Exposure to extreme precipitation — Annual precipitation change in Malawi

Malawi: Exposure to extreme precipitation — Annual precipitation change was 245.06 Millimetres per year in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
245.06 Millimetres per year
Change on year
down 15.2%
World rank
24th
of 222 countries
All-time high
404.56 Millimetres per year
in 1989
All-time low
-356.77 Millimetres per year
in 2005
Years of data
45
1979–2023

Exposure to extreme precipitation — Annual precipitation change in Malawi, 1979–2023

-400-20002004001979200120231979: 106.3 Millimetres per year1980: 63.1 Millimetres per year1981: -88.1 Millimetres per year1982: 227.5 Millimetres per year1983: -68.5 Millimetres per year1984: 99 Millimetres per year1985: 160.4 Millimetres per year1986: 296 Millimetres per year1987: -215.4 Millimetres per year1988: -10.3 Millimetres per year1989: 404.6 Millimetres per year1990: -223.4 Millimetres per year1991: 41.2 Millimetres per year1992: -351.6 Millimetres per year1993: -103 Millimetres per year1994: -197.1 Millimetres per year1995: -185.1 Millimetres per year1996: -30.4 Millimetres per year1997: 280.5 Millimetres per year1998: -166.3 Millimetres per year1999: -12.6 Millimetres per year2000: 171.6 Millimetres per year2001: -16.7 Millimetres per year2002: 17.9 Millimetres per year2003: 6.4 Millimetres per year2004: 87.3 Millimetres per year2005: -356.8 Millimetres per year2006: 112.6 Millimetres per year2007: 117.2 Millimetres per year2008: -6.9 Millimetres per year2009: 27.1 Millimetres per year2010: -16.9 Millimetres per year2011: -52.7 Millimetres per year2012: 12.7 Millimetres per year2013: 7.8 Millimetres per year2014: 9.2 Millimetres per year2015: -88.9 Millimetres per year2016: -147.5 Millimetres per year2017: 156.2 Millimetres per year2018: 88.3 Millimetres per year2019: 245.4 Millimetres per year2020: -5.5 Millimetres per year2021: -90.2 Millimetres per year2022: 288.8 Millimetres per year2023: 245.1 Millimetres per year

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Millimetres per year.

Analysis

The most recent figure for exposure to extreme precipitation — annual precipitation change in Malawi is 245.06 Millimetres per year, measured in 2023.

The figure is down 15.2% on the previous year and up 3,051.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, exposure to extreme precipitation — annual precipitation change in Malawi peaked at 404.56 Millimetres per year in 1989 and was at its lowest, -356.77 Millimetres per year, in 2005.

That places Malawi 24th out of 222 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Exposure to extreme precipitation — Annual precipitation change in Malawi, year by year

Annual values for Exposure to extreme precipitation — Annual precipitation change in Malawi, 1979 to 2023.
Year Millimetres per year Change
1979 106.28 Millimetres per year —
1980 63.13 Millimetres per year -40.6%
1981 -88.13 Millimetres per year -239.6%
1982 227.52 Millimetres per year -358.2%
1983 -68.47 Millimetres per year -130.1%
1984 98.99 Millimetres per year -244.6%
1985 160.36 Millimetres per year +62.0%
1986 296.01 Millimetres per year +84.6%
1987 -215.37 Millimetres per year -172.8%
1988 -10.34 Millimetres per year -95.2%
1989 404.56 Millimetres per year -4012.1%
1990 -223.43 Millimetres per year -155.2%
1991 41.21 Millimetres per year -118.4%
1992 -351.59 Millimetres per year -953.1%
1993 -103.03 Millimetres per year -70.7%
1994 -197.12 Millimetres per year +91.3%
1995 -185.15 Millimetres per year -6.1%
1996 -30.4 Millimetres per year -83.6%
1997 280.48 Millimetres per year -1022.5%
1998 -166.35 Millimetres per year -159.3%
1999 -12.63 Millimetres per year -92.4%
2000 171.59 Millimetres per year -1458.1%
2001 -16.71 Millimetres per year -109.7%
2002 17.88 Millimetres per year -207.0%
2003 6.41 Millimetres per year -64.1%
2004 87.34 Millimetres per year +1262.3%
2005 -356.77 Millimetres per year -508.5%
2006 112.63 Millimetres per year -131.6%
2007 117.2 Millimetres per year +4.1%
2008 -6.9 Millimetres per year -105.9%
2009 27.06 Millimetres per year -492.2%
2010 -16.86 Millimetres per year -162.3%
2011 -52.73 Millimetres per year +212.7%
2012 12.67 Millimetres per year -124.0%
2013 7.78 Millimetres per year -38.6%
2014 9.16 Millimetres per year +17.8%
2015 -88.92 Millimetres per year -1070.6%
2016 -147.48 Millimetres per year +65.9%
2017 156.24 Millimetres per year -205.9%
2018 88.26 Millimetres per year -43.5%
2019 245.43 Millimetres per year +178.1%
2020 -5.46 Millimetres per year -102.2%
2021 -90.21 Millimetres per year +1552.4%
2022 288.84 Millimetres per year -420.2%
2023 245.06 Millimetres per year -15.2%

Malawi compared with similar countries

  • Malawi's 245.06 Millimetres per year is above the median for low income countries, which is -51.27 Millimetres per year. (21 countries reporting)
  • Malawi's 245.06 Millimetres per year is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -36.1 Millimetres per year. (39 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Exposure to extreme precipitation — Annual precipitation change in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1989 +4012.1% -10.34 Millimetres per year 404.56 Millimetres per year
2021 -1552.4% -5.46 Millimetres per year -90.21 Millimetres per year
2000 +1458.1% -12.63 Millimetres per year 171.59 Millimetres per year
2004 +1262.3% 6.41 Millimetres per year 87.34 Millimetres per year

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 106.28 Millimetres per year 106.28 Millimetres per year 106.28 Millimetres per year 1
1980s 86.83 Millimetres per year -215.37 Millimetres per year 404.56 Millimetres per year 10
1990s -94.8 Millimetres per year -351.59 Millimetres per year 280.48 Millimetres per year 10
2000s 15.97 Millimetres per year -356.77 Millimetres per year 171.59 Millimetres per year 10
2010s 21.36 Millimetres per year -147.48 Millimetres per year 245.43 Millimetres per year 10
2020s 109.56 Millimetres per year -90.21 Millimetres per year 288.84 Millimetres per year 4

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 21 Liechtenstein 294.36 Millimetres per year compare
  2. 22 Kiribati 266.13 Millimetres per year compare
  3. 23 Isle of Man 247.08 Millimetres per year compare
  4. 25 Montenegro 237.29 Millimetres per year compare
  5. 26 Jersey 218.57 Millimetres per year compare
  6. 27 Austria 209.4 Millimetres per year compare

See the full ranking of 979 places →

More reference data data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is exposure to extreme precipitation — annual precipitation change in Malawi?
Exposure to extreme precipitation — annual precipitation change in Malawi was 245.06 Millimetres per year in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest exposure to extreme precipitation — annual precipitation change recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 404.56 Millimetres per year in 1989.
What is the lowest exposure to extreme precipitation — annual precipitation change recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was -356.77 Millimetres per year in 2005.
How does Malawi rank for exposure to extreme precipitation — annual precipitation change?
Malawi ranks 24th out of 222 countries with data for 2023.
Is exposure to extreme precipitation — annual precipitation change rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is up 3,051.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Exposure to extreme precipitation — Annual precipitation change. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Exposure to extreme precipitation — Annual precipitation change in Malawi. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 06 October 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/exposure-to-extreme-precipitation-annual-precipitation-change/malawi/

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About this data

Indicator
Exposure to extreme precipitation — Annual precipitation change
Unit
Millimetres per year
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
979 places, 44,055 data points, 1979–2023
Last refreshed

The dataset provides a global assessment of changes in average precipitation by providing the precipitation anomaly and provides a global assessment of extreme precipitation through the use of two precipitation indices, i.e. very heavy precipitation days and frequency of extreme precipitation events. Exposure indicators to extreme precipitation have been prepared jointly by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Energy Agency (IEA). Please see the working paper for a more complete description of the methods. The datasets span the period 1979-2022, depending on data availability and are the result of the use of a variety of geospatial data sources as referenced in the Working Paper. The dataset has a global coverage on a national level; on the sub-national TL2 level (i.e. large subnational regions) results are reported for all OECD countries as well as for Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and South Africa. A number of aggregates are included: Euro area, European Union, Advanced economies, Emerging market economies, G7, G20, OECD, OECD Europe, OECD Asia Oceania, OECD Americas and the LAC region. Data source(s): Copernicus Climate Data Store precipitation data (ERA5) and Copernicus Climate Change Initiative land cover data. Contact: ENV.Stat@oecd.org Database documentation