Mbabane in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Mbabane sees average daytime highs around 25°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 601 mm of rain over about 56 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 25°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels humid.
Summer is Mbabane's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Mbabane's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 25°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 17°C
- Rainfall
- 601 mm
- 56 wet days
- Avg wind
- 8 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.3
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Mbabane in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 25°C.
A typical summer day in Mbabane reaches about 25°C and drops to 17°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is January, the coolest December.
Mbabane 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 | 26° / 17° | 217 | 19.7 | 13.5 | 5.3 |
| Feb | 25° / 17° | 176 | 16.6 | 12.9 | 5.5 |
| Mar | 25° / 16° | 159 | 16.8 | 12.2 | 6.0 |
| Apr | 23° / 14° | 78 | 11.3 | 11.4 | 6.9 |
| May | 22° / 11° | 32 | 5.5 | 10.7 | 8.0 |
| Jun | 20° / 8° | 18 | 3.5 | 10.4 | 8.1 |
| Jul | 20° / 8° | 18 | 3.9 | 10.5 | 7.9 |
| Aug | 22° / 10° | 32 | 5.5 | 11.1 | 7.9 |
| Sep | 23° / 12° | 57 | 9 | 11.8 | 7.4 |
| Oct | 24° / 13° | 112 | 15.7 | 12.6 | 6.1 |
| Nov | 24° / 15° | 171 | 18.6 | 13.3 | 5.4 |
| Dec | 25° / 16° | 208 | 19.9 | 13.6 | 5.2 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Mbabane gets around 601 mm of rain over 56 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 8 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 13 h 30 min in early December to 12 h 36 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 5.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Mbabane
In summer, Mbabane overlaps its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Mbabane's monsoon runs October–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Mbabane?
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 Mbabane for sightseeing.
What to pack for Mbabane in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Mbabane sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 17°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 56 days see rain.
UV index in Mbabane in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages 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 Mbabane peaks around December 18 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 10 at about 5 (moderate).
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) | 12 | 13 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 7 | Very high |
| May | 6 | High |
| Jun | 5 | Moderate |
| Jul | 5 | Moderate |
| Aug | 7 | High |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 9 | Very high |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Air quality in Mbabane 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 Mbabane is worst in July — around 43 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 3.9× the cleanest month (January, 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) | 11 | 13 | 18 | 26 | 34 | 36 | 43 | 40 | 32 | 21 | 18 | 13 |
| Level | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Good |
| Feb | 13 | Moderate |
| Mar | 18 | Moderate |
| Apr | 26 | Moderate |
| May | 34 | Moderate |
| Jun | 36 | Poor |
| Jul | 43 | Poor |
| Aug | 40 | Poor |
| Sep | 32 | Moderate |
| Oct | 21 | Moderate |
| Nov | 18 | Moderate |
| Dec | 13 | Moderate |
Where is Mbabane?
Mbabane sits at 26.3°S, 31.1°E, 1,209 m above sea level, in Eswatini. The nearest listed city is Lobamba, 18 km away.
Topography around Mbabane
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mbabane.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Mbabane has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 462 m around an average of 1,241 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 991 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,718 m.
The land around Mbabane is covered by trees (47%), grassland (29%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 3 km, grassland (57%) and trees (29%) within 16 km, and grassland (44%) and trees (39%) within 80 km.
Eswatini travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type M
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 33% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $4,108
- 2025
- Happiness
- 3.9 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 38%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 12.5
- per 100k, 2021
- Road deaths
- 33.5
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- Religion
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 Mbabane (-26.3167°, 31.1333°, elevation 1,209 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.