The climate in Kenya

Climate zone: tropics

It is warm to hot all year round, inviting bathing at average water temperatures of 27 degrees. The warmest and also rainiest greaster region is North-Eastern. The coldest is Nyanza.

Temperature records of the last 74 years

The hottest temperature measured from 1949 to January 2023 was reported by the Mandera weather station. In April 2019, the record temperature of 41.6 °C was reported here. The hottest summer from July to September, based on all 17 weather stations in Kenya below 2,130 meters altitude, was recorded in 1972 with an average temperature of 25.9 °C. This average temperature will normally be measured every four to six hours, thus also including the nights. Normally, this value is 23.6 degrees Celsius.

The coldest day in these 74 years was reported by the Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Airport weather station. Here the temperature dropped to 2.8 °C in July 2002. Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Airport lies at an altitude of 1,624 meters above sea level. The coldest winter (January to March) was in 1957 with an average temperature of 17.8 °C. In Kenya, it is usual to have about 8.4 degrees more at 26.2 °C for this three-month period.

The most precipitation fell in November 1994. With 22.0 mm per day, the Meru weather station recorded the highest monthly average of the last 74 years. Incidentally, the region with the most rainfall for the whole year is around Kitale. The driest region is near Lodwar.

Data basis and methodology

The data from the individual measuring stations are based on the archives of the German Weather Service, individual values averaged and supplemented by own elements. In order to determine a representative national average, average values were first calculated for each part of the country, which were then summarized at the national level. Thus, if a disproportionate number of weather stations are located in a small area, their number does not affect the national average.