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Furthermore, we analyzed all climate data and provide a recommendation about which months are best to visit Malawi for your holiday.
Climate Overview
6 °C to 31 °C
0 – 8.27 in (0 – 15 Days of Rain)Average Annual Temperature is between 19.2 °C (Lilongwe) and 22.4 °C (Blantyre)
Show temperatures in degree
General and Geography
Table of Contents
The Republic of Malawi has only one third of the size of germany and is still an insider tip for tourists. The capital of the landlocked state, which was a British colony under the name Njassaland until 1964, is Lilongwe in southwestern Malawi.
According to current statistics, Malawi has about 17 million inhabitants, made up of 13 different cultural groups and ethnic groups. Even today, about half the population lives on less than one US dollar a day.
An extraordinarily high birth rate of more than 5 children per woman ensures further explosiveness through enormous population growth. Malawi is undoubtedly a developing country heavily dependent on international support.
Nevertheless, the expansion of sustainable tourism is a great opportunity for this varied and beautiful country, which, however, with Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique, has some tourist heavyweights in Africa right on its doorstep.
The most important destination in Malawi and the country’s lifeline is Lake Malawi, which accounts for more than a fifth of the country’s total area. It is the third largest lake in Africa after Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika. Travellers land in the capital Lilongwe, which can be easily reached by South African Airways via Johannesburg.
Climate in Malawi
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The climate in Malawi can be classified as subtropical to tropical and is essentially characterized by a large rainy season, which, however, is regionally differently pronounced due to the large north-south extent. In principle, the rainy season lasts longer in the north (usually October to May) than in the south (November to April).
The higher an area is, the more precipitation is to be registered as a rule also. Already from the end of August or the beginning of September the humidity in Malawi becomes increasingly high and slowly starts the rainy season. The rainy months are December, January and February.
Most rain falls in the afternoon and evening hours. The African winter is very dry in Malawi and remains pleasantly mild, especially during the day. The country is thus living up to its marketing slogan”The warm heart of Africa”, also with regard to the climate.
Best Time to Visit Malawi: Overview
JanuaryJan Up to 8.39 in of rainof rain | FebruaryFeb Up to 8.31 in of rainof rain | MarchMar TemperaturesTemp. up to 27 °C | AprilApr Best time to traveltime PerfectPerf. climate in Blantyre Lilongwe | MayMay Best time to traveltime PerfectPerf. climate in Blantyre Lilongwe | JuneJun Best time to traveltime PerfectPerf. climate in Blantyre Lilongwe |
JulyJul Best time to traveltime PerfectPerf. climate in Blantyre Lilongwe | AugustAug Best time to traveltime PerfectPerf. climate in Blantyre Lilongwe | SeptemberSep Best time to traveltime PerfectPerf. climate in Blantyre Lilongwe | OctoberOct Good time to traveltime PerfectPerf. climate in Lilongwe | NovemberNov TemperaturesTemp. up to 31 °C | DecemberDec TemperaturesTemp. up to 29 °C |
When is the best travel time for Malawi?
The best time to travel in Malawi depends, as always, on the desired activities and the preferred type of travel. While some’repeat offenders’ appreciate the special atmosphere and tranquility of the rainy season, the dry season is definitely to be preferred by most travellers.
We recommend the period April to October as the best travel season for Malawi, whereby the second half of the month is particularly recommended for April. Especially for Lake Malawi, our favorites are the months of May and September. In most years October still brings ideal conditions.
Especially pleasant is the water temperature of Lake Malawi, which is suitable for swimming all year round at 23 °C to 25 °C. For safaris in Malawi the end of the dry season (August, September, October) with ideal conditions for wildlife observation in the protected areas is recommended.
Best Time to Visit the Regions
Find the best time to visit the regions (Malawi) in the following overview.| Location | Best Time to Travel |
|---|---|
| Lilongwe | April, May, June, July, August, September, and October |
| Blantyre | April, May, June, July, August, and September |
Climate Charts Malawi
In the following, you will find climate charts for the regions.
Furthermore, there are some charts you can use for quick comparison of climate between the regions.
Show Climate Chart for
Lilongwe
Show temperatures in degree
Source of Data: German Weather Service (Offenbach) and Wikipedia
Climate Tables Malawi
In the following, you will find some climate tables for Malawi, containing information about Temperatures, Precipitation, and Hours of Sunshine.Show climate table for
Temperatures, Precipitation in Lilongwe (Malawi)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Temperature | 26° | 26° | 26° | 26° | 25° | 23° | 23° | 25° | 27° | 30° | 30° | 27° |
| Night Temperature | 17° | 17° | 16° | 13° | 10° | 7° | 6° | 7° | 11° | 14° | 16° | 17° |
| Precipitation (inch) | 7.87 | 8.27 | 5.12 | 1.18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.76 | 6.69 |
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Lilongwe is 19.2 °C.For comparison: London 11 °C, NYC 12 °C, LA 17.9 °C
Warmest month: November (23 °C)
Coldest month: July (14 °C)
Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 31.89 inchFor comparison: London 24.06 in, NYC 41.57 in, LA 12.01 in
Rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation): January, and February
Overall precipitation in the rainy season: 16.14 in
You cannot expect snow in any month in Lilongwe.
Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Blantyre (Malawi)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Temperature | 28° | 28° | 27° | 27° | 26° | 24° | 23° | 26° | 29° | 31° | 30° | 29° |
| Night Temperature | 20° | 20° | 19° | 18° | 16° | 14° | 13° | 15° | 17° | 19° | 20° | 20° |
| Precipitation (inch) | 7.99 | 6.97 | 4.69 | 1.54 | 0.39 | 0.16 | 0.12 | 0.04 | 0.2 | 0.79 | 3.19 | 6.46 |
| Rainy days | 15 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 15 |
| Hours of Sunshine | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 |
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Blantyre is 22.4 °C.Warmest month: October (25.4 °C)
Coldest month: July (18.3 °C)
Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 32.52 inch on 73 rainy daysRainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation): January, and February
Overall precipitation in the rainy season: 14.96 in
You cannot expect snow in any month in Blantyre.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, September is the sunniest month with an average of 9 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 7.7 hours of sunshine per day on average.Sights and Highlights
For a long time Malawi, whose warm inhabitants alone are worth a trip, was in conversation only because of the impressive Malawi Lake. While bathing is only recommended to a limited extent due to various factors, the lake remains a real paradise for animal lovers and divers.
For a long time, however, safari fans in Malawi did not get their money’s worth, as excessive poaching had largely destroyed the animal population. Only a large-scale resettlement between 2003 and 2013 allowed the fauna of the country to shine again and new extensive protection measures were taken.
Today Malawi has real safari experiences to offer besides its lake and the brilliant mountains. With the Majete Wildlife Reserve and Liwonde National Park, two reserves offer an amazing range of African wildlife (including the Big Five), off the beaten track.
Also the Kasungu National Park and the Kuti Wildlife Reserve in Salima have become very interesting for travellers. Other attractions in Malawi include Mount Mulanje, Lake Chilwa, the rock paintings of Chongoni and the fantastic Kapichira Falls. Cities worth seeing are Lilongwe and Blantyre.
Current Weather and Forecast
Current Weather in Blantyre
light rain, 20.1 °CClouds: 100 % Wind: 3 mph O
Air Pressure: 1009 hPa Humidity: 91 %
Air Pressure: 1009 hPa Humidity: 91 %
Last updated: 7th Feb 2023, 05:18 pm
The next days …
| 8th Feb 2023 | 9th Feb 2023 | 10th Feb 2023 | 11th Feb 2023 | 12th Feb 2023 | 13th Feb 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 17 °C to 24 °C | 19 °C to 26 °C | 19 °C to 26 °C | 19 °C to 24 °C | 18 °C to 20 °C | 18 °C to 24 °C |
| 17 °C to 24 °C | 19 °C to 26 °C | 19 °C to 26 °C | 19 °C to 24 °C | 18 °C to 20 °C | 18 °C to 24 °C |
| Clouds: 80 % | Clouds: 75 % | Clouds: 48 % | Clouds: 100 % | Clouds: 100 % | Clouds: 100 % |
| 0.29 in of rain | 0.25 in of rain | 0.25 in of rain | 0.21 in of rain | 0.16 in of rain | 0.28 in of rain |
Weather information provided by OpenWeatherMap. (CC BY-SA)
Show temperatures in degree
Hottest Month
October: 31 °C
Day Temperature in Blantyre
October: 31 °CDay Temperature in Blantyre
Coldest Month
July: 6 °C
Night Temperature in Lilongwe
July: 6 °CNight Temperature in Lilongwe
Rainiest Month
February: 8.27 in
Rain in Lilongwe
February: 8.27 inRain in Lilongwe
Driest Month
May: 0 in
Rain in Lilongwe
May: 0 inRain in Lilongwe
Sunniest Month
September: 9 hours/day
Sunshine in Blantyre
September: 9 hours/daySunshine in Blantyre
Distances to Malawi
| London | New York | Los Angeles | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lilongwe | 4970 mi | 7780 mi | 10220 mi |
| Blantyre | 5110 mi | 7920 mi | 10360 mi |
Where’s Malawi?
Show Lilongwe on MapShow Blantyre on Map
Continent: Africa
All Holiday Destinations in AfricaShare your Experience and Win
We want to know: how was the weather during your Malawi holiday? You can win a travel coupon of 1000 $. The price will be raffled among all submissions.
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Malawi: Experiences of our Visitors
In lilongwe and in the north (Mzuzu, Livingstonia,Nkoto Beach) very nice, Monkey Bay excellent, Liwonde partly heavy rain covered with thunderstorm, Mulantje and Chilwa Lake partly covered, Blantyre beautiful
Weather Rating: 4 stars – Good
In the north around Mzuzuzu it rains actually always. In the middle and the south, however, it was perfect. Temperatures throughout the country very pleasant, around 25°C during the day.
Weather Rating: 4 stars – Good