Gikongoro in Summer

In summer (December, January and February), Gikongoro sees average daytime highs around 22°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 546 mm of rain over about 63 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the wettest season of the year.

Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 22°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Summer is Gikongoro's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Gikongoro's year-round climate.

Avg daytime high
22°C
3rd-warmest season
Avg overnight low
13°C
Rainfall
546 mm
63 wet days
Avg wind
5 km/h
Travel score
4.7
3rd-best season
Months
Dec · Jan · Feb

Temperature in Gikongoro in Summer

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 22°C.

A typical summer day in Gikongoro reaches about 22°C and drops to 13°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.

10°15°20°25°DecJanFeb

Gikongoro 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.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan22° / 13°19421.812.14.7
Feb23° / 13°16819.512.14.8
Mar22° / 13°18723.4124.5
Apr22° / 13°19925.811.93.9
May22° / 13°9916.811.95.4
Jun22° / 12°294.611.97.1
Jul22° / 12°101.811.97.7
Aug23° / 13°314.311.97.4
Sep23° / 13°6410.2126.5
Oct22° / 13°14520.512.14.9
Nov22° / 13°1772412.14.1
Dec22° / 13°1842212.14.6

Cloud cover in Summer

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time across summer.

0%25%50%75%100%DecJanFeb

Chance of precipitation in Summer

Any precipitation

Gikongoro gets around 546 mm of rain over 63 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

0%20%40%60%80%DecJanFeb

Humidity in Summer

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of summer feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

0%25%50%75%100%DecJanFeb

Wind in Summer

Winds average 5 km/h across summer.

0246810DecJanFeb

Sunrise & sunset in Summer

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 06 min in early December to 12 h 06 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AMDecJanFeb

Solar energy in Summer

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 5.4 kWh/m².

0246DecJanFeb
Planning a trip in summer

Hazard calendar for Gikongoro

In seasonPeak

In summer, Gikongoro overlaps its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Gikongoro's rainy season runs October–May, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is summer a good time to visit Gikongoro?

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.

4.7
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
3.4
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

summer is a reasonable time to visit Gikongoro for sightseeing.

What to pack for Gikongoro in Summer

From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In summer, Gikongoro sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 13°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 63 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

UV index in Gikongoro in Summer

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Gikongoro peaks around March 18 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 10 (extreme).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 18UV 16Jun 21UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar17Extreme
Apr16Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct14Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Gikongoro in Summer

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Gikongoro is worst in February — around 73 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyFeb 1073 µg/m³Apr 2059 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan72Unhealthy
Feb73Unhealthy
Mar65Unhealthy
Apr59Unhealthy
May61Unhealthy
Jun71Unhealthy
Jul69Unhealthy
Aug73Unhealthy
Sep70Unhealthy
Oct65Unhealthy
Nov65Unhealthy
Dec69Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Gikongoro?

Gikongoro sits at 2.5°S, 29.6°E, 1,881 m above sea level, in Rwanda. The nearest listed city is Nzega, 3.0 km away.

NyanzaButareRuhangoMahembeKarambiCyatoGitesi

Topography around Gikongoro

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Gikongoro.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Gikongoro has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 581 m around an average of 1,859 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,007 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,145 m.

The land around Gikongoro is covered by grassland (38%) and cropland (32%) within 3 km, grassland (39%), cropland (33%) and trees (23%) within 16 km, and cropland (31%), grassland (29%) and trees (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
581 m
16 km
1,007 m
80 km
2,145 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
Summer weather nearby: Nzega 3.0 km · Nyanza 23 km · Butare 24 km · Ruhango 36 km · Mahembe 40 km · Karambi 40 km · Cyato 43 km · Gitesi 43 km

Rwanda travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type C / E / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 27% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,124
2025
Happiness
3.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2021
Homicide rate
3.6
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
29.4
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 417
Religion
Catholic 40%Pentecostal 21%Protestant 15%Adventist 12%

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 Gikongoro (-2.464°, 29.5739°, elevation 1,881 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.