Gambēla in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Gambēla sees average daytime highs around 36°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 13 mm of rain over about 4 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 33°C in early December to 38°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Gambēla's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Gambēla's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 36°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 23°C
- Rainfall
- 13 mm
- 4 wet days
- Avg wind
- 5 km/h
- Travel score
- 2.5
- 3rd-best season
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Gambēla in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 33°C in early December to 38°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Gambēla reaches about 36°C and drops to 23°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
How winter really feels in Gambēla
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 90 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Gambēla weather by month
How the three winter 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 | 36° / 23° | 1 | 0.4 | 11.6 | 2.5 |
| Feb | 38° / 24° | 3 | 1 | 11.7 | 1.5 |
| Mar | 37° / 26° | 16 | 4.7 | 11.9 | 1.5 |
| Apr | 35° / 25° | 93 | 14.6 | 12.2 | 2.1 |
| May | 32° / 24° | 136 | 20.1 | 12.4 | 2.9 |
| Jun | 31° / 23° | 128 | 16.3 | 12.5 | 3.9 |
| Jul | 29° / 22° | 119 | 16.7 | 12.4 | 4.3 |
| Aug | 30° / 22° | 105 | 16.7 | 12.3 | 4.2 |
| Sep | 32° / 23° | 74 | 13.4 | 12 | 3.8 |
| Oct | 32° / 23° | 112 | 19.5 | 11.8 | 3.1 |
| Nov | 32° / 22° | 74 | 13.2 | 11.6 | 3.5 |
| Dec | 34° / 22° | 9 | 2.2 | 11.5 | 3.5 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Gambēla gets around 13 mm of rain over 4 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 5 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min in early December to 11 h 48 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 5.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Gambēla
None of Gambēla's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Gambēla's rainy season runs April–November, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Gambēla?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Gambēla. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Gambēla in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Gambēla sees daytime highs around 36°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.
UV index in Gambēla in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages 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 Gambēla peaks around March 19 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 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) | 9 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 9 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Very high |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 9 | Very high |
| Dec | 9 | Very high |
Air quality in Gambēla in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Gambēla is worst in January — around 98 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 7.2× the cleanest month (May, 14 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) | 98 | 78 | 42 | 21 | 14 | 20 | 22 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 36 | 84 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 98 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 78 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 42 | Poor |
| Apr | 21 | Moderate |
| May | 14 | Moderate |
| Jun | 20 | Moderate |
| Jul | 22 | Moderate |
| Aug | 17 | Moderate |
| Sep | 16 | Moderate |
| Oct | 16 | Moderate |
| Nov | 36 | Poor |
| Dec | 84 | Unhealthy |
Where is Gambēla?
Gambēla sits at 8.3°N, 34.6°E, 439 m above sea level, in Ethiopia. The nearest listed city is Dembī Dolo, 40 km away.
Topography around Gambēla
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Gambēla.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Gambēla has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 98 m around an average of 454 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 857 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,842 m.
The land around Gambēla is covered by grassland (44%) and trees (33%) within 3 km, trees (47%) and grassland (46%) within 16 km, and trees (54%) and grassland (35%) 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 Gambēla (8.25°, 34.5833°, elevation 439 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.