Mbarara in Summer

In summer (December, January and February), Mbarara sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 134 mm of rain over about 34 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the 3rd-wettest season.

Over the season highs climb from about 26°C in early December to 28°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 11% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Summer is Mbarara's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Mbarara's year-round climate.

Avg daytime high: 27°C; warmest season of the year
Avg overnight low: 17°C
Rainfall: 134 mm; 34 wet days
Avg wind: 6 km/h
Travel score: 5.7; 2nd-best season
Months: Dec · Jan · Feb

← Spring Mbarara year-round climate Fall →

Spring Summer Fall Winter

Temperature in Mbarara in Summer

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Over the season highs climb from about 26°C in early December to 28°C by late February.

A typical summer day in Mbarara reaches about 27°C and drops to 17°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.

Mbarara 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	28° / 17°	35	9.5	12	6.1
Feb	28° / 17°	38	9.1	12	5.5
Mar	28° / 17°	66	15.3	12	5.3
Apr	27° / 17°	85	19.4	12	4.8
May	27° / 17°	65	15.8	12	5.6
Jun	27° / 16°	26	6.8	12	6.7
Jul	27° / 16°	13	3.5	12	7.1
Aug	27° / 16°	46	11.2	12	6.1
Sep	27° / 16°	70	17.5	12	5.2
Oct	27° / 16°	101	22.9	12	4.5
Nov	26° / 16°	103	22.5	12	4.5
Dec	26° / 16°	61	15.4	12	5.6

Cloud cover in Summer

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 11% of the time across summer.

Chance of precipitation in Summer

Any precipitation

Mbarara gets around 134 mm of rain over 34 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Humidity in Summer

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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 6 km/h across summer.

Sunrise & sunset in Summer

DaylightNight

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 Summer

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 5.4 kWh/m².

Planning a trip in summer

Is summer a good time to visit Mbarara?

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.

5.7

Sightseeing

2nd-best month of the year

6.2

Beach & pool

2nd-best month of the year

summer is a reasonable time to visit Mbarara for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Mbarara in Summer

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

In summer, Mbarara sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 17°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 34 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Mbarara in Summer

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

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 Mbarara peaks around March 15 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)	12	15	16	15	12	10	11	11	13	13	12	11
Level	Extreme	Extreme	Extreme	Extreme	Extreme	Extreme	Extreme	Extreme	Extreme	Extreme	Extreme	Extreme

	UV index (midday)	Level
Jan	12	Extreme
Feb	15	Extreme
Mar	16	Extreme
Apr	15	Extreme
May	12	Extreme
Jun	10	Extreme
Jul	11	Extreme
Aug	11	Extreme
Sep	13	Extreme
Oct	13	Extreme
Nov	12	Extreme
Dec	11	Extreme

Air quality in Mbarara in Summer

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Mbarara is worst in January — around 45 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), 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)	45	42	33	28	28	35	41	38	33	31	32	38
Level	Poor	Poor	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate	Poor	Poor	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate	Poor

	PM2.5 (µg/m³)	Level
Jan	45	Poor
Feb	42	Poor
Mar	33	Moderate
Apr	28	Moderate
May	28	Moderate
Jun	35	Moderate
Jul	41	Poor
Aug	38	Poor
Sep	33	Moderate
Oct	31	Moderate
Nov	32	Moderate
Dec	38	Poor

Location & terrain

Where is Mbarara?

Mbarara sits at 0.6°S, 30.6°E, 1,422 m above sea level, in Uganda. The nearest listed city is Bwizibwera, 3.0 km away.

Topography around Mbarara

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Mbarara has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 153 m around an average of 1,417 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 503 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,268 m.

The land around Mbarara is covered by artificial surfaces (38%), grassland (25%) and trees (24%) within 3 km, grassland (50%) and trees (25%) within 16 km, and grassland (52%) and trees (25%) within 80 km.

3 km

153 m

artificial surfaces 38%

16 km

503 m

grassland 50%

80 km

1,268 m

grassland 52%

treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland

← Spring Mbarara year-round climate Fall →

Summer weather nearby: Bwizibwera 3.0 km · Kinoni 20 km · Rutoma 30 km · Isingiro 36 km · Iryango 41 km · Nakivale Refugee Camp 42 km · Nyachera 42 km · Mabare 46 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 Mbarara (-0.6047°, 30.6485°, elevation 1,422 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.