Massawa weather in September

In September, Massawa sees average daytime highs of 35°C and overnight lows near 29°C, with 2 mm of rain across 0.4 wet days and about 12.1 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 35°C in the first days to 34°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 82% of the time in September, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 18 min at the start of September to 11 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Massawa's 1st-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Massawa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
35°
4th warmest
Overnight low
29°
10th coldest
Rainfall
2 mm
0.4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 06 min
6:14 AM – 6:19 PM
Cloud cover
21%
1st clearest
Wind
8 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
6.33 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.5
out of 10

Massawa is city on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea.

Density
48/km²
people per km²

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

Temperature in September

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 35°C in the first days to 34°C by the end.

A typical September day in Massawa reaches about 35°C in the afternoon and slips back to 29°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 33°C and 36°C. Set against its neighbours, September runs about 1°C cooler than August and about 3°C warmer than October.

25°30°35°40°151015202530
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13630
23630
33530
43530
53530
63530
73530
83530
93529
103529
113529
123529
133529
143529
153529
163529
173529
183529
193529
203529
213529
223429
233429
243429
253429
263428
273428
283428
293428
303428

How September really feels in Massawa

Once humidity and wind are folded in, September averages 30 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
30
7 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

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

Massawa weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 22°10916.511.25.8
Feb25° / 22°6412.611.56.2
Mar27° / 23°337.811.97.0
Apr30° / 25°164.312.36.0
May33° / 27°51.312.74.7
Jun35° / 29°10.112.93.3
Jul36° / 30°5112.82.5
Aug36° / 30°50.912.52.5
Sep35° / 29°20.412.13.5
Oct32° / 27°184.511.65.0
Nov29° / 25°497.411.36.1
Dec27° / 23°851311.16.3

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 82% of the time in September, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 9%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18515
28614
38713
48713
58713
68911
78911
88911
99010
109010
11919
12919
13928
14928
15937
16937
17937
18946
19946
20946
21946
22946
23946
24946
25946
26946
27946
28946
29946
30928

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Massawa gets around 2 mm of rain over 0.4 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 2% and peaks near 5% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
12
22
32
42
52
62
72
82
92
102
111
121
131
141
151
161
171
181
191
201
211
221
232
242
252
263
274
284
295
305

Humidity in September

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, September lands in the oppressive band about 51% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 90% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
10228682
20229672
30230662
40331642
50332632
60433612
70534592
81635562
91736542
101737532
111838512
121939492
1321040472
1421140452
1521141442
1621242422
1721242422
1821242412
1921242413
2021241413
2121241413
2221240424
2321239434
2421138445
2521136455
2621135475
2721034496
282932516
292930527
302828557

Wind in September

Winds average 8 km/h in September.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202530
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min at the start of September to 11 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 24 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:13 AM to 6:15 AM, and sunset from 6:31 PM to 6:08 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.36:136:31
212.36:136:30
312.36:136:29
412.36:136:29
512.26:136:28
612.26:136:27
712.26:136:26
812.26:136:26
912.26:136:25
1012.26:136:24
1112.26:136:23
1212.16:146:22
1312.16:146:21
1412.16:146:21
1512.16:146:20
1612.16:146:19
1712.16:146:18
1812.16:146:17
1912.06:146:17
2012.06:146:16
2112.06:146:15
2212.06:146:14
2312.06:146:13
2412.06:146:12
2512.06:156:12
2611.96:156:11
2711.96:156:10
2811.96:156:09
2911.96:156:08
3011.96:156:08

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 6.33 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.05 kWh/m² to a high of 6.82 kWh/m² in May across the year — September's 6.33 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.3Intense
26.3Intense
36.3Intense
46.3Intense
56.3Intense
66.3Intense
76.3Intense
86.3Intense
96.3Intense
106.3Intense
116.3Intense
126.3Intense
136.3Intense
146.3Intense
156.3Intense
166.3Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.3Intense
236.3Intense
246.3Intense
256.3Intense
266.3Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
Planning a trip in September

Hazard calendar for Massawa

In seasonPeak

In September, Massawa sits inside its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Massawa sees seasonal dust haze (May–September), heaviest in July.

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

Is September a good time to visit Massawa?

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

3.5
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
7.3
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

September is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Massawa. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Massawa in September

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

In September, Massawa sees daytime highs around 35°C and nights near 29°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Massawa in September

The nearest coast averages about 32°C in September — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 16 km away) is warmest in September at about 32°C and coldest in February near 27°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

26°28°30°32°34°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr29Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun31Tropical
Jul32Tropical
Aug32Tropical
Sep32Tropical
Oct32Tropical
Nov30Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Massawa in September

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Massawa peaks around April 11 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highVery highHighApr 11UV 12Dec 13UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb10Very high
Mar12Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May9Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep10Extreme
Oct9Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec7High

Air quality in Massawa 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 Massawa is worst in May — around 94 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.2× the cleanest month (December, 23 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyUnhealthyModerateMay 1292 µg/m³Dec 2023 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan27Moderate
Feb31Moderate
Mar47Poor
Apr83Unhealthy
May94Unhealthy
Jun47Poor
Jul67Unhealthy
Aug94Unhealthy
Sep79Unhealthy
Oct64Unhealthy
Nov33Moderate
Dec23Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Massawa?

Massawa sits at 15.6°N, 39.5°E, 9 m above sea level, in Eritrea. The nearest listed city is Asmara, 65 km away.

AsmaraMendeferaKerenĀdīgratIntich’oIdaga HamusAdwaAksum

Topography around Massawa

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Massawa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 10 m around an average of 1 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 320 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,874 m.

The land around Massawa is covered by water (76%) within 3 km, water (48%) and bare terrain (45%) within 16 km, and water (39%) and bare terrain (30%) within 80 km.

3 km
10 m
16 km
320 m
80 km
2,874 m
shrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
September weather nearby: Asmara 65 km · Mendefera 107 km · Keren 111 km · Ādīgrat 148 km · Intich’o 152 km · Idaga Hamus 158 km · Adwa 172 km · Aksum 184 km

Eritrea travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / L
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 33% of US
price level, 2021
GDP per capita
$689
2011
Homicide rate
15.6
per 100k, 2012
Road deaths
37.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank

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 Massawa (15.6081°, 39.4746°, elevation 9 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).