Countries in Eastern Africa

Eastern Africa Weather Overview

The region of East Africa covers those coastal countries from Eritrea in the north down to Tanzania in the south as well as the Seychelles islands off the coast.

From beaches to mountains to vast plains, the region covers a whole range of geography and climates, as well as some of the world’s best wildlife. The two tallest mountains in Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya lie in East Africa as well the second largest freshwater lake on the planet, Lake Victoria

The climate of East Africa is typically equatorial with high temperatures year round and little seasonal variation, especially the closer to the equator you get. There main variation in temperature is that caused by altitude; it is cooler the higher you get. The hottest temperatures are felt in the coastal regions and as you travel further south it gets a little hotter. In Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, daily highs average 25C annually and lows 13C. In Mombasa on the coast average annual temperatures are 30C maximum and 22C minimum. These temperatures are typical of the region.

Rainfall in the region varies a lot more. It is highest in the mountains and lowest in the north. Rainfall increases as you head south. Since much of the wet weather comes from the west, the mountain ranges in East Africa cause a rain shadow effect mean the land the east is dry and cool for its latitude. The effect is especially felt in Somalia and Kenya; in northern Somalia, close to the border with Ethiopia, is one of the driest places with annual rainfall of 130mm. On the coast and in the mountains in the south of the region you can see more than 1200mm a year.

There are two short rainy seasons in East Africa; one around April time, and the other in October and November. Rainfall is strongly influenced by the Intertropical Convergence Zone that streams low pressure around the equator.

Rainfall in the region is also affected by El Niño, and in years when this weather phenomenon prevails, East Africa receives more rainfall especially during the first rainy season of the year.

Eritrea and Djibouti

These two small countries are at the northern end of the East Africa region and are situated on the Red Sea across from Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

Eritrea has a hot and dry strip along the Red Sea coast. Here rainfall is very low and temperatures high. The central highlands are the wettest part of the country; though still see little more than 600mm annually. In the west it’s a semi arid climate. The second rainy season, between June and September is the wettest time. The capital Asmara sits at 3000m and sees maximum temperatures of 26C. It gets much hotter in the desert coastal area, sometimes up to 40C.

Djibouti sees a similar climate, though it doesn’t have any highlands as Eritrea does. The country is mainly dry stony desert. Rainfall is low, averaging less than 130mm and temperatures are high; daytime highs average over 35C during the hottest period between October and April.

Somalia

Somalia is located on the horn of Africa and has coasts on the Gulf of Aden as well as the Indian Ocean. Temperatures are hot year round across the country with the exception of the higher elevations located in the north. Rainfall is low; less than 500mm annually in most of the country, but it is variable at plays an important role in life in the country. The highlands receive a little more rain. There are two rainy seasons: April-June and October-November.

Temperatures typically range from 20C at their lowest to 40C on hot sunny days, of which there are plenty. The northern highlands can see greater temperature extremes however; it can be above 40C in July, and drop below freezing in December. July to September is the hottest time of year and December to February the coolest.

Weather in Somalia is predominantly hot and dry and drought is a common problem each year as the people struggle in the harsh and arid climate. Since there is a large nomadic population, weather (predominantly the rain) is central to much of Somalia life.

Kenya

Kenya’s climate is essentially tropical. This means it enjoys more plentiful rainfall and doesn’t suffer so much from the arid climates of the countries further north. The north and north east regions are an exception however and are mainly very dry and desert like. The coast is hot and humid and inland areas are temperate.

Temperatures vary with elevation; the highest mountains on the continent are in this area; Mt. Kenya stands at 5200m. Single figure temperatures are common in the higher areas, and it can drop below freezing in the highest areas. The dry north plains are the hottest with daily highs averaging almost 35C across the year. The coastal regions, such as Mombasa, are hot too with daily highs averaging 30C annually. The capital Nairobi has a more temperate climate with temperatures generally between the low teens and high 30s. Nights and mornings can be cool in this area, though daily highs are still very hot.

Rainfall varies a lot across the country, from around 500mm in the dry north to more than 1200mm in Mombasa and other coastal regions. Yearly rainfall is about 1000mm in Nairobi and the surrounds and climbs to more than 1100m in the southern highlands of the country near to Kilimanjaro.

There are two rainy seasons, one lasting from April to June and the other from October and December. Rainfall is very low at all other times of the year. The rains typically fall in short heavy bursts in the late afternoon and evening.

Tanzania

Like Kenya, this is another country famous for its stunning scenery and wildlife and one of the best safari destinations in Africa. The country boasts Africa’s tallest mountain (Kilimanjaro), its largest lake (Victoria) and its deepest lake (Tanganyika). 

Tanzania shares as many as 8 borders with neighbouring countries: Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Tanzania is a large country with a varied climate and geography, ranging from the (rapidly retreating) glaciers of Mt. Kilimanjaro in the northeast to vast lakes, to the hot and humid coastline.

You can find three main climates in Tanzania. There is a tropical climate on the coast, which features high humidity, hot temperatures averaging 27C, and moderate to high rainfall that ranges between 1000mm and 2000mm. Tanzania’s capital Dar es Salaam is located on the east coast and falls into this category. You can find weather averages for the city here. There is a hot, dry climate in the central plateau which can see as little as 500mm rain a year. The highlands receive a temperate climate with slightly lower temperatures and more rainfall. The regions around the great lakes can see as much as 2500mm of rain a year. Temperatures vary more in the highlands and they can have chilly nights and evenings.

Rain falls a little differently across the country. In the north there are two rainy seasons, like in Kenya: one between March and May and the other in November and December. The south, however, only has one rainy season; between November and March.

The islands off the coast, such as Zanzibar, receive a tropical climate. The hot temperatures are relieved by cooling seas breezes making for a comfortable climate. The rain falls in two seasons, though April and May sees the heaviest of the rainfall. You can find weather averages for Zanzibar here.

The Seychelles

The popular holiday islands of the Seychelles are located in the Indian Ocean off Africa’s east coast. This archipelago nation contains no less than 155 islands.

Since they are located close to the equator, the Seychelles enjoy a tropical climate with high temperatures year round: temperatures average between 25C and 30C across the year.

The seasons are dictated by the monsoons. The wet season is between November and April when the northwest monsoon winds bring heavy rain. The south east monsoon winds prevail between May and October and bring the driest weather of the year, though it can be very windy at this time. January is on average the wettest month with some islands seeing 400mm. Almost half of the annual rainfall (around 2200mm) falls between December and February.

For weather averages of La Reunion Island look here, and for the nation’s capital Victoria look here.

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