Gisenyi in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Gisenyi sees average daytime highs around 21°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 770 mm of rain over about 79 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the 2nd-wettest season.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 21°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels comfortable.
Summer is Gisenyi's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. Gisenyi 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 Gisenyi's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 21°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 17°C
- Rainfall
- 770 mm
- 79 wet days
- Avg wind
- 5 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.8
- 3rd-best season
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Gisenyi in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 21°C.
A typical summer day in Gisenyi reaches about 21°C and drops to 17°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
Gisenyi 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 | 21° / 17° | 231 | 26.2 | 12.1 | 3.9 |
| Feb | 21° / 17° | 221 | 23.7 | 12.1 | 3.9 |
| Mar | 21° / 17° | 335 | 29.4 | 12 | 3.5 |
| Apr | 21° / 17° | 257 | 27 | 12 | 3.6 |
| May | 21° / 18° | 155 | 21.8 | 11.9 | 4.6 |
| Jun | 20° / 17° | 78 | 14.2 | 11.9 | 5.6 |
| Jul | 20° / 17° | 31 | 7.9 | 11.9 | 6.6 |
| Aug | 20° / 17° | 72 | 13.5 | 11.9 | 5.7 |
| Sep | 21° / 17° | 173 | 22.9 | 12 | 4.3 |
| Oct | 20° / 17° | 331 | 28.9 | 12 | 3.5 |
| Nov | 20° / 17° | 372 | 29.3 | 12.1 | 3.3 |
| Dec | 20° / 17° | 319 | 29.2 | 12.1 | 3.5 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Gisenyi gets around 770 mm of rain over 79 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 5 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 06 min in early December to 12 hours 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 4.8 kWh/m².
Is summer a good time to visit Gisenyi?
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 weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Gisenyi.
What to pack for Gisenyi in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Gisenyi sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 17°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 79 days see rain.
UV index in Gisenyi in Summer
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 Gisenyi peaks around March 21 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 11 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Extreme |
| Feb | 14 | Extreme |
| Mar | 16 | Extreme |
| Apr | 16 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 10 | Extreme |
| Jul | 10 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Extreme |
| Sep | 14 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 10 | Extreme |
Air quality in Gisenyi 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 Gisenyi is worst in July — around 106 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) | 92 | 96 | 82 | 77 | 80 | 100 | 106 | 100 | 89 | 82 | 83 | 88 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 92 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 96 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 82 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 77 | Unhealthy |
| May | 80 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 100 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 106 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 100 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 89 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 82 | Unhealthy |
| Nov | 83 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 88 | Unhealthy |
Where is Gisenyi?
Gisenyi sits at 1.7°S, 29.3°E, 1,461 m above sea level, in Rwanda. The nearest listed city is Goma, 4.0 km away.
Topography around Gisenyi
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Gisenyi.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Gisenyi has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 377 m around an average of 1,524 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,450 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,494 m.
The land around Gisenyi is covered by water (37%) and artificial surfaces (32%) within 3 km, water (37%) and trees (22%) within 16 km, and trees (39%) and grassland (25%) within 80 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
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 Gisenyi (-1.7028°, 29.2564°, elevation 1,461 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.