Mogadishu in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Mogadishu sees average daytime highs around 30°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 34 mm of rain over about 7 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 69% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is Mogadishu's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. Mogadishu 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 Mogadishu's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 30°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 25°C
- Rainfall
- 34 mm
- 7 wet days
- Avg wind
- 23 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.4
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Mogadishu in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C.
A typical winter day in Mogadishu reaches about 30°C and drops to 25°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Mogadishu
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 90 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Mogadishu 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 | 30° / 24° | 6 | 1.1 | 11.9 | 6.6 |
| Feb | 30° / 25° | 1 | 0 | 11.9 | 6.6 |
| Mar | 30° / 26° | 6 | 2 | 12 | 6.1 |
| Apr | 30° / 26° | 56 | 11.3 | 12 | 4.8 |
| May | 29° / 26° | 73 | 17.1 | 12.1 | 4.7 |
| Jun | 28° / 25° | 45 | 15.5 | 12.1 | 5.4 |
| Jul | 27° / 24° | 44 | 14.4 | 12.1 | 5.8 |
| Aug | 27° / 23° | 32 | 11.1 | 12.1 | 6.5 |
| Sep | 28° / 24° | 21 | 6.3 | 12 | 7.1 |
| Oct | 29° / 25° | 42 | 8.6 | 12 | 6.1 |
| Nov | 29° / 25° | 64 | 13.1 | 11.9 | 5.3 |
| Dec | 30° / 25° | 27 | 5.4 | 11.9 | 6.1 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 69% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Mogadishu gets around 34 mm of rain over 7 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 23 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 54 min 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 6.7 kWh/m².
Is winter a good time to visit Mogadishu?
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 Mogadishu for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Mogadishu in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Mogadishu sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: a windbreaker. About 7 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Mogadishu in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 27°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 18 km away) 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 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 27 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Warm |
| Feb | 27 | Warm |
| Mar | 28 | Warm |
| Apr | 29 | Tropical |
| May | 28 | Tropical |
| Jun | 27 | Warm |
| Jul | 26 | Warm |
| Aug | 25 | Warm |
| Sep | 26 | Warm |
| Oct | 27 | Warm |
| Nov | 28 | Warm |
| Dec | 27 | Warm |
UV index in Mogadishu in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter 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 Mogadishu peaks around March 24 at about 14 (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) | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Extreme |
| Feb | 14 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 10 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 11 | Extreme |
Air quality in Mogadishu 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 Mogadishu is worst in November — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.8× the cleanest month (September, 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) | 15 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 16 | 15 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Moderate |
| Feb | 15 | Moderate |
| Mar | 12 | Moderate |
| Apr | 10 | Good |
| May | 10 | Good |
| Jun | 11 | Good |
| Jul | 11 | Good |
| Aug | 10 | Good |
| Sep | 9 | Good |
| Oct | 10 | Good |
| Nov | 16 | Moderate |
| Dec | 15 | Moderate |
Where is Mogadishu?
Mogadishu sits at 2.0°N, 45.3°E, 12 m above sea level, in Somalia. The nearest listed city is Afgooye, 27 km away.
Topography around Mogadishu
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mogadishu.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Mogadishu has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 74 m around an average of 22 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 179 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 249 m.
The land around Mogadishu is covered by artificial surfaces (60%) and water (37%) within 3 km, water (48%) within 16 km, and water (34%), shrubs (32%) and cropland (23%) within 80 km.
Somalia travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 4
- Do Not Travel
- Power plugs
- Type C / G
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 52% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $661
- 2025
- Happiness
- 4.5 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Road deaths
- 27.4
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Low
- World Bank
- English
- Very low
- EF EPI 399
- 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 Mogadishu (2.0371°, 45.3438°, elevation 12 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.