Mbale climate — normals and trends

Q: What is the climate of Mbale?

Mbale has a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 21.0 °C and it receives 2,217 mm of precipitation per year.

Q: What is the hottest day ever recorded in Mbale?

The hottest day measured in Mbale between 1940 and 2025 was 31 March 1946, reaching 33.1 °C.

Q: What is the coldest day in Mbale?

The coldest day measured in Mbale between 1940 and 2025 was 27 July 1943, at 14.1 °C.

Q: Does it snow in Mbale?

Almost never: Mbale sees virtually no snow, with about 0 frost days per year.

Q: Has the climate of Mbale warmed?

Yes: Mbale warmed by +1.8 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

Q: What is the wettest day in Mbale?

The wettest day measured in Mbale between 1940 and 2025 was 27 March 1957, with 103 mm of rain in 24 hours.

Q: What was the windiest day in Mbale?

The windiest day measured in Mbale between 1940 and 2025 was 4 March 2011, with winds reaching 28.5 km/h.

Q: What is the warmest month in Mbale?

The warmest month in Mbale is February (21.7 °C on average); the coldest is July (20.3 °C).

Q: How much does it rain in Mbale?

Mbale receives on average 2,217 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 273 rainy days.

Q: Is it sunny in Mbale?

Mbale gets on average 10.8 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,942 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Mbale (Kenya) has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) under the Köppen-Geiger classification. Its mean annual temperature is 21.0 °C and it receives 2,217 mm of precipitation per year.

These figures are normals computed over 86 complete calendar years, from 1940 to 2025, using ERA5 reanalysis data from the Copernicus programme.

The warmest month is February (21.7 °C on average) and the coldest is July (20.3 °C). Rainfall peaks in April.

Mbale averages 0 frost days, 6 hot days (≥ 30 °C) and 273 rainy days per year.

Mbale has warmed by +1.8 °C between 1940 and 2025, or +0.21 °C per decade. This trend is statistically significant.

The hottest day of the period reached 33.1 °C (on 31 March 1946) and the coldest 14.1 °C (on 27 July 1943).

Data from ERA5 reanalysis (Copernicus Climate Change Service), redistributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence. Normals are recomputed whenever the archive is updated.

Climate normals · ERA5

MbaleVihiga County

coords: 0.08°, 34.72°
period: 1940–2025 · 86 yrs

AfTropical rainforestWarmest monthFebruaryColdest monthJulyWettest monthAprilDriest monthJuly

Mean daily temperature

21.0°C

Average daily high

25.1°C

Average daily low

17.7°C

Annual rainfall

2,217mm

Sunshine / day

10.8h

Mean relative humidity

75%

Average peak wind

11.9km/h

Seasonal range

1.4°C

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

6 d/yr

Rainy days (≥ 1 mm)

273 d/yr

Annual snowfall

0.0 cm

Average feels-like high

27.8 °C

Average feels-like low

18.6 °C

Average peak gust

24.5 km/h

Tropical nights (≥ 20 °C)

4 d/yr

Solar radiation

21.2 MJ/m²

Has the climate changed?

One stripe per year, 1940 to 2025

+1.8 °C

since 1940

+0.2 °C per decade · r² = 0.74 · p = < 0.001

19402025

Trend fitted by linear regression (ordinary least squares) on annual means. A trend is shown only when it is statistically significant (p < 0.05).

A climograph overlays rainfall (bars) and temperature (line): the standard reading in climatology, where you can see at a glance whether the warm season is also the dry one.

Records for the period

Hottest day

33.1 °C

31 March 1946

Coldest day

14.1 °C

27 July 1943

Wettest day

103 mm

27 March 1957

Windiest day

28.5 km/h

4 March 2011

Strongest gust

48.6 km/h

27 February 1971

Hottest feels-like

35.4 °C

13 March 1997

Coldest feels-like

12.4 °C

27 July 1943

Sunniest day

11.9 h

24 February 2025

Year	Hottest day	Coldest day	Annual mean	Rainfall	Hot days
2025	32.3 °C2 March 2025	16.3 °C17 August 2025	22.0 °C	1,873 mm	22
2024	31.2 °C19 March 2024	16.0 °C7 December 2024	22.1 °C	2,213 mm	11
2023	31.9 °C19 February 2023	16.7 °C6 January 2023	22.1 °C	2,143 mm	16
2022	31.0 °C11 March 2022	15.8 °C3 August 2022	21.6 °C	1,978 mm	9
2021	31.0 °C12 March 2021	16.2 °C10 August 2021	21.7 °C	1,845 mm	5
2020	29.5 °C23 February 2020	16.5 °C7 February 2020	21.5 °C	2,426 mm	0
2019	32.7 °C24 March 2019	16.6 °C14 July 2019	21.9 °C	2,133 mm	32
2018	31.5 °C11 February 2018	15.9 °C8 August 2018	21.5 °C	2,021 mm	15
2017	31.7 °C13 February 2017	17.0 °C1 November 2017	22.1 °C	1,475 mm	20
2016	31.5 °C23 February 2016	17.1 °C19 June 2016	22.2 °C	1,453 mm	21
2015	32.9 °C11 March 2015	16.5 °C1 January 2015	21.9 °C	1,901 mm	32
2014	31.9 °C10 March 2014	16.1 °C3 January 2014	21.7 °C	1,401 mm	11
2013	31.7 °C2 March 2013	15.5 °C16 July 2013	21.4 °C	1,573 mm	11
2012	31.9 °C15 February 2012	14.4 °C2 January 2012	21.4 °C	1,688 mm	28
2011	32.0 °C27 February 2011	15.8 °C10 December 2011	21.3 °C	2,208 mm	13
2010	31.3 °C2 February 2010	15.7 °C29 December 2010	21.7 °C	2,018 mm	9
2009	30.6 °C26 March 2009	16.5 °C26 January 2009	21.8 °C	1,809 mm	8
2008	30.7 °C25 February 2008	16.4 °C16 July 2008	21.4 °C	1,699 mm	2
2007	30.8 °C6 March 2007	16.1 °C18 December 2007	21.4 °C	1,773 mm	6
2006	32.0 °C27 January 2006	16.4 °C9 December 2006	21.4 °C	2,193 mm	18
2005	33.1 °C23 February 2005	15.6 °C13 July 2005	21.9 °C	1,477 mm	22
2004	30.8 °C23 March 2004	15.9 °C6 September 2004	21.5 °C	1,777 mm	4
2003	31.7 °C8 March 2003	15.9 °C15 December 2003	21.7 °C	1,575 mm	21
2002	30.5 °C21 February 2002	16.2 °C8 January 2002	21.5 °C	1,977 mm	5
2001	30.7 °C28 February 2001	15.8 °C21 July 2001	21.1 °C	1,768 mm	2
2000	31.0 °C22 March 2000	15.4 °C27 January 2000	21.4 °C	1,533 mm	7
1999	31.8 °C26 February 1999	16.3 °C19 August 1999	21.2 °C	1,743 mm	15
1998	30.5 °C17 March 1998	16.7 °C20 December 1998	21.7 °C	1,779 mm	4
1997	32.2 °C13 March 1997	16.3 °C10 December 1997	21.6 °C	2,673 mm	19
1996	29.1 °C29 December 1996	16.0 °C12 October 1996	21.2 °C	1,925 mm	0
1995	30.0 °C22 February 1995	16.1 °C21 December 1995	21.3 °C	2,225 mm	1
1994	30.7 °C1 February 1994	15.3 °C4 July 1994	21.1 °C	2,252 mm	2
1993	30.0 °C30 December 1993	16.1 °C22 January 1993	21.2 °C	1,808 mm	1
1992	31.1 °C15 March 1992	15.9 °C21 November 1992	21.1 °C	1,976 mm	6
1991	30.5 °C20 March 1991	15.3 °C15 October 1991	21.0 °C	2,384 mm	2
1990	28.9 °C28 January 1990	15.4 °C10 January 1990	21.0 °C	2,462 mm	0
1989	30.4 °C28 February 1989	15.5 °C22 June 1989	20.8 °C	2,386 mm	2
1988	31.1 °C29 February 1988	15.5 °C19 July 1988	21.1 °C	2,220 mm	3
1987	30.1 °C22 March 1987	15.7 °C4 August 1987	21.3 °C	2,298 mm	2
1986	28.4 °C24 February 1986	14.8 °C4 August 1986	20.7 °C	2,639 mm	0
1985	31.3 °C15 March 1985	14.8 °C5 August 1985	20.5 °C	2,617 mm	4
1984	31.0 °C21 February 1984	15.1 °C18 December 1984	20.8 °C	2,044 mm	4
1983	30.0 °C24 February 1983	15.7 °C9 January 1983	21.1 °C	2,080 mm	1
1982	30.3 °C24 March 1982	15.6 °C25 October 1982	20.8 °C	2,283 mm	2
1981	31.7 °C2 March 1981	15.1 °C4 July 1981	20.9 °C	2,046 mm	5
1980	31.2 °C22 February 1980	14.8 °C10 August 1980	21.1 °C	1,834 mm	6
1979	29.3 °C6 March 1979	15.5 °C3 March 1979	20.8 °C	2,687 mm	0
1978	29.5 °C7 February 1978	14.8 °C9 September 1978	20.5 °C	2,910 mm	0
1977	28.7 °C29 September 1977	15.0 °C15 August 1977	20.6 °C	2,699 mm	0
1976	30.1 °C30 January 1976	15.3 °C4 January 1976	20.4 °C	2,590 mm	1
1975	29.4 °C19 February 1975	15.0 °C18 December 1975	20.4 °C	2,547 mm	0
1974	30.7 °C16 March 1974	14.9 °C20 July 1974	20.4 °C	2,479 mm	3
1973	30.1 °C2 February 1973	15.4 °C11 December 1973	20.8 °C	2,275 mm	2
1972	28.5 °C31 March 1972	15.1 °C4 January 1972	20.4 °C	3,227 mm	0
1971	30.4 °C5 March 1971	14.9 °C9 September 1971	20.1 °C	2,618 mm	2
1970	29.5 °C3 January 1970	15.1 °C2 February 1970	20.5 °C	2,315 mm	0
1969	29.0 °C2 October 1969	15.1 °C12 July 1969	20.8 °C	2,170 mm	0
1968	28.4 °C6 October 1968	15.0 °C21 December 1968	20.2 °C	2,832 mm	0
1967	29.7 °C27 February 1967	14.9 °C12 October 1967	20.4 °C	2,421 mm	0
1966	28.0 °C18 January 1966	15.1 °C2 January 1966	20.6 °C	2,638 mm	0
1965	29.8 °C27 February 1965	14.4 °C6 August 1965	20.5 °C	2,352 mm	0
1964	27.9 °C23 January 1964	14.2 °C31 August 1964	20.1 °C	3,077 mm	0
1963	28.4 °C23 March 1963	14.9 °C28 July 1963	20.0 °C	3,108 mm	0
1962	28.7 °C6 February 1962	14.9 °C28 June 1962	19.9 °C	2,910 mm	0
1961	31.6 °C21 January 1961	15.2 °C2 January 1961	20.5 °C	3,151 mm	3
1960	29.3 °C12 December 1960	15.5 °C10 September 1960	20.7 °C	2,801 mm	0
1959	30.0 °C17 March 1959	15.3 °C9 June 1959	20.8 °C	2,691 mm	1
1958	31.2 °C3 March 1958	15.0 °C7 August 1958	20.8 °C	2,566 mm	4
1957	28.7 °C17 February 1957	14.7 °C19 July 1957	20.5 °C	2,863 mm	0
1956	28.8 °C3 March 1956	15.0 °C23 July 1956	20.0 °C	2,342 mm	0
1955	27.3 °C3 April 1955	14.9 °C21 December 1955	20.1 °C	2,331 mm	0
1954	27.7 °C8 February 1954	15.2 °C2 July 1954	20.1 °C	1,879 mm	0
1953	27.5 °C16 February 1953	14.5 °C13 August 1953	19.9 °C	3,850 mm	0
1952	27.8 °C23 January 1952	15.6 °C17 November 1952	20.2 °C	2,854 mm	0
1951	28.0 °C2 March 1951	14.6 °C4 July 1951	20.0 °C	3,202 mm	0
1950	28.6 °C28 February 1950	14.5 °C19 July 1950	19.9 °C	2,369 mm	0
1949	28.9 °C23 March 1949	15.1 °C31 July 1949	20.3 °C	1,986 mm	0
1948	27.3 °C26 March 1948	15.0 °C9 January 1948	20.4 °C	2,645 mm	0
1947	28.2 °C6 October 1947	14.3 °C26 July 1947	20.3 °C	2,395 mm	0
1946	33.1 °C31 March 1946	15.2 °C22 November 1946	20.9 °C	1,541 mm	40
1945	29.2 °C21 March 1945	14.8 °C6 December 1945	20.6 °C	1,483 mm	0
1944	30.3 °C2 March 1944	14.6 °C6 July 1944	20.9 °C	1,726 mm	7
1943	31.4 °C18 February 1943	14.1 °C27 July 1943	20.9 °C	1,127 mm	13
1942	30.2 °C5 February 1942	14.8 °C12 January 1942	20.8 °C	1,205 mm	4
1941	30.7 °C26 March 1941	14.6 °C10 December 1941	20.6 °C	1,785 mm	1
1940	27.9 °C26 December 1940	14.4 °C11 January 1940	19.9 °C	2,382 mm	0

Normals computed over complete calendar years 1940–2025.

A specific year

Pick a year and see how it compares to normal — warmer, drier or more extreme than usual?

Year

Across the whole year

Average daily high

26.1 °C

+1.0 °C

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

22 d/yr

+16

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Annual rainfall

1873 mm

-344 mm

Month by month

	High	vs. normal	Precipitation	vs. normal
Jan	26.8 °C	+0.8 °C	88 mm	-49 mm
Feb	29.7 °C	+3.1 °C	19 mm	-113 mm
Mar	27.1 °C	+0.9 °C	276 mm	+36 mm
Apr	25.5 °C	+0.7 °C	262 mm	-50 mm
May	25.3 °C	+0.9 °C	203 mm	-43 mm
Jun	25.1 °C	+0.8 °C	85 mm	-36 mm
Jul	24.7 °C	+0.6 °C	101 mm	+3 mm
Aug	24.7 °C	+0.2 °C	159 mm	+48 mm
Sep	26.2 °C	+1.0 °C	71 mm	-57 mm
Oct	25.5 °C	+0.3 °C	224 mm	+15 mm
Nov	26.6 °C	+1.9 °C	114 mm	-160 mm
Dec	26.2 °C	+1.0 °C	272 mm	+63 mm

The year's extremes

Hottest day

32.3 °C

2 Mar 2025

Coldest day

16.3 °C

17 Aug 2025

Wettest day

63.5 mm

28 Dec 2025

Windiest day

25.1 km/h

20 Jan 2025

Strongest gust

41.0 km/h

20 Jan 2025

Hottest feels-like

34.6 °C

2 Mar 2025

Coldest feels-like

16.2 °C

15 Jan 2025

Sunniest day

11.9 h

24 Feb 2025

What was the weather like that day?

Your birthday, a wedding, a memorable trip: discover the actual weather for any date since 1940.

Date

Frequently asked questions

What is the climate of Mbale?

Mbale has a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 21.0 °C and it receives 2,217 mm of precipitation per year.

What is the hottest day ever recorded in Mbale?

The hottest day measured in Mbale between 1940 and 2025 was 31 March 1946, reaching 33.1 °C.

What is the coldest day in Mbale?

The coldest day measured in Mbale between 1940 and 2025 was 27 July 1943, at 14.1 °C.

Does it snow in Mbale?

Almost never: Mbale sees virtually no snow, with about 0 frost days per year.

Has the climate of Mbale warmed?

Yes: Mbale warmed by +1.8 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

What is the wettest day in Mbale?

The wettest day measured in Mbale between 1940 and 2025 was 27 March 1957, with 103 mm of rain in 24 hours.

What was the windiest day in Mbale?

The windiest day measured in Mbale between 1940 and 2025 was 4 March 2011, with winds reaching 28.5 km/h.

What is the warmest month in Mbale?

The warmest month in Mbale is February (21.7 °C on average); the coldest is July (20.3 °C).

How much does it rain in Mbale?

Mbale receives on average 2,217 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 273 rainy days.

Is it sunny in Mbale?

Mbale gets on average 10.8 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,942 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Are there tropical nights in Mbale?

Yes: Mbale has on average 4 tropical nights per year (temperature staying above 20 °C), over 1940-2025.

What was the most extreme apparent temperature in Mbale?

In Mbale, between 1940 and 2025, the highest apparent temperature reached 35.4 °C on 13 March 1997, and the lowest was 12.4 °C on 27 July 1943.

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