Kariba in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Kariba sees average daytime highs around 30°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 700 mm of rain over about 62 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 30°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Summer is Kariba's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Kariba's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 30°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 24°C
- Rainfall
- 700 mm
- 62 wet days
- Avg wind
- 8 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.7
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Kariba in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C.
A typical summer day in Kariba reaches about 30°C and drops to 24°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
How summer really feels in Kariba
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 90 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in summer is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Kariba 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 | 30° / 24° | 273 | 22.1 | 12.9 | 3.6 |
| Feb | 30° / 23° | 209 | 19.2 | 12.6 | 3.9 |
| Mar | 30° / 23° | 135 | 15.8 | 12.1 | 4.5 |
| Apr | 29° / 21° | 37 | 5.7 | 11.6 | 6.2 |
| May | 28° / 18° | 3 | 0.6 | 11.2 | 8.0 |
| Jun | 26° / 16° | 1 | 0.2 | 11 | 9.0 |
| Jul | 26° / 15° | 1 | 0.2 | 11.1 | 9.1 |
| Aug | 28° / 17° | 0 | 0.1 | 11.4 | 8.1 |
| Sep | 32° / 21° | 2 | 0.3 | 11.9 | 5.5 |
| Oct | 34° / 24° | 12 | 1.8 | 12.4 | 3.7 |
| Nov | 33° / 25° | 78 | 10 | 12.8 | 3.3 |
| Dec | 31° / 24° | 218 | 20.3 | 13 | 3.5 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Kariba gets around 700 mm of rain over 62 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 8 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 54 min 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 5.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Kariba
In summer, Kariba overlaps its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Kariba's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Kariba?
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 weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Kariba.
What to pack for Kariba in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Kariba sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 62 days see rain.
UV index in Kariba in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kariba peaks around January 19 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 10 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 | 13 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | 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 | Very high |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Air quality in Kariba 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 Kariba is worst in September — around 32 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.7× the cleanest month (December, 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) | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 25 | 32 | 23 | 11 | 7 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Good |
| Feb | 9 | Good |
| Mar | 8 | Good |
| Apr | 8 | Good |
| May | 9 | Good |
| Jun | 12 | Good |
| Jul | 16 | Moderate |
| Aug | 25 | Moderate |
| Sep | 32 | Moderate |
| Oct | 23 | Moderate |
| Nov | 11 | Good |
| Dec | 7 | Good |
Where is Kariba?
Kariba sits at 16.5°S, 28.8°E, 679 m above sea level, in Zimbabwe. The nearest listed city is Siavonga, 10 km away.
Topography around Kariba
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Kariba.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Kariba has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 492 m around an average of 558 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 616 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,165 m.
The land around Kariba is covered by shrubs (52%) and trees (25%) within 3 km, water (41%) and shrubs (39%) within 16 km, and shrubs (53%) 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 Kariba (-16.5167°, 28.8°, elevation 679 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.