Harare in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Harare sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 541 mm of rain over about 57 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 26°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels humid.
Summer is Harare's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Harare's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 26°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 17°C
- Rainfall
- 541 mm
- 57 wet days
- Avg wind
- 9 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.1
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Harare in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C.
A typical summer day in Harare reaches about 26°C and drops to 17°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
Harare 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 | 26° / 17° | 218 | 20.5 | 12.9 | 5.0 |
| Feb | 26° / 17° | 144 | 16 | 12.6 | 5.4 |
| Mar | 26° / 16° | 93 | 12.5 | 12.1 | 6.4 |
| Apr | 25° / 14° | 28 | 4.9 | 11.6 | 7.9 |
| May | 23° / 11° | 6 | 1.4 | 11.2 | 8.8 |
| Jun | 21° / 9° | 2 | 0.4 | 11 | 8.7 |
| Jul | 21° / 8° | 1 | 0.2 | 11 | 8.7 |
| Aug | 24° / 10° | 1 | 0.2 | 11.4 | 9.3 |
| Sep | 27° / 13° | 3 | 0.9 | 11.9 | 8.5 |
| Oct | 29° / 16° | 22 | 4.1 | 12.4 | 6.8 |
| Nov | 28° / 17° | 82 | 12.5 | 12.8 | 5.7 |
| Dec | 26° / 17° | 179 | 20.1 | 13 | 5.0 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Harare gets around 541 mm of rain over 57 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 9 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 13 hours in early December to 12 h 24 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 5.8 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Harare
In summer, Harare overlaps its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Harare's monsoon runs December–February, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Harare?
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 Harare for sightseeing.
What to pack for Harare in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Harare sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 17°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 57 days see rain.
UV index in Harare 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 Harare peaks around January 16 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 8 (very 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 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 14 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Extreme |
| Feb | 14 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 11 | Extreme |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 8 | Very high |
| Jul | 8 | Very high |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 10 | Extreme |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 14 | Extreme |
| Dec | 14 | Extreme |
Air quality in Harare 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 Harare is worst in August — around 53 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 4.7× the cleanest month (January, 11 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) | 11 | 15 | 17 | 23 | 34 | 39 | 48 | 53 | 43 | 29 | 17 | 12 |
| Level | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Good |
| Feb | 15 | Moderate |
| Mar | 17 | Moderate |
| Apr | 23 | Moderate |
| May | 34 | Moderate |
| Jun | 39 | Poor |
| Jul | 48 | Poor |
| Aug | 53 | Poor |
| Sep | 43 | Poor |
| Oct | 29 | Moderate |
| Nov | 17 | Moderate |
| Dec | 12 | Good |
Where is Harare?
Harare sits at 17.8°S, 31.1°E, 1,494 m above sea level, in Zimbabwe. The nearest listed city is Epworth, 12 km away.
Topography around Harare
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Harare.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Harare has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 89 m around an average of 1,481 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 219 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 831 m.
The land around Harare is covered by artificial surfaces (50%) and trees (31%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (28%), trees (25%) and cropland (25%) within 16 km, and grassland (42%) and cropland (23%) 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 Harare (-17.8277°, 31.0534°, elevation 1,494 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.