Climate and average weather in Addis Ababa
In Addis Ababa, the weather is warm, wet, and partly cloudy and remarkably steady, with daytime highs holding near warm levels all year. The wettest stretch peaks around August.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in Addis Ababa typically varies from 7°C to 24°C, and is rarely below 4°C or above 27°C. March is the hottest month of the year, while August is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best time of year to visit Addis Ababa for warm-weather activities is from mid October to late March.
- Hottest
- Mar
- 24°
- Coldest
- Aug
- 11°
- Wettest
- Aug
- 407 mm
- Driest
- Dec
- 6 mm
- Rain / yr
- 1807 mm
- 165 wet days
- Daylight
- 11.5–12.5 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- 2,405 m
- 9.0°N
- Clearest
- Dec
- 36% cloud
Addis Ababa is capital city of Ethiopia.
- Air quality
- Elevated
- PM2.5 20.5 µg/m³ · 2019
- Density
- 7,325/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1886
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Addis Ababa weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around mid October to late March.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in Addis Ababa, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
Temperatures in Addis Ababa stay fairly even through the year, without a distinct hot or cool season. The warmest month is March, with an average high of 24°C and low of 11°C; the coolest is August, with an average low of 11°C and high of 20°C.
Days typically run about 12°C warmer than nights, with the widest day–night swing (around 15°C) in December.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 22 |
| Avg low (°C) | 8 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23 | 8 |
| Feb | 24 | 10 |
| Mar | 24 | 11 |
| Apr | 24 | 12 |
| May | 23 | 12 |
| Jun | 22 | 11 |
| Jul | 20 | 11 |
| Aug | 20 | 11 |
| Sep | 20 | 11 |
| Oct | 21 | 9 |
| Nov | 22 | 8 |
| Dec | 22 | 7 |
Average hourly temperature in Addis Ababa
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on March afternoons, near 24°C, and coldest before dawn in August, near 11°C.
Addis Ababa weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23° / 8° | 15 | 3.3 | 11.5 | 8.1 |
| Feb | 24° / 10° | 19 | 4.2 | 11.7 | 8.1 |
| Mar | 24° / 11° | 65 | 10 | 11.9 | 7.2 |
| Apr | 24° / 12° | 142 | 13.6 | 12.2 | 6.4 |
| May | 23° / 12° | 177 | 13.6 | 12.4 | 6.3 |
| Jun | 22° / 11° | 267 | 23.5 | 12.5 | 4.6 |
| Jul | 20° / 11° | 377 | 30.9 | 12.5 | 3.3 |
| Aug | 20° / 11° | 407 | 31 | 12.3 | 3.3 |
| Sep | 20° / 11° | 275 | 24.9 | 12.1 | 4.2 |
| Oct | 21° / 9° | 48 | 6.9 | 11.8 | 7.2 |
| Nov | 22° / 8° | 10 | 1.8 | 11.6 | 8.3 |
| Dec | 22° / 7° | 6 | 1.2 | 11.5 | 8.5 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
Addis Ababa gets about 1807 mm of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is very wet, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 4.3 months, from around May 26 to Oct 3, peaking in July at about 100% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around Dec 7.
August is the wettest month by volume, with 407 mm over about 31 wet days; December is the driest, with 6 mm.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 11 | 16 | 31 | 45 | 46 | 77 | 100 | 100 | 81 | 24 | 7 | 4 |
| Rain days | 3 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 24 | 31 | 31 | 25 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | 3 |
| Feb | 16 | 4 |
| Mar | 31 | 10 |
| Apr | 45 | 14 |
| May | 46 | 14 |
| Jun | 77 | 24 |
| Jul | 100 | 31 |
| Aug | 100 | 31 |
| Sep | 81 | 25 |
| Oct | 24 | 7 |
| Nov | 7 | 2 |
| Dec | 4 | 1 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, Addis Ababa collects about 1807 mm of rain across 165 wet days — roughly 151 mm in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. August is the wettest month with 407 mm, while December is the driest at just 6 mm. The three wettest months alone bring about 59% of the year’s total.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (mm) | 15 | 19 | 65 | 142 | 177 | 267 | 377 | 407 | 275 | 48 | 10 | 6 |
| Rain days | 3 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 24 | 31 | 31 | 25 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
| Rainfall (mm) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | 3 |
| Feb | 19 | 4 |
| Mar | 65 | 10 |
| Apr | 142 | 14 |
| May | 177 | 14 |
| Jun | 267 | 24 |
| Jul | 377 | 31 |
| Aug | 407 | 31 |
| Sep | 275 | 25 |
| Oct | 48 | 7 |
| Nov | 10 | 2 |
| Dec | 6 | 1 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In Addis Ababa, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year begins around September 23 and lasts for 6.0 months, ending around March 23. The clearest month is December, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 78% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around June 4 and lasts for 3.6 months, ending around September 22. The cloudiest month is July, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 82% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 70 | 69 | 58 | 47 | 49 | 40 | 18 | 18 | 45 | 69 | 76 | 78 |
| Cloudier (%) | 30 | 31 | 42 | 53 | 51 | 60 | 82 | 82 | 55 | 31 | 24 | 22 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70 | 30 |
| Feb | 69 | 31 |
| Mar | 58 | 42 |
| Apr | 47 | 53 |
| May | 49 | 51 |
| Jun | 40 | 60 |
| Jul | 18 | 82 |
| Aug | 18 | 82 |
| Sep | 45 | 55 |
| Oct | 69 | 31 |
| Nov | 76 | 24 |
| Dec | 78 | 22 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. The longest day, around May 24, brings about 12 h 30 min of light; the shortest, around January 1, only 11 h 30 min — a swing of roughly 1 hour.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 11.5 | 11.7 | 11.9 | 12.2 | 12.4 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.3 | 12.1 | 11.8 | 11.6 | 11.5 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:49 | 6:48 | 6:37 | 6:19 | 6:09 | 6:10 | 6:16 | 6:20 | 6:18 | 6:16 | 6:23 | 6:37 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:20 | 6:31 | 6:33 | 6:31 | 6:34 | 6:41 | 6:45 | 6:38 | 6:21 | 6:04 | 5:58 | 6:05 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11.5 | 6:49 | 6:20 |
| Feb | 11.7 | 6:48 | 6:31 |
| Mar | 11.9 | 6:37 | 6:33 |
| Apr | 12.2 | 6:19 | 6:31 |
| May | 12.4 | 6:09 | 6:34 |
| Jun | 12.5 | 6:10 | 6:41 |
| Jul | 12.5 | 6:16 | 6:45 |
| Aug | 12.3 | 6:20 | 6:38 |
| Sep | 12.1 | 6:18 | 6:21 |
| Oct | 11.8 | 6:16 | 6:04 |
| Nov | 11.6 | 6:23 | 5:58 |
| Dec | 11.5 | 6:37 | 6:05 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
Addis Ababa averages about 8 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 0 and 17 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 5.7 months, from around Oct 3 to Mar 25. The sunniest month is December, with roughly 17 sunny days (bright).
The greyest month is July, down near 0 sunny days — about 98% fewer than the December peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 13 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 15 | 17 |
| Sky | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Mixed | Bright | Bright |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Mixed |
| Feb | 12 | Mixed |
| Mar | 10 | Mixed |
| Apr | 6 | Gloomy |
| May | 7 | Gloomy |
| Jun | 4 | Gloomy |
| Jul | 0 | Gloomy |
| Aug | 0 | Gloomy |
| Sep | 4 | Gloomy |
| Oct | 12 | Mixed |
| Nov | 15 | Bright |
| Dec | 17 | Bright |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
In Addis Ababa, the air stays dry or comfortable essentially all year. Even in April, the muggiest month, it feels humid or worse only about 0% of the time — humidity is not something you need to plan around here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 100 | 100 | 98 | 90 | 85 | 74 | 65 | 61 | 77 | 97 | 100 | 100 |
| Comfortable (%) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 15 | 26 | 35 | 39 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 |
| Mar | 98 | 2 |
| Apr | 90 | 10 |
| May | 85 | 15 |
| Jun | 74 | 26 |
| Jul | 65 | 35 |
| Aug | 61 | 39 |
| Sep | 77 | 23 |
| Oct | 97 | 3 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.
Across the year, average wind speed in Addis Ababa is typically calm, near 7 km/h, and varies little with the seasons.
The windier part of the year lasts 6.9 months, from around Oct 3 to Apr 30. The windiest month is February, averaging about 8 km/h (calm).
The calmer part of the year runs from around May 1 to Oct 2, with August the calmest month at about 5 km/h.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | calm |
| Feb | 8 | calm |
| Mar | 8 | calm |
| Apr | 7 | calm |
| May | 7 | calm |
| Jun | 5 | calm |
| Jul | 5 | calm |
| Aug | 5 | calm |
| Sep | 5 | calm |
| Oct | 8 | calm |
| Nov | 8 | calm |
| Dec | 8 | calm |
Hazard calendar for Addis Ababa
When the seasonal hazards worth planning around — the rainy season, tropical-cyclone risk and dust haze — are active through the year.
Addis Ababa's monsoon runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Best time to visit Addis Ababa
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Addis Ababa throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around mid March, Addis Ababa is still near the tail of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds already thinning.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 18°C and 28°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Addis Ababa for general outdoor tourist activities is from mid October to late March, with a peak score in the second week of December.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 8.1 | 8.0 | 7.2 | 6.4 | 6.3 | 4.6 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 7.2 | 8.3 | 8.5 |
| Rating | ideal | ideal | good | good | good | fair | poor | poor | fair | good | ideal | ideal |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8.1 | ideal |
| Feb | 8.0 | ideal |
| Mar | 7.2 | good |
| Apr | 6.4 | good |
| May | 6.3 | good |
| Jun | 4.6 | fair |
| Jul | 3.3 | poor |
| Aug | 3.3 | poor |
| Sep | 4.3 | fair |
| Oct | 7.2 | good |
| Nov | 8.3 | ideal |
| Dec | 8.5 | ideal |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 24°C and 34°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Addis Ababa for hot-weather activities is from late October to mid April, with a peak score in the third week of February.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for Addis Ababa, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
Addis Ababa packs about the same all year — highs hold near 24°C. Across the year the things worth having are light clothes, rain gear and sun protection.
In March, Addis Ababa sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 11°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.
UV index (midday) in Addis Ababa by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Addis Ababa peaks around March 18 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 10 at about 11 (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) | 13 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 16 | Extreme |
| Apr | 15 | Extreme |
| May | 14 | Extreme |
| Jun | 13 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 15 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 11 | Extreme |
Average hourly UV index in Addis Ababa
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in March the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 8.5 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 7 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8 | 8 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7.5 | 6 |
| Feb | 8 | 6.5 |
| Mar | 8.5 | 7 |
| Apr | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| May | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Jun | 8 | 6.5 |
| Jul | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Aug | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Sep | 8 | 6.5 |
| Oct | 8 | 6 |
| Nov | 7.5 | 5.5 |
| Dec | 7.5 | 5.5 |
Air quality in Addis Ababa by month
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see which months the air is worst, not just the yearly average.
Air quality in Addis Ababa is worst in September — around 25 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.
Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Addis Ababa's WHO annual average of 20.5 µg/m³.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 24 | 19 | 19 | 25 | 22 | 19 | 20 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19 | Moderate |
| Feb | 19 | Moderate |
| Mar | 19 | Moderate |
| Apr | 19 | Moderate |
| May | 21 | Moderate |
| Jun | 24 | Moderate |
| Jul | 19 | Moderate |
| Aug | 19 | Moderate |
| Sep | 25 | Moderate |
| Oct | 22 | Moderate |
| Nov | 19 | Moderate |
| Dec | 20 | Moderate |
Growing season
Addis Ababa is frost-free year round — even the coldest nights rarely reach freezing, so there is no start or end to the growing season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Frost nights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 |
| May | 100 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 100 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 10°C: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. Addis Ababa banks about 2,199 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around April.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | 171 | 188 | 233 | 230 | 231 | 192 | 168 | 167 | 159 | 159 | 151 | 150 |
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 171 |
| Feb | 188 |
| Mar | 233 |
| Apr | 230 |
| May | 231 |
| Jun | 192 |
| Jul | 168 |
| Aug | 167 |
| Sep | 159 |
| Oct | 159 |
| Nov | 151 |
| Dec | 150 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.
Addis Ababa receives about 5.9 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — bright — with a clear seasonal swing between 4.7 and 6.5 kWh/m².
The brighter stretch of the year lasts 4.3 months, from around Jan 17 to May 26. The brightest month is March, averaging about 6.5 kWh/m² (intense).
The dimmest month is July, down near 4.8 kWh/m² — roughly 26% less than the March peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 5.9 | 6.4 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 6.1 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 5.7 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 5.9 |
| Level | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Bright |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.9 | Bright |
| Feb | 6.4 | Intense |
| Mar | 6.5 | Intense |
| Apr | 6.4 | Intense |
| May | 6.1 | Intense |
| Jun | 5.3 | Bright |
| Jul | 4.8 | Bright |
| Aug | 5.1 | Bright |
| Sep | 5.7 | Bright |
| Oct | 6.3 | Intense |
| Nov | 6.2 | Intense |
| Dec | 5.9 | Bright |
Where is Addis Ababa?
Addis Ababa sits at 9.0°N, 38.7°E, 2,405 m above sea level, in Ethiopia. The nearest listed city is Burayu, 10 km away.
What Addis Ababa looks like
Topography around Addis Ababa
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Addis Ababa.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Addis Ababa has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 259 m around an average of 2,409 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,149 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,254 m.
The land around Addis Ababa is covered by artificial surfaces (84%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (36%) and cropland (33%) within 16 km, and cropland (80%) within 80 km.
Ethiopia travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 3
- Reconsider Travel
- Power plugs
- Type C / E / F / L
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 37% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $933
- 2025
- Happiness
- 4.0 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 14%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 8.5
- per 100k, 2012
- Road deaths
- 28.2
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Low
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 499
- 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 Addis Ababa (9.025°, 38.7469°, elevation 2,405 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).