Kipushi in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Kipushi sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 781 mm of rain over about 82 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 26°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 2% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels humid.
Summer is Kipushi's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Kipushi's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 26°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 17°C
- Rainfall
- 781 mm
- 82 wet days
- Avg wind
- 6 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.8
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Kipushi in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C.
A typical summer day in Kipushi reaches about 26°C and drops to 17°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest December.
Kipushi 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 | 25° / 17° | 290 | 28.8 | 12.6 | 3.7 |
| Feb | 26° / 17° | 236 | 24.9 | 12.4 | 3.9 |
| Mar | 26° / 17° | 202 | 24.4 | 12.1 | 4.5 |
| Apr | 26° / 16° | 45 | 8 | 11.7 | 6.9 |
| May | 26° / 15° | 3 | 0.8 | 11.5 | 8.4 |
| Jun | 25° / 12° | 0 | 0 | 11.3 | 9.2 |
| Jul | 25° / 12° | 0 | 0 | 11.4 | 9.3 |
| Aug | 28° / 14° | 0 | 0 | 11.6 | 8.3 |
| Sep | 30° / 17° | 3 | 0.8 | 11.9 | 6.2 |
| Oct | 31° / 19° | 31 | 5.6 | 12.3 | 5.1 |
| Nov | 28° / 18° | 152 | 20.5 | 12.5 | 4.3 |
| Dec | 26° / 17° | 255 | 28.5 | 12.7 | 3.7 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 2% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Kipushi gets around 781 mm of rain over 82 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 6 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 36 min in early December to 12 h 18 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 5.2 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Kipushi
In summer, Kipushi overlaps its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Kipushi's monsoon runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Kipushi?
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 weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Kipushi.
What to pack for Kipushi in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Kipushi sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 17°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 82 days see rain.
UV index in Kipushi in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kipushi peaks around January 21 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 9 (very high).
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) | 16 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 16 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 10 | Extreme |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 10 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Air quality in Kipushi 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 Kipushi is worst in August — around 83 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 7.3× the cleanest month (April, 11 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) | 13 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 34 | 68 | 83 | 57 | 37 | 16 | 12 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Moderate |
| Feb | 14 | Moderate |
| Mar | 12 | Moderate |
| Apr | 11 | Good |
| May | 13 | Moderate |
| Jun | 34 | Moderate |
| Jul | 68 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 83 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 57 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 37 | Poor |
| Nov | 16 | Moderate |
| Dec | 12 | Good |
Where is Kipushi?
Kipushi sits at 11.8°S, 27.3°E, 1,348 m above sea level, in Democratic Republic of the Congo. The nearest listed city is Lubumbashi, 27 km away.
Topography around Kipushi
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Kipushi.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Kipushi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 98 m around an average of 1,331 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 210 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 445 m.
The land around Kipushi is covered by cropland (36%) and artificial surfaces (31%) within 3 km, grassland (49%) within 16 km, and trees (56%) and grassland (30%) 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 Kipushi (-11.761°, 27.2513°, elevation 1,348 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.