Addis Ababa in Summer
In summer (June, July and August), Addis Ababa sees average daytime highs around 20°C and overnight lows near 11°C, with 1052 mm of rain over about 85 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Over the season highs ease from about 23°C in early June to 20°C by late August. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels dry.
Summer is Addis Ababa's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Addis Ababa's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 20°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 11°C
- Rainfall
- 1052 mm
- 85 wet days
- Avg wind
- 5 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.7
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Jun · Jul · Aug
Temperature in Addis Ababa in Summer
Over the season highs ease from about 23°C in early June to 20°C by late August.
A typical summer day in Addis Ababa reaches about 20°C and drops to 11°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is June, the coolest June.
Addis Ababa weather by month
How the three summer months (June, July and August) 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 | 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 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Addis Ababa gets around 1052 mm of rain over 85 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 5 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min in early June to 12 h 12 min by late August. 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 5.0 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Addis Ababa
In summer, Addis Ababa overlaps its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Addis Ababa's monsoon runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Addis Ababa?
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 Addis Ababa.
What to pack for Addis Ababa in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Addis Ababa sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 11°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 85 days see rain.
UV index in Addis Ababa 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 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 |
Air quality in Addis Ababa 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 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 |
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.
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.