Bukavu weather in September

In September, Bukavu sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 85 mm of rain across 10 wet days and about 12 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in September, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 hours at the start of September to 12 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Bukavu's 5th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bukavu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
1st warmest
Overnight low
15°
12th coldest
Rainfall
85 mm
10 wet days
Daylight
12 hours
5:59 AM – 5:59 PM
Cloud cover
74%
5th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.66 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.5
out of 10

Temperature in September

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month.

A typical September day in Bukavu reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 22°C and 26°C. Set against its neighbours, September runs on par with August and about 1°C warmer than October.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202530
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12515
22515
32515
42515
52515
62515
72515
82515
92515
102515
112515
122515
132515
142515
152515
162515
172515
182515
192515
202515
212515
222515
232515
242515
252515
262515
272515
282415
292415
302415

Bukavu weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 1st-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan23° / 14°30224.912.14.3
Feb23° / 15°22721.112.14.5
Mar23° / 15°22523.1124.6
Apr23° / 15°20222.611.94.5
May23° / 15°9313.911.96.1
Jun23° / 14°244.311.97.6
Jul24° / 14°91.411.98.2
Aug24° / 15°26411.97.7
Sep25° / 15°8510126.5
Oct24° / 15°23920.912.14.9
Nov23° / 15°3102512.14.1
Dec23° / 15°31025.112.14.2

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in September.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 75%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13367
23268
33268
43169
53169
63169
73070
83070
92971
102971
112872
122872
132872
142773
152674
162575
172575
182476
192278
202278
212179
222179
231981
241981
251882
261882
271882
281684
291684
301684

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Bukavu gets around 85 mm of rain over 10 wet days in September. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 34% and peaks near 50% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
121
222
323
424
525
625
726
827
928
1029
1130
1230
1331
1432
1532
1633
1733
1834
1935
2036
2137
2239
2340
2441
2543
2644
2746
2847
2949
3050

Humidity in September

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of September feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, September lands in the dry band about 59% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
175250
273270
372280
471290
570300
669310
768320
867330
967330
1065341
1164351
1263361
1362371
1461381
1560391
1659401
1759401
1858411
1956422
2055432
2154442
2252462
2351472
2449492
2547503
2646513
2744533
2842553
2941563
3039583

Wind in September

Winds average 5 km/h in September.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202530
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 hours at the start of September to 12 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 0 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:06 AM to 5:53 AM, and sunset from 6:03 PM to 5:55 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.06:066:03
212.06:056:03
312.06:056:02
412.06:056:02
512.06:046:02
612.06:046:02
712.06:036:01
812.06:036:01
912.06:026:01
1012.06:026:00
1112.06:026:00
1212.06:016:00
1312.06:015:59
1412.06:005:59
1512.06:005:59
1612.05:595:59
1712.05:595:58
1812.05:585:58
1912.05:585:58
2012.05:585:57
2112.05:575:57
2212.05:575:57
2312.05:565:56
2412.05:565:56
2512.05:555:56
2612.05:555:56
2712.05:555:55
2812.05:545:55
2912.05:545:55
3012.05:535:55

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 5.66 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.03 kWh/m² to a high of 5.7 kWh/m² in March across the year — September's 5.66 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.7Bright
225.7Bright
235.7Bright
245.7Bright
255.7Bright
265.7Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
295.6Bright
305.6Bright
Planning a trip in September

Hazard calendar for Bukavu

In seasonPeak

None of Bukavu's seasonal hazards are active in September. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Bukavu's rainy season runs October–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is September a good time to visit Bukavu?

Our two travel scores rate September for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.5
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
5.8
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

September is a reasonable time to visit Bukavu for sightseeing.

What to pack for Bukavu in September

From September's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In September, Bukavu sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 15°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Bukavu in September

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Bukavu peaks around March 21 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 13 at about 10 (extreme).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 21UV 16Jul 13UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct14Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Bukavu in September

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where September falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Bukavu is worst in July — around 64 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 1.7× the cleanest month (April, 38 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorUnhealthyPoorJul 2364 µg/m³Apr 1539 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan48Poor
Feb51Poor
Mar43Poor
Apr38Poor
May44Poor
Jun56Unhealthy
Jul64Unhealthy
Aug64Unhealthy
Sep53Poor
Oct44Poor
Nov40Poor
Dec44Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Bukavu?

Bukavu sits at 2.5°S, 28.8°E, 1,631 m above sea level, in Democratic Republic of the Congo. The nearest listed city is Kabare, 6.0 km away.

Topography around Bukavu

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Bukavu.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Bukavu has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 477 m around an average of 1,585 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,177 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,650 m.

The land around Bukavu is covered by artificial surfaces (47%) and water (29%) within 3 km, cropland (30%), trees (24%) and grassland (24%) within 16 km, and trees (48%) and grassland (29%) within 80 km.

3 km
477 m
16 km
1,177 m
80 km
2,650 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
September weather nearby: Kabare 6.0 km · Rusizi 7.0 km · Bushenge 16 km · Shangi 21 km · Karengera 21 km · Nyabitekeli 26 km · Bushekeri 29 km · Bugarama 29 km

Democratic Republic of the Congo travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type C / E
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 42% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$807
2025
Happiness
3.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
12%
of population, 2024
Road deaths
34.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 400

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Bukavu (-2.4908°, 28.8428°, elevation 1,631 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).