Climate of Burundi

Climate of Burundi

Where is the country of Burundi located? Burundi is a relatively small country located in Central Africa. The Republic of Burundi is not bordered by the sea, in the southwest it is partly located on the large Lake Tanganyika. Burundi has a tropical savanna climate (type Aw according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification). Burundi has a very regular temperature trend, but clearly two seasons: a wet season from late September to mid-May and a dry season from late May to early September. The total amount of precipitation is not too bad for a tropical climate in this region. For example, Bujumbura (the former capital) averages about 800 to 900 millimeters of precipitation per calendar year.

Temperature

The daytime temperature is all year round or just below thirty degrees Celsius. At night the mercury drops quite gradually, eventually reaching twenty degrees. Extreme temperatures do not occur in Burundi. For example, in Bujumbura it never gets warmer than 33-34 degrees Celsius and the mercury will not drop below ten degrees. Due to the fluctuating relative humidity, there can be a difference in how people experience the temperature. For example, it is most pleasant at the end of the dry period because it is slightly less damp.

Sun and rain

Burundi has a rainy season that runs from the end of September to the end of April. In this period it rains more frequently, with the wettest months having to deal with rain showers almost daily. Often it is really limited to a daily shower, after which the air can clear up fairly quickly. During the rainy season, the sun is regularly disturbed by clouds. In the dry season the sun shines more exuberantly, with the daily average of sunshine increasing to 7 to 10 hours locally.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Maximum temperature Minimum temperature Hours of sunshine per day Days of rainfall per month
January 27℃ 16℃ 5 22
February 27℃ 16℃ 6 18
March 27℃ 16℃ 5 22
April 27℃ 16℃ 5 23
May 27℃ 15℃ 6 14
June 27℃ 14℃ 8 4
July 27℃ 13℃ 8 3
August 28℃ 14℃ 8 4
September 29℃ 15℃ 7 10
October 28℃ 16℃ 6 17
November 27℃ 16℃ 5 25
December 27℃ 16℃ 5 22

Best time to visit Burundi

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Burundi? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. The Republic of Burundi is centrally located on the African continent. It is therefore not located on a sea or ocean, but on the fairly large Lake Tangayika. The area on the lake is below a thousand meters above sea level, to the east of which is a mountainous swathe, beyond which is a large plateau covering most of the country. The weather depends on the location within the country. Within Burundi there are variations in temperature and precipitation. When you talk about the climate of Burundi, people often speak of a tropical highland climate.

Best months

Although there are differences in rainfall and temperature within the country, there are also certain similarities. For example, Burundi has a wetter season and a dry season. Those two seasons are the same throughout most of the country. Looking at temperature and rainfall, you can designate the period from mid-May to the end of September as the best time to travel to Burundi. Temperatures vary in summer from about twenty degrees Celsius in the higher areas to about thirty degrees Celsius in the warmest zone of Burundi. August and September are the hottest months of the year.

The wet season

From September you can see the amount of rain increasing. In the wettest areas of Burundi, the monthly precipitation sum can exceed two hundred millimeters. In the somewhat temperate areas, the wetter months fall between one hundred and two hundred millimeters and the driest regions often remain below one hundred millimeters per month. The wet period does not end until April or May.

Travel advice

Before you want to arrange a trip to Burundi, it is useful to be well informed in advance about the current travel advice. There may be health or safety risks. The official travel advice for Burundi issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may be regarded as the most reliable source.

Burundi