Climate of Uganda

Climate of Uganda

Where is the country of Uganda located? Uganda (English: Uganda) is centrally located in Africa and lies on the equator. Uganda borders Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Congo-Kinshasa and South Sudan. Part of the national borders runs through three large lakes: Lake Victoria, Lake Albert and Lake Edward. Uganda is located on the East African Highlands, with the average elevation being about 1,100 meters above sea level. Due to the higher location, the temperatures are slightly tempered. Uganda has a variety of tropical climates. Most of Uganda has a tropical savanna climate (type Aw according to the Köppen climate classification), in the southwest towards Lake Victoria changing into a tropical monsoon climate and on the lake itself a tropical rainforest climate.

Precipitation

Uganda has different precipitation patterns. The southern part of Uganda has rain all year round, with no clear wet or dry months. There are two wetter seasons along Lake Victoria: a small rainy season from mid-October to mid-December and a major rainy season from early March to early June. The summer months are relatively dry there, as are the months of January and February. In the north there is clearly a dry winter and a wet summer.

Temperatures

Because Uganda is on the equator, there is relatively little variation in temperature. On average, the daytime temperature is between 25 and 32 degrees on the high plateaus that are between 1000 and 1300 meters high. In the southwest (for example in Kabale, at an altitude of 1800 meters) the temperatures are a bit lower: an average of 21 to 23 degrees during the day. For most destinations in Uganda there is a relationship between temperature and precipitation. During the wettest months, the maximum temperature is on average 3 to 6 degrees lower than during the driest months. The minimum temperatures are much more gradual. Within a calendar year, for most of Uganda, the difference in the average minimum temperature is only 2 to 4 degrees.

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 29℃ 16℃ 7 12
February 29℃ 16℃ 7 13
March 28℃ 17℃ 6 19
April 28℃ 17℃ 6 23
May 27℃ 17℃ 7 21
June 27℃ 16℃ 7 12
July 27℃ 15℃ 7 11
August 27℃ 16℃ 7 13
September 27℃ 16℃ 7 16
October 28℃ 16℃ 7 19
November 28℃ 16℃ 7 20
December 28℃ 16℃ 7 16

Best time to visit Uganda

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Uganda? 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 Uganda is a country located in the central part of Africa. The equator runs right through Uganda. The country is rich in water in many ways. On the southeastern side Uganda lies on Lake Victoria, which is the largest lake in Africa. There are several large lakes and a large number of rivers scattered throughout the country. Water also shows itself in Uganda in the form of rainwater. On average, about 1000 to 1600 millimeters of rain falls per year, depending on where you are in Uganda. Temperatures are fairly consistent in this tropical destination, making rainfall the primary determinant for traveler. Because there can be quite a lot of precipitation during the two rainy seasons, landslides and mudslides can occur during those periods.

Best months

The best time to travel for a holiday in Uganda is from mid-December to February. It is then quite dry, often sunny and warm. The temperatures during the day are around the tropical value of thirty degrees and at night it is quite pleasant with minimums usually between 15 and 20 degrees. The month of January is the best month in terms of traveling, because you can still suffer from bad roads in December due to the past rainy season.

In the summer to the south

An alternative travel time is in the summer: June, July and August. In the whole country there is less rain than during the two rainy seasons, but in the north there is still quite a bit of rain. For the southern regions of Uganda, this travel period is just as good as winter. This is a great time to visit Lake Victoria and the capital Kampala, or to experience a safari in the parks that are located here. Those who like mountain climbing or hiking can enjoy themselves in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park during these months.

Uganda