Lilongwe, Malawi Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Lilongwe
Lilongwe's year is organised around rain rather than temperature. 71% of its 29.7 inches (754 mm) annual total arrives in the December to February window, while August averages 1 mm (0.0 in). Temperatures move far less: 88°F (31°C) at the year's warmest against 75°F (24°C) at its coolest.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: November - highs near 88°F (31°C)
- Coldest month: July - highs near 75°F (24°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 97°F (36°C) high · 42°F (6°C) low
- Wettest month: January (24 rainy days) · Sunniest: November (11.8 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 8°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 11°C
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 2
- Average humidity: 66%
Temperatures through the year
July bottoms out at 75°F (24°C) in daylight, 51°F (11°C) after dark. November is the warm end of the year, averaging 88°F (31°C) by day and 67°F (19°C) overnight. Rainfall is strongly seasonal: 71% of the annual total falls in the December to February window, leaving August at 1 mm (0.0 in).
Rain, sun and snow
Between the average November and the average July lie 8°C, a narrower spread than about 80% of the cities we track. Five of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is April through August. Relative humidity averages 66% across the year, drier than about 77% of the cities we track. Sunshine averages 10.6 hours a day over the year - sunnier than roughly 85% of the cities we track, peaking in November at 11.8 hours. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 97°F (36°C) and bottoms at 42°F (6°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
How Lilongwe compares
- 71% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more seasonal than 97% of the 3496 cities we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 79° | 65° | 24 | 8.6 in | 8.6 h/day | 12.9 h | 77% | 83% |
| February | 80° | 65° | 22 | 7.4 in | 9.5 h/day | 12.6 h | 76% | 84% |
| March | 79° | 63° | 19 | 5.1 in | 10.2 h/day | 12.2 h | 61% | 83% |
| April | 79° | 60° | 8 | 1.4 in | 10.6 h/day | 11.8 h | 26% | 77% |
| May | 78° | 56° | 2 | 0.2 in | 10.8 h/day | 11.5 h | 5% | 66% |
| June | 75° | 52° | 1 | 0.1 in | 10.4 h/day | 11.3 h | 3% | 63% |
| July | 75° | 51° | 0 | 0.0 in | 10.6 h/day | 11.4 h | 1% | 59% |
| August | 79° | 54° | 0 | 0.0 in | 11.2 h/day | 11.7 h | 1% | 53% |
| September | 83° | 59° | 0 | 0.0 in | 11.3 h/day | 12.0 h | 1% | 48% |
| October | 87° | 64° | 2 | 0.3 in | 11.7 h/day | 12.4 h | 5% | 49% |
| November | 88° | 67° | 7 | 1.3 in | 11.8 h/day | 12.8 h | 22% | 56% |
| December | 84° | 66° | 18 | 5.1 in | 10.5 h/day | 12.9 h | 60% | 73% |
Lilongwe month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Lilongwe's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 24 days
- Sunshine
- 8.6 h
- Daylight
- 12.9 h
February
- Rain
- 22 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 12.6 h
March
- Rain
- 19 days
- Sunshine
- 10.2 h
- Daylight
- 12.2 h
April
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 10.6 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
May
- Rain
- 2 days
- Sunshine
- 10.8 h
- Daylight
- 11.5 h
June
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 10.4 h
- Daylight
- 11.3 h
July
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 10.6 h
- Daylight
- 11.4 h
August
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 11.7 h
September
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 12.0 h
October
- Rain
- 2 days
- Sunshine
- 11.7 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
November
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 11.8 h
- Daylight
- 12.8 h
December
- Rain
- 18 days
- Sunshine
- 10.5 h
- Daylight
- 12.9 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Lilongwe
Spring (September through November)
Through spring, Lilongwe is hot: 86°F (30°C) by day, 63°F (17°C) after dark, and rain comes on about 9 days over the three months. Daylight is generous - around 11.6 hours of sun a day.
Summer (December through February)
Summer runs hot here - highs near 81°F (27°C), nights near 65°F (18°C), and rain falls on around 64 of the 90 days.
Fall (March through May)
Fall brings comfortable warmth here - highs near 78°F (26°C), nights near 60°F (15°C), and expect showers on roughly 28 days across the season. Daylight is generous - around 10.5 hours of sun a day.
Winter (June through August)
Winter brings comfortable warmth here - highs near 76°F (25°C), nights near 53°F (12°C), and precipitation is essentially absent. Daylight is generous - around 10.7 hours of sun a day.
Climate questions, answered
Are nights cold in Lilongwe?
What should I pack for Lilongwe?
How sunny is Lilongwe?
Is Lilongwe humid?
Best time to visit Lilongwe
The best time to visit Lilongwe is generally April to September, when the rains have stopped and the heat has not yet peaked. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 78°F (26°C), with rain on about 2 days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in April.
Pack for Lilongwe with light clothing for the warm months and a compact umbrella or rain shell. Note the gap between afternoon and night: November pairs 88°F (31°C) with 67°F (19°C).
Lilongwe temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.