Mekele in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Mekele sees average daytime highs around 23°C and overnight lows near 10°C, with 53 mm of rain over about 14 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 22°C in early December to 24°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 63% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Mekele's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Mekele's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 23°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 10°C
- Rainfall
- 53 mm
- 14 wet days
- Avg wind
- 8 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.1
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Mekele in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 22°C in early December to 24°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Mekele reaches about 23°C and drops to 10°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
Mekele 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 | 22° / 10° | 23 | 6.1 | 11.3 | 7.8 |
| Feb | 24° / 11° | 21 | 5.6 | 11.6 | 8.1 |
| Mar | 25° / 12° | 60 | 11.4 | 11.9 | 7.1 |
| Apr | 25° / 13° | 61 | 11.6 | 12.3 | 6.9 |
| May | 26° / 14° | 26 | 5.6 | 12.6 | 7.7 |
| Jun | 26° / 14° | 72 | 11.7 | 12.8 | 6.6 |
| Jul | 23° / 14° | 228 | 29.1 | 12.7 | 4.0 |
| Aug | 22° / 14° | 284 | 30.1 | 12.4 | 3.8 |
| Sep | 24° / 12° | 67 | 11.2 | 12.1 | 7.1 |
| Oct | 23° / 12° | 12 | 2.4 | 11.7 | 8.7 |
| Nov | 23° / 10° | 13 | 3.1 | 11.4 | 8.6 |
| Dec | 22° / 9° | 10 | 2.7 | 11.2 | 8.5 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 63% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Mekele gets around 53 mm of rain over 14 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 8 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 18 min in early December to 11 h 42 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 5.9 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Mekele
None of Mekele's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Mekele's monsoon runs July–August, when most of the year's rain falls.
Mekele sees seasonal dust haze (June–August), heaviest in July.
Is winter a good time to visit Mekele?
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 one of the better times to visit Mekele for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Mekele in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Mekele sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 10°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 14 days see rain.
UV index in Mekele in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mekele peaks around March 20 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 12 at about 10 (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) | 12 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 10 | Very high |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 10 | Very high |
| Dec | 9 | Very high |
Air quality in Mekele 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 Mekele is worst in June — around 31 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 26 | 26 | 28 | 23 | 25 | 31 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 23 | 21 | 23 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26 | Moderate |
| Feb | 26 | Moderate |
| Mar | 28 | Moderate |
| Apr | 23 | Moderate |
| May | 25 | Moderate |
| Jun | 31 | Moderate |
| Jul | 27 | Moderate |
| Aug | 28 | Moderate |
| Sep | 28 | Moderate |
| Oct | 23 | Moderate |
| Nov | 21 | Moderate |
| Dec | 23 | Moderate |
Where is Mekele?
Mekele sits at 13.5°N, 39.5°E, 2,068 m above sea level, in Ethiopia. The nearest listed city is Dolo, 18 km away.
Topography around Mekele
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mekele.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Mekele has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 341 m around an average of 2,104 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 905 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,776 m.
The land around Mekele is covered by artificial surfaces (50%) and cropland (25%) within 3 km, cropland (61%) within 16 km, and grassland (33%), cropland (30%) and shrubs (25%) 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 Mekele (13.4967°, 39.4753°, elevation 2,068 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.