Lilongwe keeps UTC+2 (CAT) all year. There is no daylight saving time, so the clock never changes.
Lilongwe and your time
Lilongwe at a glance
| Country | Malawi |
|---|---|
| Region | Central Region |
| Capital of | Malawi |
| Time zone | Africa/Blantyre |
| Abbreviation now | CAT |
| UTC offset now | UTC+2 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed |
| Coordinates | 13.97° S, 33.79° E |
Time zone in Lilongwe
Local time in Lilongwe is UTC+2 year round, under the Africa/Blantyre rules. Clocks have not changed for the seasons here since at least 1970.
Lilongwe is the capital, and all of Malawi keeps this time.
Clock changes in Lilongwe, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in Lilongwe for 2026 or 2027.
Lilongwe time compared with major cities
A 9:00 AM start in Lilongwe is 2:00 AM in New York, 6:00 PM in Sydney and 11:00 PM (previous day) in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 7 h behind | 7 h behind | 6 h behind | 1 h |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 10 h behind | 10 h behind | 9 h behind | None |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 1 h behind | 6 h |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 1 h behind | 1 h behind | Same time | 7 h |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 2 h ahead | 2 h ahead | 2 h ahead | 6 h |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 3 h 30 min ahead | 3 h 30 min ahead | 3 h 30 min ahead | 4 h 30 min |
| Singapore | --:-- | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 2 h |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 1 h |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 9 h ahead | 9 h ahead | 8 h ahead | None |
| UTC | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 6 h |
Lilongwe never changes its clocks, but many of these cities do. Where the January and July columns disagree, the gap shifts when the other city moves to or from daylight saving time.
Shared office hours counts the time when the clock reads between 9 AM and 5 PM in both cities on the same day.
Daylight in Lilongwe
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Close to the equator, days in Lilongwe last between 11 hours 18 minutes and 12 hours 57 minutes, so evenings get dark at about the same time all year.
Daylight through the year in Lilongwe
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 5:49 AM | 5:56 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 6:08 AM | 5:26 PM | 11 h 18 min |
| September equinox | September 23 | 5:34 AM | 5:41 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| December solstice | December 21 | 5:14 AM | 6:12 PM | 12 h 57 min |
When the sun is highest in Lilongwe
Clock time and sun time line up fairly well in Lilongwe: solar noon falls at about 11:45 AM on standard time.
Places close to Lilongwe
Every city below shares Lilongwe’s clock.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chipata (Zambia) | 128 km (80 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Lichinga (Mozambique) | 173 km (108 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Mandimba (Mozambique) | 205 km (128 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Zomba | 228 km (142 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Blantyre | 241 km (150 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Tete (Mozambique) | 244 km (152 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Mzuzu | 279 km (174 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
Same time now, different rules
These places read the same time as Lilongwe today but follow different rules, so they can drift apart when clocks change.
More cities in Malawi
All time zones and cities in Malawi
Plan around the time in Lilongwe
- Convert a time to or from Lilongwe: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Lilongwe to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Lilongwe and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Lilongwe in?
Lilongwe uses the Africa/Blantyre time zone, which is UTC+2 (CAT) all year.
Does Lilongwe use daylight saving time?
No. Lilongwe stays on UTC+2 all year, so the time difference to places without daylight saving time never changes.
What is the time difference between Lilongwe and New York?
Lilongwe is 7 hours ahead of New York in January and 6 hours ahead of New York in July, because New York moves its clocks for daylight saving time and Lilongwe does not.
How long is the longest day in Lilongwe?
About 12 hours 57 minutes, around the December solstice. The shortest day, around the June solstice, has about 11 hours 18 minutes of daylight.
Time zone rules: IANA tz database, version 2026e. Place names and coordinates: GeoNames. Sunrise and sunset are calculated from the coordinates and can differ by a minute or two from local almanacs.