Zambia

Zambia Weather in May

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Zambia in May.

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Livingstone Lusaka Chingola Siavonga

Are you planning a trip a to Zambia in May and wondering what kind of weather to expect? This page has all the details you need.

What to Expect in Zambia in May

May in Zambia generally has temperatures that range from warm to very warm, with precipitation levels ranging from almost none to low.

Temperatures

The average highest temperatures fluctuate between warm in Mpika at 25°C (77°F) to very warm in Mfuwe at 31°C (88°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 14°C (57°F) in Mfuwe and 14°C (57°F) in Mpika.

For a closer look at conditions across Zambia, refer to the map below.

Precipitation

In May, precipitation varies across different areas. From almost no rainfall in Mongu with an average of 1 mm (0.04 in) to low rainfall in Kasama with 8.9 mm (0.4 in).

Average sunshine

Several destinations enjoy plenty of sunshine this month. Livingstone sees close to 305 hours of sunlight, making it great for sun lovers.

Explore Zambia by month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Best Places to Visit in Zambia in May

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across Zambia.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in Zambia

What is the weather like in May for some of the most popular destinations in Zambia?

Temperature range in Zambia (May)

Precipitation variation in Zambia (May)

Livingstone

In May Livingstone generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 29°C (84°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 14°C (57°F) and almost no monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
30°C (86°F)
29°C (84°F)
26°C (79°F)
Min temperature
17°C (63°F)
14°C (57°F)
11°C (52°F)
Monthly sun hours
270 hours
305 hours
290 hours
Monthly rainfall
22 mm (0.9 in)
2.7 mm (0.1 in)
1.5 mm (0.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
3 days
0 days
0 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
perfect
Climate in Livingstone →

Lusaka

In May Lusaka generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 27°C (81°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 14°C (57°F) and almost no monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
28°C (82°F)
27°C (81°F)
25°C (77°F)
Min temperature
16°C (61°F)
14°C (57°F)
12°C (54°F)
Monthly sun hours
249 hours
277 hours
272 hours
Monthly rainfall
31 mm (1.2 in)
4.5 mm (0.2 in)
2.1 mm (0.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
3 days
0 days
0 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
perfect
Climate in Lusaka →

Chingola

In May Chingola generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 28°C (82°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 15°C (59°F) and almost no monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
28°C (82°F)
28°C (82°F)
26°C (79°F)
Min temperature
17°C (63°F)
15°C (59°F)
13°C (55°F)
Monthly rainfall
41 mm (1.6 in)
3.4 mm (0.1 in)
0.4 mm (0.02 in)
Monthly rainy days
7 days
a single day
0 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
perfect
Climate in Chingola →

Kitwe

In May Kitwe generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 28°C (82°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 15°C (59°F) and almost no monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
28°C (82°F)
28°C (82°F)
26°C (79°F)
Min temperature
17°C (63°F)
15°C (59°F)
12°C (54°F)
Monthly rainfall
39 mm (1.5 in)
3.7 mm (0.1 in)
0.4 mm (0.02 in)
Monthly rainy days
7 days
a single day
0 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
perfect
Climate in Kitwe →

Woodlands

In May Woodlands generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 27°C (81°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 14°C (57°F) and almost no monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
28°C (82°F)
27°C (81°F)
25°C (77°F)
Min temperature
16°C (61°F)
14°C (57°F)
12°C (54°F)
Monthly sun hours
249 hours
277 hours
272 hours
Monthly rainfall
32 mm (1.3 in)
4.7 mm (0.2 in)
2.3 mm (0.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
3 days
0 days
0 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
perfect
Climate in Woodlands →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Zambia.

Popular cities in May

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Zambia in May.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Livingstone 29°C (84°F) 14°C (57°F) 2.7 mm (0.1 in)
Lusaka 27°C (81°F) 14°C (57°F) 4.5 mm (0.2 in)
Chingola 28°C (82°F) 15°C (59°F) 3.4 mm (0.1 in)
Siavonga 29°C (84°F) 19°C (66°F) 4.4 mm (0.2 in)
Chirundu 31°C (88°F) 17°C (63°F) 1.8 mm (0.1 in)
Mongu 30°C (86°F) 16°C (61°F) 1 mm (0.04 in)

Zambia weather in May: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Zambia in May?

Zambia typically experiences perfect weather in May, part of the season. Daytime highs in Livingstone average around 29°C (84°F), and temperatures drop to about 14°C (57°F) at night.

What is the average temperature in Zambia in May?

In Livingstone, the average daytime high in May is 29°C (84°F), while nighttime temperatures drop to around 14°C (57°F).

Does Zambia get a lot of rain in May?

Not particularly. Livingstone averages just 2.7 mm (0.1 in) of rain in May, making it a mostly dry month for Zambia.

Is May a Good Time to Visit Zambia?

We believe that May is one of the best times to visit Zambia with overall perfect weather in Livingstone.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in May, June and July offering mostly perfect weather in Livingstone. The weather in January, September, October and December, on the other hand, tends to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Zambia.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to Zambia? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in Zambia.

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

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