Zanzibar weather in April

In April, Zanzibar sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 200 mm of rain across 25.5 wet days and about 11.9 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in April, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 54 min at the start of April to 11 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, April is Zanzibar's 12th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zanzibar's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
6th warmest
Overnight low
25°
8th coldest
Rainfall
200 mm
25.5 wet days
Daylight
11 h 54 min
6:27 AM – 6:19 PM
Cloud cover
67%
12th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
4.63 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.5
out of 10

Zanzibar is city in Tanzania.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in April

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month.

A typical April day in Zanzibar reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, April runs about 1°C cooler than March and about 1°C warmer than May.

20°25°30°35°151015202530
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13026
23026
32926
42926
52926
62926
72925
82925
92925
102925
112925
122925
132925
142925
152925
162925
172925
182925
192925
202925
212925
222925
232925
242925
252925
262925
272925
282925
292825
302825

How April really feels in Zanzibar

Once humidity and wind are folded in, April averages 30 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
30
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in April is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Zanzibar weather by month

How April compares with the rest of the year at a glance. April is the 6th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 27°449.712.35.2
Feb30° / 27°367.712.25.1
Mar30° / 26°12221123.8
Apr29° / 25°20025.511.93.5
May28° / 25°14618.911.75.0
Jun28° / 24°359.611.66.6
Jul27° / 23°226.411.77.1
Aug27° / 23°216.211.87.2
Sep28° / 23°195.4127.1
Oct29° / 24°529.812.15.9
Nov29° / 25°841812.34.5
Dec30° / 26°9320.312.44.1

Cloud cover in April

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in April, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of April, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24357
34357
44357
54258
64258
74258
84258
94159
104060
114159
124060
134159
144060
154060
164159
174159
184159
194159
204159
214159
224159
234159
244258
254159
264258
274357
284357
294456
304555

Chance of precipitation in April

Any precipitation

Zanzibar gets around 200 mm of rain over 25.5 wet days in April, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 84% and peaks near 87% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
184
284
385
485
585
686
786
886
987
1087
1187
1287
1387
1487
1586
1686
1786
1886
1985
2085
2184
2284
2383
2482
2581
2680
2779
2878
2977
3076

Humidity in April

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, April lands in the miserable band about 52% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
103169
203268
303367
403466
503664
603763
703862
804060
904159
1004357
1104456
1204654
1304753
1404852
1504951
1605050
1705149
1805248
1905347
2005446
2105446
2205545
2305644
2405743
2505941
2606040
2706139
2806337
2916435
3016534

Wind in April

Winds average 12 km/h in April.

Across April, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202530
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
110calm
210calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212light breeze
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in April

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 54 min at the start of April to 11 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over April. Sunrise moves from 6:29 AM to 6:27 AM, and sunset from 6:26 PM to 6:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.96:296:26
211.96:296:26
311.96:296:25
411.96:296:25
511.96:296:24
611.96:296:24
711.96:296:23
811.96:286:23
911.96:286:22
1011.96:286:22
1111.96:286:22
1211.96:286:21
1311.96:286:21
1411.96:286:20
1511.96:286:20
1611.96:276:19
1711.96:276:19
1811.96:276:19
1911.86:276:18
2011.86:276:18
2111.86:276:17
2211.86:276:17
2311.86:276:17
2411.86:276:16
2511.86:276:16
2611.86:276:16
2711.86:276:15
2811.86:276:15
2911.86:276:15
3011.86:276:14

Solar energy in April

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in April, about 4.63 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.36 kWh/m² to a high of 6.3 kWh/m² in February across the year — April's 4.63 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
35.0Bright
44.9Bright
54.9Bright
64.9Bright
74.8Bright
84.8Bright
94.8Bright
104.7Bright
114.7Bright
124.7Bright
134.7Bright
144.6Bright
154.6Bright
164.6Bright
174.6Bright
184.6Bright
194.5Bright
204.5Bright
214.5Bright
224.5Bright
234.5Bright
244.5Bright
254.4Bright
264.4Bright
274.4Bright
284.4Bright
294.4Bright
304.4Bright
Planning a trip in April

Hazard calendar for Zanzibar

In seasonPeak

In April, Zanzibar sits inside its cyclone and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Zanzibar sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

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

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

Is April a good time to visit Zanzibar?

Our two travel scores rate April for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

3.5
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
4.5
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

April is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Zanzibar.

What to pack for Zanzibar in April

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

In April, Zanzibar sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 26 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Zanzibar in April

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in April — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in March at about 29°C and coldest in August near 26°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Tropical
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Zanzibar in April

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in April peaks 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 Zanzibar peaks around March 16 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeMar 16UV 15Jun 17UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Zanzibar in April

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Zanzibar is worst in January — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateGoodJan 2018 µg/m³Nov 118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan18Moderate
Feb16Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Zanzibar?

Zanzibar sits at 6.2°S, 39.2°E, 14 m above sea level, in Tanzania. The nearest listed city is Bagamoyo, 45 km away.

MagomeniDar es SalaamKibaha

Topography around Zanzibar

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Zanzibar has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 46 m around an average of 8 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 124 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 347 m.

The land around Zanzibar is covered by water (53%) and artificial surfaces (35%) within 3 km, water (58%) and trees (27%) within 16 km, and water (61%) within 80 km.

3 km
46 m
16 km
124 m
80 km
347 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
April weather nearby: Bagamoyo 45 km · Sokoni 49 km · Nungwi 50 km · Mapinga 51 km · Mvomero 59 km · Magomeni 71 km · Dar es Salaam 74 km · Kibaha 74 km

Tanzania travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type D / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 29% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,319
2025
Happiness
3.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
31%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
3.7
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
31.1
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 479
Religion
Christian 63%Muslim 34%folk religion 1%

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 Zanzibar (-6.1639°, 39.1979°, elevation 14 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).