Kariba in Winter
In winter (June, July and August), Kariba sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 2 mm of rain over about 1 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 27°C in early June to 30°C by late August. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 78% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Kariba's best 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
- 27°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 16°C
- Rainfall
- 2 mm
- 1 wet days
- Avg wind
- 8 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.7
- best season of the year
- Months
- Jun · Jul · Aug
Temperature in Kariba in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 27°C in early June to 30°C by late August.
A typical winter day in Kariba reaches about 27°C and drops to 16°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is August, the coolest July.
How winter really feels in Kariba
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Kariba 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 | 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 Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 78% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Kariba gets around 2 mm of rain over 1 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 8 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 06 min in early June to 11 h 42 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 5.0 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Kariba
None of Kariba's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Kariba's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Kariba?
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 Kariba for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Kariba in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Kariba sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 16°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.
UV index in Kariba in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 8 (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 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 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.