Chipata Weather Records (ZA000067581)

Record envelope, standing records and threshold days for Chipata (ZA000067581), Zambia, with 75 years of record.

Key Facts for Chipata

Chipata (ZA000067581) is a weather station in Zambia at -13.55 latitude and 32.58 longitude, 1,032 m (3,386 ft) above sea level.
The station reports from 1950 to 2024, 75 years of record.
1,350 records set at Chipata still stand.
Records are tracked for prcp: an element needs 30 years of data to be eligible.
Chipata set a daily record precipitation of 57.9 mm (2.3 in) on 14 March 2024.

About the Station

Location: Zambia, -13.55 latitude, 32.58 longitude.
Elevation: 1,032 m (3,386 ft).
Period of record: 1950 to 2024, 75 years.
Eligible elements: prcp.

Daily Record Envelope and 2026

0 days at or beyond a record

The band shows the record high and record low for each calendar day at Chipata. The lines show the 2026 daily maximum and minimum. 0 days in 2026 matched or passed a record. Temperatures are in degrees Celsius.

Daily record high and record low at Chipata, with 2026 drawn through them
Month	Highest record high	Lowest record low	2026 highest maximum	2026 lowest minimum
Jan	31.8 C (89.2 F)	15.0 C (59.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Feb	31.6 C (88.9 F)	14.5 C (58.1 F)	n/a	n/a
Mar	32.1 C (89.8 F)	14.3 C (57.7 F)	n/a	n/a
Apr	32.8 C (91.0 F)	10.2 C (50.4 F)	n/a	n/a
May	31.6 C (88.9 F)	9.0 C (48.2 F)	n/a	n/a
Jun	37.0 C (98.6 F)	4.8 C (40.6 F)	n/a	n/a
Jul	31.8 C (89.2 F)	3.4 C (38.1 F)	n/a	n/a
Aug	32.1 C (89.8 F)	5.6 C (42.1 F)	n/a	n/a
Sep	35.4 C (95.7 F)	9.2 C (48.6 F)	n/a	n/a
Oct	38.0 C (100.4 F)	6.6 C (43.9 F)	n/a	n/a
Nov	38.0 C (100.4 F)	11.0 C (51.8 F)	n/a	n/a
Dec	35.6 C (96.1 F)	16.8 C (62.2 F)	n/a	n/a

Which Years Hold Standing Records

1,350 standing records

1,350 records at Chipata still stand. 1983 holds the most, with 205.

Standing records at Chipata by the year they were set
Year set	Standing records
1973	2
1974	11
1975	7
1976	12
1977	23
1978	31
1979	17
1980	18
1981	100
1982	48
1983	205
1984	139
1985	32
1986	35
1987	27
1988	103
1989	76
1990	146
1991	25
1992	20
1993	22
1994	71
1995	98
1996	33
1997	26
2004	1
2005	4
2013	2
2014	1
2021	1
2022	1
2023	3
2024	10

Wettest Day of Each Month

Dec: 138.7 mm (5.5 in)

The wettest day on record for each calendar month at Chipata. The most was 138.7 mm (5.5 in) on 27 December 1954.

Record daily precipitation for each month at Chipata
Month	Record daily precipitation (mm)	Date
Jan	93.0 mm (3.7 in)	6 January 1978
Feb	96.8 mm (3.8 in)	6 February 1959
Mar	72.9 mm (2.9 in)	1 March 1978
Apr	44.2 mm (1.7 in)	7 April 1956
May	17.0 mm (0.7 in)	18 May 1968
Jun	5.8 mm (0.23 in)	5 June 1983
Jul	0.5 mm (0.02 in)	6 July 1961
Aug	4.6 mm (0.18 in)	12 August 1951
Sep	15.4 mm (0.6 in)	26 September 1986
Oct	52.6 mm (2.1 in)	27 October 1984
Nov	80.8 mm (3.2 in)	29 November 1959
Dec	138.7 mm (5.5 in)	27 December 1954

Period of Record Coverage

1973 to 2024

28 years of record at Chipata, 1973 to 2024. 28 years have data for under 90 percent of days and are left out of rankings: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980 and others.

Days with data per year at Chipata
Year	Days with data	Share of year	Complete
1973	2	1%	No
1974	7	2%	No
1975	4	1%	No
1976	11	3%	No
1977	17	5%	No
1978	24	7%	No
1979	15	4%	No
1980	13	4%	No
1981	66	18%	No
1982	35	10%	No
1983	111	30%	No
1984	76	21%	No
1985	8	2%	No
1986	8	2%	No
1987	1	0%	No
1988	36	10%	No
1989	41	11%	No
1990	88	24%	No
1992	1	0%	No
1993	2	1%	No
1994	50	14%	No
1995	68	19%	No
1996	28	8%	No
1997	17	5%	No
2004	1	0%	No
2005	1	0%	No
2013	3	1%	No
2024	6	2%	No

Latest Records

Latest records at Chipata
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
14 March 2024	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	57.9 mm (2.3 in)	7.1 mm (0.28 in)	57 years	30 of 100 (Routine)
13 January 2004	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	79.0 mm (3.1 in)	38.6 mm (1.5 in)	46 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
22 March 1995	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	41.9 mm (1.6 in)	24.5 mm (1.0 in)	10 years	29 of 100 (Routine)
3 October 1994	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	3.0 mm (0.12 in)	1.5 mm (0.06 in)	23 years	11 of 100 (Routine)
27 April 1992	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	18.0 mm (0.7 in)	18.0 mm (0.7 in)	42 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
31 October 1991	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	2.0 mm (0.08 in)	2.0 mm (0.08 in)	9 years	7 of 100 (Routine)
31 January 1991	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	21.1 mm (0.8 in)	7.1 mm (0.28 in)	4 years	9 of 100 (Routine)
22 December 1990	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	24.1 mm (0.9 in)	0.5 mm (0.02 in)	0 years	4 of 100 (Routine)
4 September 1990	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	0.5 mm (0.02 in)	0.5 mm (0.02 in)	40 years	16 of 100 (Routine)
19 April 1990	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	18.0 mm (0.7 in)	18.0 mm (0.7 in)	40 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
19 March 1990	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	9.7 mm (0.38 in)	33 years	22 of 100 (Routine)
31 December 1989	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	67.1 mm (2.6 in)	58.2 mm (2.3 in)	8 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
22 December 1989	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	23.6 mm (0.9 in)	3.5 mm (0.14 in)	36 years	16 of 100 (Routine)
16 December 1989	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	75.5 mm (3.0 in)	52.3 mm (2.1 in)	6 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1989	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	66.5 mm (2.6 in)	39.8 mm (1.6 in)	10 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
1 November 1989	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	66.7 mm (2.6 in)	29.1 mm (1.1 in)	28 years	34 of 100 (Routine)
28 October 1989	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	13.3 mm (0.5 in)	0.4 mm (0.02 in)	26 years	11 of 100 (Routine)
8 March 1989	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	51.6 mm (2.0 in)	45.8 mm (1.8 in)	36 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
4 March 1989	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	3.3 mm (0.13 in)	27 years	15 of 100 (Routine)
14 January 1989	Chipata, ZM	daily rain	51.6 mm (2.0 in)	11.0 mm (0.4 in)	29 years	19 of 100 (Routine)

Extremes by Year

1950 to 2024

Yearly extremes at Chipata: the record and the median year
Measure	Record	Year of the record	Median year	Years with a value
Hottest day (TXx)	38.0 C (100.4 F)	1984	34.0 C (93.2 F)	28
Coldest night (TNn)	3.4 C (38.1 F)	1991	9.4 C (48.9 F)	33
Wettest day (Rx1day)	138.7 mm (5.5 in)	1954	62.9 mm (2.5 in)	54
Wettest five days (Rx5day)	210.6 mm (8.3 in)	1986	122.2 mm (4.8 in)	41
Longest dry spell (CDD)	109 days	1981	60 days	51

Hottest day (TXx)

The hottest day of the year at Chipata, 1950 to 2024. The record is 38.0 C (100.4 F) in 1984, marked on the chart; the median year is 34.0 C (93.2 F).

Hottest day (TXx) at Chipata by year
Year	Hottest day (TXx)
1950	n/a
1951	n/a
1952	n/a
1953	n/a
1954	n/a
1955	n/a
1956	n/a
1957	n/a
1958	n/a
1959	n/a
1960	n/a
1961	n/a
1962	n/a
1963	n/a
1964	n/a
1965	n/a
1966	n/a
1967	n/a
1968	n/a
1969	n/a
1970	n/a
1971	n/a
1972	n/a
1973	29.0 C (84.2 F)
1974	29.0 C (84.2 F)
1975	34.0 C (93.2 F)
1976	34.0 C (93.2 F)
1977	36.0 C (96.8 F)
1978	35.0 C (95.0 F)
1979	33.0 C (91.4 F)
1980	30.0 C (86.0 F)
1981	37.0 C (98.6 F)
1982	35.7 C (96.3 F)
1983	36.7 C (98.1 F)
1984	38.0 C (100.4 F)
1985	31.6 C (88.9 F)
1986	30.2 C (86.4 F)
1987	33.2 C (91.8 F)
1988	35.3 C (95.5 F)
1989	34.0 C (93.2 F)
1990	38.0 C (100.4 F)
1991	n/a
1992	28.0 C (82.4 F)
1993	26.3 C (79.3 F)
1994	35.0 C (95.0 F)
1995	37.3 C (99.1 F)
1996	36.0 C (96.8 F)
1997	31.8 C (89.2 F)
2004	31.0 C (87.8 F)
2005	30.0 C (86.0 F)
2013	27.9 C (82.2 F)
2014	n/a
2021	n/a
2022	n/a
2023	n/a
2024	34.0 C (93.2 F)

Coldest night (TNn)

The coldest night of the year at Chipata, 1950 to 2024. The record is 3.4 C (38.1 F) in 1991, marked on the chart; the median year is 9.4 C (48.9 F).

Coldest night (TNn) at Chipata by year
Year	Coldest night (TNn)
1950	n/a
1951	n/a
1952	n/a
1953	n/a
1954	n/a
1955	n/a
1956	n/a
1957	n/a
1958	n/a
1959	n/a
1960	n/a
1961	n/a
1962	n/a
1963	n/a
1964	n/a
1965	n/a
1966	n/a
1967	n/a
1968	n/a
1969	n/a
1970	n/a
1971	n/a
1972	n/a
1973	19.0 C (66.2 F)
1974	11.0 C (51.8 F)
1975	11.0 C (51.8 F)
1976	11.0 C (51.8 F)
1977	11.0 C (51.8 F)
1978	10.0 C (50.0 F)
1979	9.0 C (48.2 F)
1980	8.0 C (46.4 F)
1981	6.0 C (42.8 F)
1982	7.6 C (45.7 F)
1983	7.5 C (45.5 F)
1984	9.4 C (48.9 F)
1985	9.5 C (49.1 F)
1986	6.6 C (43.9 F)
1987	8.8 C (47.8 F)
1988	8.5 C (47.3 F)
1989	8.8 C (47.8 F)
1990	5.6 C (42.1 F)
1991	3.4 C (38.1 F)
1992	13.0 C (55.4 F)
1993	8.5 C (47.3 F)
1994	6.9 C (44.4 F)
1995	4.8 C (40.6 F)
1996	9.2 C (48.6 F)
1997	9.2 C (48.6 F)
2004	18.5 C (65.3 F)
2005	17.2 C (63.0 F)
2013	11.0 C (51.8 F)
2014	15.5 C (59.9 F)
2021	19.2 C (66.6 F)
2022	10.1 C (50.2 F)
2023	17.8 C (64.0 F)
2024	11.2 C (52.2 F)

Wettest day (Rx1day)

The wettest day of the year at Chipata, 1950 to 2024. The record is 138.7 mm (5.5 in) in 1954, marked on the chart; the median year is 62.9 mm (2.5 in).

Wettest day (Rx1day) at Chipata by year
Year	Wettest day (Rx1day)
1950	91.4 mm (3.6 in)
1951	59.7 mm (2.4 in)
1952	68.6 mm (2.7 in)
1953	53.3 mm (2.1 in)
1954	138.7 mm (5.5 in)
1955	59.7 mm (2.4 in)
1956	78.5 mm (3.1 in)
1957	61.7 mm (2.4 in)
1958	68.6 mm (2.7 in)
1959	96.8 mm (3.8 in)
1960	67.3 mm (2.6 in)
1961	70.4 mm (2.8 in)
1962	71.1 mm (2.8 in)
1963	52.6 mm (2.1 in)
1964	83.1 mm (3.3 in)
1965	49.8 mm (2.0 in)
1966	41.9 mm (1.6 in)
1967	87.4 mm (3.4 in)
1968	64.0 mm (2.5 in)
1969	82.0 mm (3.2 in)
1970	81.8 mm (3.2 in)
1971	66.3 mm (2.6 in)
1972	43.9 mm (1.7 in)
1973	54.7 mm (2.2 in)
1974	81.6 mm (3.2 in)
1975	47.5 mm (1.9 in)
1976	44.5 mm (1.8 in)
1977	69.2 mm (2.7 in)
1978	93.0 mm (3.7 in)
1979	48.2 mm (1.9 in)
1980	47.4 mm (1.9 in)
1981	84.2 mm (3.3 in)
1982	71.8 mm (2.8 in)
1983	45.7 mm (1.8 in)
1984	84.6 mm (3.3 in)
1985	81.3 mm (3.2 in)
1986	66.7 mm (2.6 in)
1987	65.5 mm (2.6 in)
1988	77.7 mm (3.1 in)
1989	75.5 mm (3.0 in)
1990	44.0 mm (1.7 in)
1991	41.9 mm (1.6 in)
1992	31.0 mm (1.2 in)
1993	24.9 mm (1.0 in)
1994	54.1 mm (2.1 in)
1995	41.9 mm (1.6 in)
1996	29.0 mm (1.1 in)
1997	11.9 mm (0.5 in)
2004	79.0 mm (3.1 in)
2005	0.0 mm (0.00 in)
2013	n/a
2014	n/a
2021	4.1 mm (0.16 in)
2022	10.9 mm (0.4 in)
2023	4.1 mm (0.16 in)
2024	57.9 mm (2.3 in)

Wettest five days (Rx5day)

The wettest five days of the year at Chipata, 1950 to 2024. The record is 210.6 mm (8.3 in) in 1986, marked on the chart; the median year is 122.2 mm (4.8 in).

Wettest five days (Rx5day) at Chipata by year
Year	Wettest five days (Rx5day)
1950	141.0 mm (5.6 in)
1951	119.6 mm (4.7 in)
1952	146.3 mm (5.8 in)
1953	101.8 mm (4.0 in)
1954	198.7 mm (7.8 in)
1955	116.6 mm (4.6 in)
1956	122.2 mm (4.8 in)
1957	113.6 mm (4.5 in)
1958	167.4 mm (6.6 in)
1959	197.1 mm (7.8 in)
1960	159.5 mm (6.3 in)
1961	143.4 mm (5.6 in)
1962	141.5 mm (5.6 in)
1963	104.6 mm (4.1 in)
1964	109.5 mm (4.3 in)
1965	96.5 mm (3.8 in)
1966	75.9 mm (3.0 in)
1967	106.7 mm (4.2 in)
1968	99.9 mm (3.9 in)
1969	183.8 mm (7.2 in)
1970	114.5 mm (4.5 in)
1971	113.2 mm (4.5 in)
1972	161.8 mm (6.4 in)
1973	117.4 mm (4.6 in)
1974	137.0 mm (5.4 in)
1975	74.0 mm (2.9 in)
1976	117.8 mm (4.6 in)
1977	161.0 mm (6.3 in)
1978	189.8 mm (7.5 in)
1979	135.6 mm (5.3 in)
1980	99.3 mm (3.9 in)
1981	157.0 mm (6.2 in)
1982	137.8 mm (5.4 in)
1983	102.1 mm (4.0 in)
1984	151.2 mm (6.0 in)
1985	118.8 mm (4.7 in)
1986	210.6 mm (8.3 in)
1987	105.5 mm (4.2 in)
1988	152.1 mm (6.0 in)
1989	166.8 mm (6.6 in)
1990	94.9 mm (3.7 in)
1991	n/a
1992	n/a
1993	n/a
1994	n/a
1995	n/a
1996	n/a
1997	n/a
2004	n/a
2005	n/a
2013	n/a
2014	n/a
2021	n/a
2022	n/a
2023	n/a
2024	n/a

Longest dry spell (CDD)

The longest dry spell of the year at Chipata, 1950 to 2024. The record is 109 days in 1981, marked on the chart; the median year is 60 days.

Longest dry spell (CDD) at Chipata by year
Year	Longest dry spell (CDD)
1950	60 days
1951	60 days
1952	60 days
1953	60 days
1954	60 days
1955	60 days
1956	60 days
1957	60 days
1958	60 days
1959	60 days
1960	60 days
1961	60 days
1962	60 days
1963	60 days
1964	60 days
1965	60 days
1966	60 days
1967	60 days
1968	60 days
1969	60 days
1970	60 days
1971	59 days
1972	60 days
1973	60 days
1974	60 days
1975	60 days
1976	60 days
1977	60 days
1978	60 days
1979	60 days
1980	60 days
1981	109 days
1982	60 days
1983	60 days
1984	60 days
1985	60 days
1986	60 days
1987	60 days
1988	44 days
1989	61 days
1990	60 days
1991	1 day
1992	1 day
1993	1 day
1994	1 day
1995	1 day
1996	1 day
1997	1 day
2004	n/a
2005	1 day
2013	n/a
2014	n/a
2021	n/a
2022	1 day
2023	1 day
2024	n/a

Each chart shows one value per year; the dot marks the record year. TXx is the hottest daily maximum, TNn the coldest daily minimum, Rx1day and Rx5day the largest one-day and five-day rain totals, and CDD the longest run of days with less than 1 mm of rain. A year with missing days can understate an extreme.

Rainfall Return Levels

41 years, 1950 to 1990

A day with at least 66.9 mm (2.6 in) of rain is expected about once in 2 years. A day with at least 120.1 mm (4.7 in) of rain is expected about once in 100 years.

Rainfall return levels at Chipata: the daily rain expected about once in a given number of years
Expected about once in	A day with at least	Note
2 years	66.9 mm (2.6 in)
5 years	83.6 mm (3.3 in)
10 years	93.6 mm (3.7 in)
25 years	105.1 mm (4.1 in)
50 years	112.9 mm (4.4 in)	Longer than the 41 years of record
100 years	120.1 mm (4.7 in)	Longer than the 41 years of record

The levels come from a generalised extreme value (GEV) distribution fitted by L-moments to the wettest-day total of each year, 41 years of values from 1950 to 1990.

A return level is an estimate. It is least reliable for the long periods, 50 and 100 years, and for any period longer than the record behind the fit, where the fit has to reach past the largest day actually observed. It is not a forecast.

The largest wettest-day totals in the fit: 138.7 mm (5.5 in) in 1954; 96.8 mm (3.8 in) in 1959; 93.0 mm (3.7 in) in 1978.

Download the Data

Data for Chipata standing records by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.
Data for Chipata threshold days by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Data as of 2026-10-12 (12 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.

Data as of 2025-12-31. Last revised 31 December 2025 (2025-12-31).