22 October 1977	7.9 °C5 July 1977	21.9 °C	889 mm	48
1976	35.0 °C25 November 1976	8.1 °C18 July 1976	21.1 °C	950 mm	42
1975	33.9 °C20 November 1975	6.3 °C26 July 1975	21.3 °C	569 mm	43
1974	34.0 °C12 November 1974	8.3 °C16 June 1974	21.0 °C	1,272 mm	43
1973	34.4 °C5 November 1973	8.2 °C16 July 1973	22.0 °C	703 mm	89
1972	35.1 °C23 November 1972	8.8 °C18 June 1972	21.6 °C	848 mm	54
1971	32.5 °C2 November 1971	8.9 °C31 May 1971	21.6 °C	704 mm	40
1970	32.8 °C5 November 1970	9.5 °C8 June 1970	21.8 °C	814 mm	51
1969	35.4 °C27 November 1969	9.9 °C9 July 1969	22.1 °C	839 mm	62
1968	34.5 °C3 October 1968	7.6 °C15 June 1968	21.7 °C	718 mm	50
1967	34.2 °C8 October 1967	6.9 °C19 July 1967	21.5 °C	788 mm	59
1966	33.4 °C1 November 1966	9.2 °C23 August 1966	21.8 °C	723 mm	59
1965	33.4 °C20 November 1965	7.7 °C5 July 1965	20.8 °C	669 mm	39
1964	34.1 °C10 November 1964	6.5 °C28 July 1964	21.3 °C	601 mm	48
1963	33.1 °C22 October 1963	9.0 °C1 June 1963	21.2 °C	983 mm	29
1962	34.1 °C21 November 1962	9.3 °C4 July 1962	21.6 °C	914 mm	43
1961	34.4 °C29 October 1961	10.6 °C12 July 1961	21.6 °C	1,001 mm	32
1960	34.3 °C7 December 1960	10.4 °C10 August 1960	21.8 °C	596 mm	71
1959	35.3 °C1 November 1959	10.8 °C18 July 1959	21.7 °C	1,028 mm	43
1958	33.8 °C17 October 1958	7.6 °C19 July 1958	21.7 °C	1,187 mm	61
1957	35.7 °C12 November 1957	8.6 °C7 August 1957	21.5 °C	1,089 mm	71
1956	34.1 °C2 November 1956	6.8 °C10 July 1956	21.1 °C	1,161 mm	43
1955	34.9 °C14 November 1955	7.3 °C12 August 1955	21.2 °C	1,080 mm	48
1954	35.9 °C27 October 1954	8.1 °C25 July 1954	21.9 °C	586 mm	63
1953	34.5 °C9 November 1953	8.8 °C3 August 1953	21.2 °C	1,442 mm	45
1952	35.3 °C3 November 1952	8.9 °C14 July 1952	21.7 °C	1,172 mm	67
1951	38.1 °C27 November 1951	8.6 °C24 July 1951	22.4 °C	563 mm	98
1950	35.1 °C24 October 1950	9.2 °C19 August 1950	21.2 °C	1,140 mm	58
1949	35.7 °C3 November 1949	8.6 °C23 July 1949	21.9 °C	910 mm	84
1948	35.1 °C11 November 1948	8.1 °C12 July 1948	21.6 °C	1,143 mm	59
1947	34.7 °C27 October 1947	8.3 °C12 August 1947	21.5 °C	1,002 mm	65
1946	35.0 °C24 October 1946	7.5 °C22 June 1946	21.1 °C	1,033 mm	33
1945	34.3 °C12 November 1945	9.0 °C4 July 1945	21.4 °C	1,067 mm	61
1944	33.7 °C11 November 1944	7.9 °C8 July 1944	21.4 °C	969 mm	63
1943	37.4 °C1 December 1943	7.9 °C25 July 1943	21.8 °C	795 mm	88
1942	35.9 °C9 November 1942	9.6 °C2 August 1942	22.1 °C	826 mm	75
1941	36.0 °C24 September 1941	8.9 °C22 June 1941	22.7 °C	504 mm	112
1940	35.2 °C29 November 1940	8.9 °C9 August 1940	21.5 °C	842 mm	65

Normals computed over complete calendar years 1940–2025.

A specific year

Pick a year and see how it compares to normal — warmer, drier or more extreme than usual?

Year

Across the whole year

Average daily high

27.2 °C

+0.1 °C

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

54 d/yr

-8

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Annual rainfall

1199 mm

+312 mm

Month by month

	High	vs. normal	Precipitation	vs. normal
Jan	27.8 °C	+0.4 °C	365 mm	+128 mm
Feb	28.1 °C	+0.8 °C	214 mm	+23 mm
Mar	28.0 °C	+0.7 °C	124 mm	-9 mm
Apr	27.6 °C	+0.8 °C	42 mm	+10 mm
May	25.3 °C	-0.2 °C	18 mm	+9 mm
Jun	24.7 °C	+1.0 °C	2 mm	-1 mm
Jul	23.4 °C	0.0 °C	5 mm	+3 mm
Aug	26.2 °C	+0.7 °C	0 mm	-2 mm
Sep	29.6 °C	+1.2 °C	2 mm	-1 mm
Oct	30.3 °C	-0.2 °C	2 mm	-14 mm
Nov	28.5 °C	-1.9 °C	129 mm	+59 mm
Dec	26.9 °C	-1.6 °C	296 mm	+106 mm

The year's extremes

Hottest day

34.8 °C

27 Oct 2025

Coldest day

9.1 °C

4 Aug 2025

Wettest day

56.9 mm

22 Jan 2025

Windiest day

33.9 km/h

11 Mar 2025

Strongest gust

81.4 km/h

11 Mar 2025

Hottest feels-like

36.8 °C

13 Jan 2025

Coldest feels-like

7.7 °C

4 Aug 2025

Sunniest day

12.9 h

15 Dec 2025

What was the weather like that day?

Your birthday, a wedding, a memorable trip: discover the actual weather for any date since 1940.

Date

Frequently asked questions

What is the climate of Zomba?

Zomba has a humid subtropical, dry winter climate (Köppen Cwa). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 21.9 °C and it receives 887 mm of precipitation per year.

What is the hottest day ever recorded in Zomba?

The hottest day measured in Zomba between 1940 and 2025 was 27 November 1951, reaching 38.1 °C.

What is the coldest day in Zomba?

The coldest day measured in Zomba between 1940 and 2025 was 26 July 1975, at 6.3 °C.

Does it snow in Zomba?

Almost never: Zomba sees virtually no snow, with about 0 frost days per year.

Has the climate of Zomba warmed?

Yes: Zomba warmed by +1.0 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

What is the wettest day in Zomba?

The wettest day measured in Zomba between 1940 and 2025 was 14 March 2023, with 178 mm of rain in 24 hours.

What was the windiest day in Zomba?

The windiest day measured in Zomba between 1940 and 2025 was 13 March 1941, with winds reaching 37.0 km/h.

What is the warmest month in Zomba?

The warmest month in Zomba is November (25.3 °C on average); the coldest is July (17.7 °C).

How much does it rain in Zomba?

Zomba receives on average 887 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 112 rainy days.

Is it sunny in Zomba?

Zomba gets on average 10.5 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,833 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Are there tropical nights in Zomba?

Yes: Zomba has on average 103 tropical nights per year (temperature staying above 20 °C), over 1940-2025.

What was the most extreme apparent temperature in Zomba?

In Zomba, between 1940 and 2025, the highest apparent temperature reached 41.4 °C on 13 December 2023, and the lowest was 4.0 °C on 26 July 1975.

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