Malindi in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Malindi sees average daytime highs around 31°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 65 mm of rain over about 16 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 31°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 50% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Summer is Malindi's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. Malindi has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Malindi's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 31°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 25°C
- Rainfall
- 65 mm
- 16 wet days
- Avg wind
- 13 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.2
- 3rd-best season
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Malindi in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 31°C.
A typical summer day in Malindi reaches about 31°C and drops to 25°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest February.
How summer really feels in Malindi
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 90 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in summer is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Malindi 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 | 31° / 25° | 14 | 2.6 | 12.2 | 5.5 |
| Feb | 31° / 25° | 7 | 1.5 | 12.1 | 5.4 |
| Mar | 32° / 25° | 35 | 9.9 | 12 | 4.3 |
| Apr | 31° / 26° | 96 | 22 | 11.9 | 3.4 |
| May | 29° / 25° | 152 | 21.2 | 11.9 | 4.3 |
| Jun | 28° / 24° | 61 | 14.8 | 11.8 | 5.6 |
| Jul | 27° / 23° | 44 | 12.5 | 11.8 | 6.1 |
| Aug | 27° / 23° | 34 | 12.2 | 11.9 | 6.4 |
| Sep | 28° / 23° | 30 | 10.9 | 12 | 6.4 |
| Oct | 29° / 24° | 65 | 12.6 | 12.1 | 5.5 |
| Nov | 30° / 25° | 60 | 14.9 | 12.1 | 4.6 |
| Dec | 31° / 25° | 44 | 11.4 | 12.2 | 4.7 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 50% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Malindi gets around 65 mm of rain over 16 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 13 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 min in early December to 12 h 06 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 6.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Malindi
None of Malindi's seasonal hazards peak in summer. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Malindi's rainy season runs April–May, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Malindi?
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 Malindi for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Malindi in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Malindi sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 16 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Malindi in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 28°C across summer — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in April at about 29°C and coldest in August near 25°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 27 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Warm |
| Feb | 27 | Warm |
| Mar | 29 | Tropical |
| Apr | 29 | Tropical |
| May | 28 | Warm |
| Jun | 27 | Warm |
| Jul | 26 | Warm |
| Aug | 25 | Warm |
| Sep | 26 | Warm |
| Oct | 27 | Warm |
| Nov | 28 | Warm |
| Dec | 28 | Tropical |
UV index in Malindi 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 Malindi peaks around March 19 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 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) | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14 | Extreme |
| Feb | 14 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 10 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Air quality in Malindi 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 Malindi is worst in January — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.8× the cleanest month (October, 9 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) | 16 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 14 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Moderate |
| Feb | 15 | Moderate |
| Mar | 13 | Moderate |
| Apr | 10 | Good |
| May | 11 | Good |
| Jun | 13 | Moderate |
| Jul | 14 | Moderate |
| Aug | 11 | Good |
| Sep | 10 | Good |
| Oct | 9 | Good |
| Nov | 9 | Good |
| Dec | 14 | Moderate |
Where is Malindi?
Malindi sits at 3.2°S, 40.1°E, 7 m above sea level, in Kenya. The nearest listed city is Watamu, 18 km away.
Topography around Malindi
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Malindi.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Malindi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 33 m around an average of 12 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 152 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 518 m.
The land around Malindi is covered by water (29%), artificial surfaces (26%) and trees (22%) within 3 km, water (46%) and grassland (22%) within 16 km, and water (39%), shrubs (29%) and trees (22%) within 80 km.
Kenya travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type G
- 240 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 34% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $2,363
- 2025
- Happiness
- 4.7 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Homicide rate
- 4.9
- per 100k, 2022
- Road deaths
- 28.3
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- High
- EF EPI 593
- 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 Malindi (-3.218°, 40.1169°, elevation 7 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.