Mbale in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Mbale sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 383 mm of rain over about 49 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the 3rd-wettest season.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels humid.
Winter is Mbale's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. Mbale 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 Mbale's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 27°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 18°C
- Rainfall
- 383 mm
- 49 wet days
- Avg wind
- 7 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.6
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Mbale in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C.
A typical winter day in Mbale reaches about 27°C and drops to 18°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
Mbale 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 | 27° / 18° | 116 | 15.7 | 12 | 5.8 |
| Feb | 28° / 19° | 88 | 13 | 12 | 5.8 |
| Mar | 27° / 19° | 182 | 20.3 | 12 | 5.0 |
| Apr | 25° / 19° | 281 | 27 | 12 | 3.9 |
| May | 25° / 18° | 206 | 26.3 | 12 | 4.3 |
| Jun | 25° / 18° | 103 | 20.7 | 12 | 5.1 |
| Jul | 25° / 18° | 92 | 18.1 | 12 | 5.6 |
| Aug | 25° / 18° | 100 | 19.3 | 12 | 5.4 |
| Sep | 26° / 18° | 106 | 19.6 | 12 | 5.2 |
| Oct | 26° / 18° | 194 | 25.5 | 12 | 4.3 |
| Nov | 25° / 18° | 247 | 25.1 | 12 | 4.2 |
| Dec | 26° / 18° | 179 | 20.7 | 12 | 5.1 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Mbale gets around 383 mm of rain over 49 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 7 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 12 hours in early December to 12 hours 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 6.4 kWh/m².
Is winter a good time to visit Mbale?
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 reasonable time to visit Mbale for sightseeing.
What to pack for Mbale in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Mbale sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 49 days see rain.
UV index in Mbale in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mbale peaks around March 16 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 10 (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) | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 16 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 10 | Very high |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 14 | Extreme |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Air quality in Mbale 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 Mbale is worst in June — around 78 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), 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) | 74 | 68 | 67 | 67 | 69 | 78 | 76 | 74 | 71 | 73 | 77 | 76 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 68 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 67 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 67 | Unhealthy |
| May | 69 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 78 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 76 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 74 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 71 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 73 | Unhealthy |
| Nov | 77 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 76 | Unhealthy |
Where is Mbale?
Mbale sits at 0.1°N, 34.7°E, 1,628 m above sea level, in Kenya. The nearest listed city is Khwisero, 17 km away.
Topography around Mbale
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mbale.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Mbale has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 188 m around an average of 1,580 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 650 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,573 m.
The land around Mbale is covered by trees (75%) within 3 km, trees (64%) and shrubs (27%) within 16 km, and trees (28%) and shrubs (26%) 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 Mbale (0.0821°, 34.7214°, elevation 1,628 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.