Kafue climate — normals and trends

Q: What is the climate of Kafue?

Kafue has a humid subtropical, dry winter climate (Köppen Cwa). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 21.2 °C and it receives 963 mm of precipitation per year.

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

The hottest day measured in Kafue between 1940 and 2025 was 18 October 2017, reaching 38.7 °C.

Q: What is the coldest day in Kafue?

The coldest day measured in Kafue between 1940 and 2025 was 1 July 1994, at 4.8 °C.

Q: Does it snow in Kafue?

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

Q: Has the climate of Kafue warmed?

Yes: Kafue warmed by +1.1 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

Q: What is the wettest day in Kafue?

The wettest day measured in Kafue between 1940 and 2025 was 17 December 2008, with 107 mm of rain in 24 hours.

Q: What was the windiest day in Kafue?

The windiest day measured in Kafue between 1940 and 2025 was 15 October 1977, with winds reaching 33.9 km/h.

Q: What is the warmest month in Kafue?

The warmest month in Kafue is October (25.6 °C on average); the coldest is July (16.6 °C).

Q: How much does it rain in Kafue?

Kafue receives on average 963 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 115 rainy days.

Q: Is it sunny in Kafue?

Kafue gets on average 10.6 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,869 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Kafue (Zambia) has a humid subtropical, dry winter climate (Cwa) under the Köppen-Geiger classification. Its mean annual temperature is 21.2 °C and it receives 963 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 October (25.6 °C on average) and the coldest is July (16.6 °C). Rainfall peaks in January.

Kafue averages 0 frost days, 67 hot days (≥ 30 °C) and 115 rainy days per year.

Kafue has warmed by +1.1 °C between 1940 and 2025, or +0.13 °C per decade. This trend is statistically significant.

The hottest day of the period reached 38.7 °C (on 18 October 2017) and the coldest 4.8 °C (on 1 July 1994).

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

KafueLusaka Province

coords: -15.77°, 28.18°
period: 1940–2025 · 86 yrs

CwaHumid subtropical, dry winterWarmest monthOctoberColdest monthJulyWettest monthJanuaryDriest monthAugust

Mean daily temperature

21.2°C

Average daily high

26.7°C

Average daily low

16.5°C

Annual rainfall

963mm

Sunshine / day

10.6h

Mean relative humidity

63%

Average peak wind

16.3km/h

Seasonal range

9.0°C

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

67 d/yr

Rainy days (≥ 1 mm)

115 d/yr

Annual snowfall

0.0 cm

Average feels-like high

27.6 °C

Average feels-like low

16.0 °C

Average peak gust

37.2 km/h

Tropical nights (≥ 20 °C)

47 d/yr

Solar radiation

20.7 MJ/m²

Has the climate changed?

One stripe per year, 1940 to 2025

+1.1 °C

since 1940

+0.1 °C per decade · r² = 0.26 · 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

38.7 °C

18 October 2017

Coldest day

4.8 °C

1 July 1994

Wettest day

107 mm

17 December 2008

Windiest day

33.9 km/h

15 October 1977

Strongest gust

72.4 km/h

3 November 1984

Hottest feels-like

41.0 °C

8 January 2016

Coldest feels-like

0.6 °C

1 July 1994

Sunniest day

12.8 h

18 December 1944

Year	Hottest day	Coldest day	Annual mean	Rainfall	Hot days
2025	36.8 °C2 November 2025	7.9 °C31 July 2025	22.2 °C	987 mm	85
2024	37.6 °C30 September 2024	8.5 °C15 June 2024	23.1 °C	583 mm	139
2023	37.1 °C19 November 2023	8.8 °C15 July 2023	22.6 °C	969 mm	109
2022	35.1 °C27 October 2022	7.5 °C24 May 2022	21.6 °C	1,083 mm	63
2021	37.3 °C10 October 2021	7.1 °C30 May 2021	21.8 °C	849 mm	84
2020	38.2 °C8 November 2020	8.2 °C10 August 2020	21.9 °C	907 mm	94
2019	38.6 °C28 October 2019	6.5 °C24 July 2019	22.4 °C	623 mm	121
2018	36.5 °C22 November 2018	8.8 °C21 July 2018	21.8 °C	1,026 mm	81
2017	38.7 °C18 October 2017	8.6 °C8 June 2017	21.2 °C	1,233 mm	53
2016	36.9 °C17 October 2016	7.8 °C14 July 2016	21.9 °C	1,000 mm	97
2015	37.8 °C14 November 2015	7.3 °C17 June 2015	21.8 °C	799 mm	90
2014	36.6 °C10 October 2014	8.2 °C12 July 2014	21.8 °C	886 mm	78
2013	36.8 °C28 September 2013	7.8 °C20 June 2013	21.7 °C	848 mm	81
2012	36.8 °C19 October 2012	6.8 °C11 June 2012	21.4 °C	1,003 mm	74
2011	38.2 °C26 October 2011	6.4 °C25 July 2011	21.3 °C	902 mm	58
2010	36.6 °C12 October 2010	6.6 °C14 August 2010	21.3 °C	1,275 mm	71
2009	34.8 °C9 October 2009	7.2 °C29 July 2009	20.7 °C	1,004 mm	50
2008	35.8 °C27 September 2008	7.2 °C1 July 2008	20.9 °C	1,042 mm	69
2007	34.8 °C7 October 2007	7.2 °C23 June 2007	21.1 °C	1,157 mm	57
2006	35.7 °C31 October 2006	7.1 °C2 July 2006	21.2 °C	988 mm	54
2005	35.8 °C3 November 2005	7.6 °C8 July 2005	21.9 °C	761 mm	74
2004	35.6 °C8 October 2004	7.1 °C17 July 2004	20.9 °C	887 mm	48
2003	36.8 °C15 October 2003	6.7 °C10 July 2003	21.3 °C	956 mm	79
2002	34.6 °C30 September 2002	8.4 °C6 June 2002	21.6 °C	570 mm	65
2001	36.9 °C19 October 2001	6.6 °C27 July 2001	21.2 °C	1,141 mm	72
2000	35.2 °C26 October 2000	7.5 °C5 July 2000	21.0 °C	1,056 mm	52
1999	35.5 °C23 October 1999	7.2 °C30 June 1999	21.0 °C	796 mm	50
1998	37.8 °C4 November 1998	8.2 °C15 July 1998	22.0 °C	884 mm	79
1997	37.5 °C12 November 1997	7.9 °C10 July 1997	21.4 °C	878 mm	52
1996	36.7 °C21 October 1996	8.1 °C3 July 1996	21.8 °C	951 mm	77
1995	36.6 °C19 October 1995	6.9 °C17 July 1995	22.3 °C	663 mm	107
1994	37.2 °C22 November 1994	4.8 °C1 July 1994	21.6 °C	680 mm	95
1993	35.9 °C4 November 1993	7.8 °C17 August 1993	21.4 °C	979 mm	54
1992	36.5 °C17 October 1992	7.9 °C6 July 1992	22.4 °C	711 mm	109
1991	34.3 °C9 October 1991	6.9 °C14 June 1991	21.3 °C	780 mm	62
1990	36.5 °C6 November 1990	7.7 °C26 July 1990	21.3 °C	811 mm	60
1989	35.6 °C2 November 1989	6.4 °C15 June 1989	21.0 °C	1,159 mm	74
1988	34.9 °C10 October 1988	8.5 °C17 July 1988	21.2 °C	792 mm	59
1987	37.4 °C20 November 1987	6.2 °C24 June 1987	21.9 °C	646 mm	95
1986	34.3 °C7 October 1986	7.0 °C23 July 1986	20.3 °C	1,021 mm	38
1985	32.8 °C24 November 1985	5.7 °C14 July 1985	20.5 °C	948 mm	38
1984	35.4 °C5 September 1984	6.5 °C18 June 1984	21.3 °C	740 mm	70
1983	34.8 °C31 October 1983	8.6 °C11 August 1983	21.9 °C	788 mm	99
1982	33.7 °C7 November 1982	6.2 °C16 July 1982	20.8 °C	794 mm	48
1981	35.5 °C8 November 1981	5.8 °C19 June 1981	20.5 °C	1,005 mm	65
1980	34.0 °C17 October 1980	7.7 °C12 July 1980	20.7 °C	838 mm	48
1979	35.2 °C23 September 1979	7.6 °C5 July 1979	20.3 °C	826 mm	56
1978	35.8 °C30 September 1978	7.1 °C7 July 1978	20.5 °C	1,476 mm	53
1977	35.7 °C19 October 1977	8.1 °C11 July 1977	21.2 °C	1,037 mm	65
1976	35.4 °C26 October 1976	8.0 °C5 July 1976	20.2 °C	1,111 mm	47
1975	35.9 °C26 October 1975	8.1 °C27 July 1975	20.3 °C	818 mm	53
1974	36.0 °C18 October 1974	6.5 °C15 June 1974	19.9 °C	1,269 mm	49
1973	35.3 °C27 October 1973	6.9 °C10 July 1973	20.9 °C	891 mm	56
1972	35.1 °C24 November 1972	7.8 °C3 July 1972	20.9 °C	771 mm	70
1971	34.5 °C1 November 1971	8.1 °C12 June 1971	20.7 °C	835 mm	37
1970	36.1 °C8 October 1970	9.4 °C5 July 1970	21.2 °C	782 mm	51
1969	35.4 °C26 November 1969	7.6 °C25 July 1969	20.8 °C	1,295 mm	49
1968	36.8 °C28 October 1968	5.7 °C15 June 1968	21.3 °C	742 mm	66
1967	35.9 °C6 October 1967	7.0 °C17 July 1967	20.8 °C	777 mm	52
1966	36.4 °C31 October 1966	7.1 °C28 July 1966	21.4 °C	776 mm	73
1965	35.4 °C2 November 1965	6.1 °C4 July 1965	20.7 °C	403 mm	55
1964	35.4 °C26 October 1964	6.2 °C28 June 1964	20.9 °C	829 mm	59
1963	35.3 °C6 October 1963	7.4 °C23 May 1963	20.7 °C	951 mm	37
1962	35.6 °C18 October 1962	9.1 °C17 July 1962	20.7 °C	1,148 mm	48
1961	37.1 °C15 October 1961	8.8 °C11 August 1961	20.7 °C	1,125 mm	47
1960	35.5 °C10 October 1960	8.0 °C3 July 1960	20.8 °C	759 mm	65
1959	34.6 °C4 October 1959	10.1 °C15 June 1959	20.8 °C	994 mm	57
1958	34.7 °C17 October 1958	8.8 °C22 June 1958	20.6 °C	1,589 mm	34
1957	36.6 °C25 November 1957	9.7 °C16 June 1957	21.1 °C	1,281 mm	79
1956	34.7 °C15 October 1956	8.8 °C13 July 1956	20.1 °C	1,442 mm	38
1955	36.6 °C14 November 1955	8.4 °C12 August 1955	20.4 °C	1,444 mm	49
1954	37.9 °C27 October 1954	8.6 °C21 June 1954	21.9 °C	551 mm	99
1953	35.6 °C31 October 1953	7.1 °C2 July 1953	20.3 °C	1,379 mm	51
1952	36.4 °C2 October 1952	9.5 °C17 June 1952	21.3 °C	1,085 mm	66
1951	37.2 °C10 October 1951	7.9 °C15 July 1951	22.4 °C	584 mm	120
1950	35.9 °C24 October 1950	8.5 °C10 June 1950	20.5 °C	1,123 mm	62
1949	37.7 °C3 November 1949	9.5 °C11 August 1949	21.3 °C	1,142 mm	80
1948	36.0 °C13 October 1948	8.3 °C5 July 1948	20.7 °C	1,429 mm	60
1947	35.9 °C27 October 1947	8.0 °C17 July 1947	20.9 °C	1,216 mm	59
1946	36.9 °C24 October 1946	8.0 °C9 July 1946	20.5 °C	1,516 mm	51
1945	35.7 °C13 October 1945	8.8 °C20 June 1945	21.1 °C	904 mm	65
1944	36.5 °C27 September 1944	8.5 °C13 July 1944	20.9 °C	1,072 mm	59
1943	37.0 °C25 November 1943	8.7 °C28 June 1943	21.1 °C	1,023 mm	71
1942	36.1 °C13 October 1942	8.8 °C2 August 1942	21.0 °C	1,103 mm	56
1941	38.0 °C12 October 1941	8.9 °C6 July 1941	22.0 °C	747 mm	92
1940	34.6 °C2 November 1940	8.3 °C2 May 1940	20.5 °C	1,164 mm	56

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

27.7 °C

+1.0 °C

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

85 d/yr

+18

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Annual rainfall

987 mm

+24 mm

Month by month

	High	vs. normal	Precipitation	vs. normal
Jan	27.3 °C	+0.9 °C	293 mm	+46 mm
Feb	27.9 °C	+1.5 °C	201 mm	-3 mm
Mar	28.3 °C	+1.8 °C	63 mm	-62 mm
Apr	27.3 °C	+1.0 °C	54 mm	+26 mm
May	25.5 °C	+0.5 °C	7 mm	+3 mm
Jun	24.6 °C	+1.5 °C	0 mm	-1 mm
Jul	23.3 °C	+0.4 °C	1 mm	+0 mm
Aug	27.7 °C	+1.9 °C	0 mm	-0 mm
Sep	32.2 °C	+2.6 °C	1 mm	-1 mm
Oct	32.9 °C	+1.1 °C	2 mm	-11 mm
Nov	28.8 °C	-1.1 °C	156 mm	+51 mm
Dec	27.0 °C	-0.2 °C	212 mm	-24 mm

The year's extremes

Hottest day

36.8 °C

2 Nov 2025

Coldest day

7.9 °C

31 Jul 2025

Wettest day

44.1 mm

29 Jan 2025

Windiest day

32.3 km/h

28 Jul 2025

Strongest gust

67.0 km/h

3 Nov 2025

Hottest feels-like

37.6 °C

27 Oct 2025

Coldest feels-like

5.0 °C

31 Jul 2025

Sunniest day

12.7 h

14 Jan 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 Kafue?

Kafue has a humid subtropical, dry winter climate (Köppen Cwa). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 21.2 °C and it receives 963 mm of precipitation per year.

What is the hottest day ever recorded in Kafue?

The hottest day measured in Kafue between 1940 and 2025 was 18 October 2017, reaching 38.7 °C.

What is the coldest day in Kafue?

The coldest day measured in Kafue between 1940 and 2025 was 1 July 1994, at 4.8 °C.

Does it snow in Kafue?

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

Has the climate of Kafue warmed?

Yes: Kafue warmed by +1.1 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

What is the wettest day in Kafue?

The wettest day measured in Kafue between 1940 and 2025 was 17 December 2008, with 107 mm of rain in 24 hours.

What was the windiest day in Kafue?

The windiest day measured in Kafue between 1940 and 2025 was 15 October 1977, with winds reaching 33.9 km/h.

What is the warmest month in Kafue?

The warmest month in Kafue is October (25.6 °C on average); the coldest is July (16.6 °C).

How much does it rain in Kafue?

Kafue receives on average 963 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 115 rainy days.

Is it sunny in Kafue?

Kafue gets on average 10.6 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,869 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Are there tropical nights in Kafue?

Yes: Kafue has on average 47 tropical nights per year (temperature staying above 20 °C), over 1940-2025.

What was the most extreme apparent temperature in Kafue?

In Kafue, between 1940 and 2025, the highest apparent temperature reached 41.0 °C on 8 January 2016, and the lowest was 0.6 °C on 1 July 1994.

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