Kinshasa weather in October

In October, Kinshasa sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 112 mm of rain across 18.7 wet days and about 12.1 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 8% of the time in October, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 hours at the start of October to 12 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Kinshasa's 4th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kinshasa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
4th warmest
Overnight low
22°
7th coldest
Rainfall
112 mm
18.7 wet days
Daylight
12 h 06 min
5:41 AM – 5:47 PM
Cloud cover
71%
4th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
4.9 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.8
out of 10

Kinshasa is capital and the largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo having the status of a province.

Density
1,606/km²
people per km²
Founded
1881

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month.

A typical October day in Kinshasa reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs on par with September and about 1°C warmer than November.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13122
23122
33122
43122
53122
63122
73122
83122
93122
103122
113023
123023
133023
143023
153023
163023
173023
183023
193023
203023
213023
223023
233023
243023
253023
263023
273023
283023
293023
303023
313022

How October really feels in Kinshasa

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October averages 31 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in October is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Kinshasa weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 4th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 23°11620.912.23.7
Feb30° / 23°10215.712.13.8
Mar31° / 23°10917.9123.5
Apr31° / 23°14021.311.93.2
May30° / 23°7314.511.84.4
Jun29° / 21°41.211.86.6
Jul28° / 20°10.211.86.9
Aug29° / 20°5111.96.3
Sep30° / 22°165125.1
Oct30° / 22°11218.712.13.8
Nov29° / 22°1832512.23.3
Dec29° / 22°15624.912.23.5

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 8% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 23% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 69%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13466
23466
33466
43466
53565
63565
73565
83466
93466
103367
113367
123268
133268
143169
153070
163070
173070
182971
192971
202971
212971
222971
232971
242971
252971
263070
272971
282971
292971
302971
312872

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Kinshasa gets around 112 mm of rain over 18.7 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 60% and peaks near 81% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
130
231
333
435
538
640
742
845
947
1050
1152
1255
1357
1459
1561
1663
1765
1867
1969
2070
2172
2273
2374
2476
2577
2678
2779
2880
2980
3081
3181

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, October lands in the oppressive band about 54% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
138413
238215
328018
427820
527622
627325
717128
816831
916435
1016138
1115841
1215445
1315148
1414752
1514455
1614158
1713861
1813564
1913267
2013069
2112772
2212574
2312376
2412277
2512079
2601981
2701783
2801684
2901585
3001486
3101387

Wind in October

Winds average 6 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

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

Days grow by about 12 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 5:47 AM to 5:38 AM, and sunset from 5:49 PM to 5:47 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.05:475:49
212.05:465:49
312.05:465:48
412.05:455:48
512.15:455:48
612.15:445:48
712.15:445:48
812.15:445:48
912.15:435:47
1012.15:435:47
1112.15:435:47
1212.15:425:47
1312.15:425:47
1412.15:425:47
1512.15:415:47
1612.15:415:47
1712.15:415:47
1812.15:405:47
1912.15:405:47
2012.15:405:46
2112.15:405:46
2212.15:395:46
2312.15:395:46
2412.15:395:46
2512.15:395:46
2612.15:385:46
2712.15:385:47
2812.15:385:47
2912.15:385:47
3012.15:385:47
3112.25:385:47

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 4.9 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.38 kWh/m² to a high of 5.21 kWh/m² in March across the year — October's 4.9 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.9Bright
24.9Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.9Bright
64.9Bright
74.9Bright
84.9Bright
94.9Bright
104.9Bright
114.9Bright
124.9Bright
134.9Bright
144.9Bright
154.9Bright
164.9Bright
174.9Bright
184.9Bright
194.9Bright
204.9Bright
214.9Bright
224.9Bright
234.9Bright
244.9Bright
254.9Bright
264.9Bright
274.9Bright
284.9Bright
294.9Bright
304.9Bright
314.9Bright
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Kinshasa

In seasonPeak

In October, Kinshasa sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Kinshasa'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 October a good time to visit Kinshasa?

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

3.8
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
5.3
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

October is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Kinshasa.

What to pack for Kinshasa in October

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

In October, Kinshasa sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 19 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Kinshasa in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kinshasa peaks around March 17 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near August 11 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighExtremeMar 17UV 15Aug 11UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May9Very high
Jun7High
Jul7High
Aug6High
Sep10Very high
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec10Very high

Air quality in Kinshasa in October

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Kinshasa is worst in June — around 60 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 1.8× the cleanest month (January, 33 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJun 2259 µg/m³Jan 1433 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan33Moderate
Feb36Poor
Mar36Poor
Apr39Poor
May53Poor
Jun60Unhealthy
Jul59Unhealthy
Aug55Poor
Sep58Unhealthy
Oct45Poor
Nov33Moderate
Dec34Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Kinshasa?

Kinshasa sits at 4.3°S, 15.3°E, 281 m above sea level, in Democratic Republic of the Congo. The nearest listed city is Brazzaville, 8.0 km away.

MouyondziLoutétéKimpese

Topography around Kinshasa

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kinshasa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 30 m around an average of 284 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 346 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 578 m.

The land around Kinshasa is covered by artificial surfaces (86%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (39%) within 16 km, and grassland (55%) and trees (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
30 m
16 km
346 m
80 km
578 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
October weather nearby: Brazzaville 8.0 km · Masina 11 km · Kasangulu 33 km · Inkisi 94 km · Mbanza-Ngungu 115 km · Mouyondzi 158 km · Loutété 162 km · Kimpese 168 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 Kinshasa (-4.3276°, 15.3136°, elevation 281 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).