Bulawayo in Winter
In winter (June, July and August), Bulawayo sees average daytime highs around 23°C and overnight lows near 8°C, with 8 mm of rain over about 2 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 22°C in early June to 26°C by late August. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 77% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Bulawayo's best 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
- 23°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 8°C
- Rainfall
- 8 mm
- 2 wet days
- Avg wind
- 12 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.9
- best season of the year
- Months
- Jun · Jul · Aug
Temperature in Bulawayo in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 22°C in early June to 26°C by late August.
A typical winter day in Bulawayo reaches about 23°C and drops to 8°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is August, the coolest July.
Bulawayo weather by month
How the three winter months (June, July and August) 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 Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 77% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Bulawayo gets around 8 mm of rain over 2 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 12 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 54 min in early June to 11 h 36 min by late August. 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 4.8 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Bulawayo
None of Bulawayo's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Bulawayo's rainy season runs November–February, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Bulawayo?
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 one of the better times to visit Bulawayo for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Bulawayo in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Bulawayo sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 8°C. Worth packing: light clothes, a warm layer and sun protection.
UV index in Bulawayo in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. 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 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 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.