Bulawayo in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Bulawayo sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 391 mm of rain over about 44 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels humid.
Summer is Bulawayo's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Bulawayo's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 27°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 17°C
- Rainfall
- 391 mm
- 44 wet days
- Avg wind
- 12 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.7
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Bulawayo in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C.
A typical summer day in Bulawayo reaches about 27°C and drops to 17°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
Bulawayo 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 | 27° / 17° | 133 | 14.8 | 13.1 | 5.7 |
| Feb | 27° / 17° | 110 | 11.7 | 12.7 | 6.1 |
| Mar | 27° / 16° | 65 | 9.5 | 12.1 | 6.8 |
| Apr | 25° / 13° | 23 | 4 | 11.6 | 8.1 |
| May | 24° / 10° | 6 | 1.3 | 11.1 | 9.1 |
| Jun | 22° / 7° | 4 | 0.8 | 10.8 | 8.8 |
| Jul | 21° / 7° | 3 | 0.7 | 10.9 | 8.7 |
| Aug | 25° / 9° | 1 | 0.2 | 11.3 | 9.3 |
| Sep | 28° / 13° | 5 | 1.4 | 11.9 | 7.8 |
| Oct | 30° / 15° | 23 | 5.6 | 12.5 | 6.1 |
| Nov | 29° / 17° | 87 | 12.7 | 13 | 5.2 |
| Dec | 27° / 17° | 148 | 17 | 13.2 | 5.4 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Bulawayo gets around 391 mm of rain over 44 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 12 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 13 h 06 min in early December to 12 h 30 min 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 6.2 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Bulawayo
In summer, Bulawayo overlaps its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Bulawayo's rainy season runs November–February, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Bulawayo?
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 Bulawayo for sightseeing.
What to pack for Bulawayo in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Bulawayo sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 17°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 44 days see rain.
UV index in Bulawayo in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Bulawayo peaks around January 18 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 7 (high).
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) | 16 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 14 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Extreme |
| Feb | 14 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 10 | Very high |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 7 | High |
| Jul | 7 | Very high |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 10 | Very high |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 14 | Extreme |
| Dec | 14 | Extreme |
Air quality in Bulawayo 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 Bulawayo is worst in June — around 28 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.2× the cleanest month (January, 7 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) | 7 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 23 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 20 | 12 | 8 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Good |
| Feb | 9 | Good |
| Mar | 11 | Good |
| Apr | 16 | Moderate |
| May | 23 | Moderate |
| Jun | 28 | Moderate |
| Jul | 27 | Moderate |
| Aug | 28 | Moderate |
| Sep | 27 | Moderate |
| Oct | 20 | Moderate |
| Nov | 12 | Moderate |
| Dec | 8 | Good |
Where is Bulawayo?
Bulawayo sits at 20.1°S, 28.6°E, 1,348 m above sea level, in Zimbabwe. The nearest listed city is Gwanda, 98 km away.
Topography around Bulawayo
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Bulawayo.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Bulawayo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 60 m around an average of 1,343 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 261 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 624 m.
The land around Bulawayo is covered by artificial surfaces (50%) and trees (26%) within 3 km, shrubs (38%) and grassland (21%) within 16 km, and shrubs (59%) and trees (24%) within 80 km.
Zimbabwe travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type D / G
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 56% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $3,021
- 2025
- Happiness
- 3.3 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 25%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 6.8
- per 100k, 2022
- Road deaths
- 41.2
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- Very high
- EF EPI 602
- 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 Bulawayo (-20.15°, 28.5833°, elevation 1,348 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.