Kigali in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Kigali sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 246 mm of rain over about 48 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels comfortable.
Summer is Kigali's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Kigali's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 26°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 15°C
- Rainfall
- 246 mm
- 48 wet days
- Avg wind
- 5 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.5
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Kigali in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C.
A typical summer day in Kigali reaches about 26°C and drops to 15°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
Kigali 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 | 26° / 15° | 77 | 15.4 | 12.1 | 5.7 |
| Feb | 26° / 15° | 77 | 14.6 | 12.1 | 5.5 |
| Mar | 26° / 15° | 105 | 21 | 12 | 4.9 |
| Apr | 25° / 15° | 137 | 24 | 12 | 4.4 |
| May | 25° / 15° | 83 | 15.9 | 11.9 | 5.9 |
| Jun | 25° / 15° | 14 | 2.7 | 11.9 | 7.7 |
| Jul | 26° / 15° | 4 | 0.8 | 11.9 | 8.0 |
| Aug | 26° / 16° | 24 | 4 | 11.9 | 7.3 |
| Sep | 26° / 15° | 54 | 10.3 | 12 | 6.3 |
| Oct | 26° / 15° | 117 | 18.6 | 12 | 5.2 |
| Nov | 25° / 15° | 130 | 22.6 | 12.1 | 4.6 |
| Dec | 25° / 15° | 92 | 18.2 | 12.1 | 5.4 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Kigali gets around 246 mm of rain over 48 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 5.5 kWh/m².
Is summer a good time to visit Kigali?
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 Kigali for sightseeing.
What to pack for Kigali in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Kigali sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 15°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 48 days see rain.
UV index in Kigali 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 Kigali peaks around March 16 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 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 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 16 | Extreme |
| Apr | 15 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 10 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 14 | Extreme |
| Oct | 14 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 11 | Extreme |
Air quality in Kigali 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 Kigali is worst in January — around 82 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) | 82 | 80 | 73 | 66 | 66 | 75 | 67 | 72 | 72 | 68 | 72 | 77 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 80 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 73 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 66 | Unhealthy |
| May | 66 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 75 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 67 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 72 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 72 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 68 | Unhealthy |
| Nov | 72 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 77 | Unhealthy |
Where is Kigali?
Kigali sits at 1.9°S, 30.1°E, 1,542 m above sea level, in Rwanda. The nearest listed city is Kamuhanda / Ruyenzi, 8.0 km away.
Topography around Kigali
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Kigali.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Kigali has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 491 m around an average of 1,481 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 734 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,788 m.
The land around Kigali is covered by artificial surfaces (67%) and trees (24%) within 3 km, cropland (27%), trees (24%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 16 km, and cropland (41%), grassland (22%) and trees (21%) 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 Kigali (-1.95°, 30.0588°, elevation 1,542 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.