Fort Portal in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Fort Portal sees average daytime highs around 28°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 156 mm of rain over about 27 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 26°C in early December to 29°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels humid.
Winter is Fort Portal's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Fort Portal's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 28°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 16°C
- Rainfall
- 156 mm
- 27 wet days
- Avg wind
- 5 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.0
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Fort Portal in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 26°C in early December to 29°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Fort Portal reaches about 28°C and drops to 16°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
Fort Portal 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 | 28° / 16° | 34 | 6.7 | 12 | 6.5 |
| Feb | 29° / 17° | 37 | 7 | 12 | 5.6 |
| Mar | 28° / 17° | 108 | 17.2 | 12 | 4.7 |
| Apr | 27° / 17° | 164 | 24.1 | 12 | 4.1 |
| May | 27° / 17° | 134 | 21.6 | 12 | 4.7 |
| Jun | 27° / 16° | 103 | 16.1 | 12 | 5.4 |
| Jul | 26° / 16° | 104 | 16.9 | 12 | 5.5 |
| Aug | 26° / 16° | 167 | 22.6 | 12 | 4.7 |
| Sep | 26° / 16° | 186 | 25.8 | 12 | 4.1 |
| Oct | 26° / 16° | 239 | 28.2 | 12 | 3.8 |
| Nov | 26° / 16° | 204 | 25.7 | 12 | 4.1 |
| Dec | 26° / 16° | 85 | 13.5 | 12 | 5.9 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Fort Portal gets around 156 mm of rain over 27 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 5 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 12 hours 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 5.8 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Fort Portal
None of Fort Portal's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Fort Portal's rainy season runs August–November, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Fort Portal?
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 Fort Portal for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Fort Portal in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Fort Portal sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 16°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 27 days see rain.
UV index in Fort Portal in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter 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 Fort Portal peaks around March 16 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 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 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 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 | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 10 | Extreme |
| Jul | 10 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 14 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 10 | Extreme |
Air quality in Fort Portal 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 Fort Portal is worst in February — around 66 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.6× the cleanest month (April, 26 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) | 64 | 66 | 39 | 26 | 27 | 35 | 42 | 33 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 44 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 66 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 39 | Poor |
| Apr | 26 | Moderate |
| May | 27 | Moderate |
| Jun | 35 | Poor |
| Jul | 42 | Poor |
| Aug | 33 | Moderate |
| Sep | 28 | Moderate |
| Oct | 26 | Moderate |
| Nov | 28 | Moderate |
| Dec | 44 | Poor |
Where is Fort Portal?
Fort Portal sits at 0.7°N, 30.3°E, 1,518 m above sea level, in Uganda. The nearest listed city is Buhesi, 12 km away.
Topography around Fort Portal
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Fort Portal.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Fort Portal has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 114 m around an average of 1,527 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,902 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,373 m.
The land around Fort Portal is covered by trees (64%) within 3 km, trees (60%) within 16 km, and trees (62%) and grassland (21%) within 80 km.
Uganda travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 4
- Do Not Travel
- Power plugs
- Type G
- 240 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 35% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $1,206
- 2025
- Happiness
- 4.5 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 18%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 9
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 29.4
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Low
- World Bank
- English
- Moderate
- EF EPI 518
- 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 Fort Portal (0.6617°, 30.2748°, elevation 1,518 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.