Bukavu in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Bukavu sees average daytime highs around 23°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 838 mm of rain over about 71 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 23°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 2% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels comfortable.
Summer is Bukavu's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Bukavu's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 23°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 14°C
- Rainfall
- 838 mm
- 71 wet days
- Avg wind
- 4 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.3
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Bukavu in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 23°C.
A typical summer day in Bukavu reaches about 23°C and drops to 14°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
Bukavu weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23° / 14° | 302 | 24.9 | 12.1 | 4.3 |
| Feb | 23° / 15° | 227 | 21.1 | 12.1 | 4.5 |
| Mar | 23° / 15° | 225 | 23.1 | 12 | 4.6 |
| Apr | 23° / 15° | 202 | 22.6 | 11.9 | 4.5 |
| May | 23° / 15° | 93 | 13.9 | 11.9 | 6.1 |
| Jun | 23° / 14° | 24 | 4.3 | 11.9 | 7.6 |
| Jul | 24° / 14° | 9 | 1.4 | 11.9 | 8.2 |
| Aug | 24° / 15° | 26 | 4 | 11.9 | 7.7 |
| Sep | 25° / 15° | 85 | 10 | 12 | 6.5 |
| Oct | 24° / 15° | 239 | 20.9 | 12.1 | 4.9 |
| Nov | 23° / 15° | 310 | 25 | 12.1 | 4.1 |
| Dec | 23° / 15° | 310 | 25.1 | 12.1 | 4.2 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 2% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Bukavu gets around 838 mm of rain over 71 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 4 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 06 min in early December to 12 h 06 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 5.4 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Bukavu
In summer, Bukavu overlaps its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Bukavu's rainy season runs October–April, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Bukavu?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a reasonable time to visit Bukavu for sightseeing.
What to pack for Bukavu in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Bukavu sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 14°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 71 days see rain.
UV index in Bukavu in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 12 (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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 11 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 16 | Extreme |
| Apr | 15 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 10 | Extreme |
| Jul | 10 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Extreme |
| Sep | 14 | Extreme |
| Oct | 14 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Air quality in Bukavu in Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 48 | 51 | 43 | 38 | 44 | 56 | 64 | 64 | 53 | 44 | 40 | 44 |
| Level | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48 | Poor |
| Feb | 51 | Poor |
| Mar | 43 | Poor |
| Apr | 38 | Poor |
| May | 44 | Poor |
| Jun | 56 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 64 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 64 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 53 | Poor |
| Oct | 44 | Poor |
| Nov | 40 | Poor |
| Dec | 44 | Poor |
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.
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.