Zanzibar climate — normals and trends

Q: What is the climate of Zanzibar?

Zanzibar has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 26.2 °C and it receives 969 mm of precipitation per year.

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

The hottest day measured in Zanzibar between 1940 and 2025 was 27 March 1941, reaching 33.5 °C.

Q: What is the coldest day in Zanzibar?

The coldest day measured in Zanzibar between 1940 and 2025 was 31 July 1975, at 20.3 °C.

Q: Does it snow in Zanzibar?

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

Q: Has the climate of Zanzibar warmed?

Yes: Zanzibar warmed by +1.1 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

Q: What is the wettest day in Zanzibar?

The wettest day measured in Zanzibar between 1940 and 2025 was 27 April 2016, with 106 mm of rain in 24 hours.

Q: What was the windiest day in Zanzibar?

The windiest day measured in Zanzibar between 1940 and 2025 was 13 March 1941, with winds reaching 39.9 km/h.

Q: What is the warmest month in Zanzibar?

The warmest month in Zanzibar is February (27.8 °C on average); the coldest is July (24.5 °C).

Q: How much does it rain in Zanzibar?

Zanzibar receives on average 969 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 192 rainy days.

Q: Is it sunny in Zanzibar?

Zanzibar gets on average 10.9 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,979 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Zanzibar (Tanzania) has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) under the Köppen-Geiger classification. Its mean annual temperature is 26.2 °C and it receives 969 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 (27.8 °C on average) and the coldest is July (24.5 °C). Rainfall peaks in April.

Zanzibar averages 0 frost days, 62 hot days (≥ 30 °C) and 192 rainy days per year.

Zanzibar has warmed by +1.1 °C between 1940 and 2025, or +0.13 °C per decade. This trend is statistically significant.

The hottest day of the period reached 33.5 °C (on 27 March 1941) and the coldest 20.3 °C (on 31 July 1975).

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

ZanzibarZanzibar Urban/West

coords: -6.16°, 39.20°
period: 1940–2025 · 86 yrs

AwTropical savannaWarmest monthFebruaryColdest monthJulyWettest monthAprilDriest monthSeptember

Mean daily temperature

26.2°C

Average daily high

28.5°C

Average daily low

24.5°C

Annual rainfall

969mm

Sunshine / day

10.9h

Mean relative humidity

79%

Average peak wind

18.7km/h

Seasonal range

3.3°C

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

62 d/yr

Rainy days (≥ 1 mm)

192 d/yr

Annual snowfall

0.0 cm

Average feels-like high

32.6 °C

Average feels-like low

27.8 °C

Average peak gust

31.2 km/h

Tropical nights (≥ 20 °C)

365 d/yr

Solar radiation

19.6 MJ/m²

Has the climate changed?

One stripe per year, 1940 to 2025

+1.1 °C

since 1940

+0.1 °C per decade · r² = 0.66 · 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

33.5 °C

27 March 1941

Coldest day

20.3 °C

31 July 1975

Wettest day

106 mm

27 April 2016

Windiest day

39.9 km/h

13 March 1941

Strongest gust

63.0 km/h

13 March 1941

Hottest feels-like

41.1 °C

9 March 2024

Coldest feels-like

19.7 °C

12 June 1994

Sunniest day

12.4 h

23 December 1940

Year	Hottest day	Coldest day	Annual mean	Rainfall	Hot days
2025	33.3 °C16 March 2025	21.7 °C28 August 2025	26.8 °C	1,033 mm	125
2024	33.0 °C27 February 2024	22.4 °C22 July 2024	27.2 °C	1,501 mm	140
2023	32.9 °C18 March 2023	22.7 °C9 July 2023	27.0 °C	1,273 mm	111
2022	33.4 °C8 April 2022	21.3 °C6 August 2022	26.7 °C	616 mm	123
2021	32.0 °C23 March 2021	21.6 °C26 August 2021	26.7 °C	739 mm	104
2020	32.9 °C1 March 2020	21.9 °C24 July 2020	26.9 °C	1,203 mm	108
2019	33.0 °C2 March 2019	22.0 °C24 July 2019	27.0 °C	1,259 mm	112
2018	31.9 °C27 February 2018	21.8 °C7 August 2018	26.6 °C	1,222 mm	84
2017	33.1 °C7 March 2017	22.3 °C14 July 2017	26.8 °C	1,049 mm	111
2016	32.9 °C20 March 2016	21.5 °C14 July 2016	26.9 °C	685 mm	133
2015	32.2 °C14 March 2015	22.2 °C21 August 2015	26.9 °C	829 mm	106
2014	32.0 °C29 November 2014	22.1 °C13 July 2014	26.6 °C	853 mm	79
2013	32.0 °C10 January 2013	21.7 °C10 July 2013	26.6 °C	783 mm	97
2012	32.1 °C2 April 2012	21.7 °C23 July 2012	26.7 °C	756 mm	96
2011	31.9 °C12 February 2011	21.9 °C13 August 2011	26.7 °C	848 mm	91
2010	32.2 °C25 February 2010	22.2 °C16 August 2010	26.8 °C	764 mm	94
2009	32.2 °C9 April 2009	22.0 °C25 July 2009	26.8 °C	631 mm	102
2008	31.6 °C25 March 2008	21.4 °C29 June 2008	26.3 °C	751 mm	56
2007	32.5 °C27 February 2007	21.9 °C24 August 2007	26.6 °C	785 mm	78
2006	32.5 °C15 January 2006	21.8 °C19 August 2006	26.3 °C	1,349 mm	53
2005	32.1 °C2 March 2005	21.5 °C8 July 2005	26.5 °C	727 mm	77
2004	32.1 °C15 February 2004	21.8 °C18 August 2004	26.5 °C	772 mm	77
2003	32.5 °C18 March 2003	21.3 °C15 August 2003	26.7 °C	436 mm	130
2002	31.4 °C29 November 2002	21.9 °C21 August 2002	26.3 °C	921 mm	64
2001	31.8 °C13 March 2001	21.9 °C27 August 2001	26.4 °C	603 mm	73
2000	32.7 °C1 March 2000	21.5 °C7 August 2000	26.2 °C	621 mm	48
1999	31.7 °C14 February 1999	21.9 °C11 August 1999	26.0 °C	913 mm	56
1998	32.6 °C21 March 1998	22.3 °C6 August 1998	26.5 °C	1,111 mm	78
1997	31.5 °C14 March 1997	20.9 °C27 July 1997	26.1 °C	1,274 mm	34
1996	31.5 °C16 February 1996	21.1 °C7 August 1996	26.0 °C	872 mm	62
1995	31.3 °C25 February 1995	21.6 °C2 July 1995	26.3 °C	877 mm	48
1994	31.3 °C1 January 1994	21.1 °C16 July 1994	26.2 °C	948 mm	69
1993	31.7 °C11 March 1993	21.0 °C27 July 1993	26.1 °C	755 mm	46
1992	32.1 °C31 March 1992	20.9 °C11 August 1992	26.0 °C	811 mm	40
1991	32.4 °C22 March 1991	21.4 °C3 August 1991	26.3 °C	768 mm	85
1990	31.4 °C4 February 1990	21.2 °C11 July 1990	26.2 °C	845 mm	55
1989	30.9 °C10 March 1989	21.2 °C19 July 1989	25.9 °C	977 mm	37
1988	33.3 °C17 March 1988	21.7 °C29 September 1988	26.6 °C	785 mm	85
1987	32.6 °C14 March 1987	21.7 °C13 July 1987	26.6 °C	703 mm	118
1986	31.0 °C2 February 1986	21.0 °C19 July 1986	25.9 °C	994 mm	44
1985	31.9 °C16 February 1985	21.0 °C20 August 1985	25.8 °C	928 mm	28
1984	31.3 °C9 March 1984	21.1 °C7 September 1984	25.7 °C	975 mm	27
1983	31.9 °C7 March 1983	21.8 °C16 July 1983	26.4 °C	773 mm	77
1982	31.5 °C27 March 1982	21.3 °C17 July 1982	26.1 °C	1,214 mm	55
1981	31.7 °C25 February 1981	21.8 °C1 July 1981	26.2 °C	909 mm	68
1980	32.1 °C19 March 1980	21.5 °C15 August 1980	26.3 °C	735 mm	50
1979	31.7 °C4 March 1979	21.0 °C6 July 1979	26.0 °C	1,217 mm	50
1978	32.5 °C13 March 1978	21.7 °C1 August 1978	26.1 °C	1,200 mm	35
1977	31.1 °C13 March 1977	21.0 °C8 August 1977	26.1 °C	1,359 mm	35
1976	31.2 °C30 December 1976	21.3 °C8 August 1976	26.1 °C	979 mm	47
1975	31.9 °C16 March 1975	20.3 °C31 July 1975	26.0 °C	911 mm	54
1974	30.8 °C16 February 1974	21.0 °C21 August 1974	25.9 °C	908 mm	38
1973	31.6 °C8 March 1973	21.9 °C18 July 1973	26.2 °C	961 mm	62
1972	31.5 °C4 February 1972	21.7 °C27 June 1972	26.1 °C	1,124 mm	40
1971	31.6 °C17 December 1971	21.2 °C4 August 1971	25.8 °C	1,082 mm	39
1970	32.1 °C24 March 1970	21.7 °C18 September 1970	26.3 °C	833 mm	78
1969	31.7 °C23 March 1969	21.4 °C12 August 1969	26.3 °C	772 mm	69
1968	31.3 °C14 March 1968	20.8 °C12 August 1968	25.7 °C	1,220 mm	15
1967	32.3 °C22 March 1967	21.7 °C2 September 1967	26.0 °C	1,121 mm	43
1966	32.2 °C14 March 1966	21.5 °C7 August 1966	26.0 °C	1,042 mm	46
1965	31.5 °C21 March 1965	20.8 °C27 June 1965	25.8 °C	1,009 mm	26
1964	31.8 °C24 February 1964	21.0 °C11 August 1964	25.9 °C	927 mm	41
1963	31.8 °C14 February 1963	20.9 °C21 August 1963	25.7 °C	1,498 mm	42
1962	31.4 °C28 March 1962	21.3 °C2 August 1962	26.0 °C	882 mm	30
1961	32.0 °C24 January 1961	21.8 °C22 July 1961	26.2 °C	1,515 mm	55
1960	31.7 °C25 February 1960	21.1 °C13 August 1960	25.9 °C	1,160 mm	41
1959	32.1 °C14 February 1959	21.0 °C9 August 1959	26.3 °C	1,027 mm	95
1958	32.3 °C13 March 1958	21.2 °C14 August 1958	26.3 °C	770 mm	68
1957	31.3 °C18 March 1957	21.2 °C20 July 1957	25.8 °C	1,327 mm	21
1956	31.8 °C27 March 1956	20.9 °C15 July 1956	25.7 °C	803 mm	37
1955	31.3 °C3 December 1955	21.1 °C11 August 1955	25.8 °C	737 mm	35
1954	30.6 °C8 February 1954	21.2 °C31 August 1954	25.9 °C	731 mm	17
1953	30.4 °C4 November 1953	21.3 °C11 August 1953	25.5 °C	2,016 mm	1
1952	31.8 °C24 March 1952	21.4 °C29 August 1952	25.7 °C	1,273 mm	22
1951	31.0 °C20 February 1951	21.3 °C25 July 1951	25.6 °C	1,493 mm	24
1950	30.8 °C6 February 1950	21.2 °C18 August 1950	25.6 °C	1,144 mm	27
1949	30.8 °C10 March 1949	21.3 °C1 August 1949	25.8 °C	1,041 mm	25
1948	30.3 °C20 March 1948	21.7 °C20 August 1948	25.7 °C	1,310 mm	6
1947	31.0 °C15 February 1947	21.2 °C1 August 1947	25.5 °C	1,432 mm	22
1946	32.2 °C31 March 1946	21.8 °C27 July 1946	26.2 °C	562 mm	85
1945	31.1 °C25 January 1945	21.2 °C30 July 1945	25.6 °C	1,079 mm	27
1944	32.0 °C24 February 1944	20.6 °C5 July 1944	25.9 °C	687 mm	77
1943	31.6 °C28 March 1943	21.2 °C18 July 1943	25.9 °C	617 mm	60
1942	31.7 °C22 March 1942	21.3 °C27 July 1942	26.0 °C	652 mm	72
1941	33.5 °C27 March 1941	21.8 °C31 July 1941	26.2 °C	891 mm	80
1940	30.8 °C23 March 1940	22.1 °C16 July 1940	26.0 °C	849 mm	28

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

29.1 °C

+0.6 °C

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

125 d/yr

+63

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Annual rainfall

1033 mm

+64 mm

Month by month

	High	vs. normal	Precipitation	vs. normal
Jan	30.3 °C	+0.8 °C	33 mm	-25 mm
Feb	30.5 °C	+0.5 °C	17 mm	-31 mm
Mar	31.1 °C	+1.1 °C	127 mm	+3 mm
Apr	28.9 °C	+0.3 °C	346 mm	+126 mm
May	28.4 °C	+0.6 °C	185 mm	+45 mm
Jun	27.7 °C	+0.3 °C	71 mm	+32 mm
Jul	27.5 °C	+0.5 °C	25 mm	-4 mm
Aug	27.6 °C	+0.4 °C	21 mm	-7 mm
Sep	28.5 °C	+0.6 °C	19 mm	-6 mm
Oct	28.9 °C	+0.3 °C	62 mm	+6 mm
Nov	30.1 °C	+1.1 °C	52 mm	-44 mm
Dec	30.5 °C	+1.1 °C	77 mm	-30 mm

The year's extremes

Hottest day

33.3 °C

16 Mar 2025

Coldest day

21.7 °C

28 Aug 2025

Wettest day

72.2 mm

14 Apr 2025

Windiest day

34.2 km/h

14 Jan 2025

Strongest gust

55.8 km/h

14 Jan 2025

Hottest feels-like

39.7 °C

25 Mar 2025

Coldest feels-like

23.4 °C

4 Aug 2025

Sunniest day

12.3 h

26 Dec 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 Zanzibar?

Zanzibar has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 26.2 °C and it receives 969 mm of precipitation per year.

What is the hottest day ever recorded in Zanzibar?

The hottest day measured in Zanzibar between 1940 and 2025 was 27 March 1941, reaching 33.5 °C.

What is the coldest day in Zanzibar?

The coldest day measured in Zanzibar between 1940 and 2025 was 31 July 1975, at 20.3 °C.

Does it snow in Zanzibar?

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

Has the climate of Zanzibar warmed?

Yes: Zanzibar warmed by +1.1 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

What is the wettest day in Zanzibar?

The wettest day measured in Zanzibar between 1940 and 2025 was 27 April 2016, with 106 mm of rain in 24 hours.

What was the windiest day in Zanzibar?

The windiest day measured in Zanzibar between 1940 and 2025 was 13 March 1941, with winds reaching 39.9 km/h.

What is the warmest month in Zanzibar?

The warmest month in Zanzibar is February (27.8 °C on average); the coldest is July (24.5 °C).

How much does it rain in Zanzibar?

Zanzibar receives on average 969 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 192 rainy days.

Is it sunny in Zanzibar?

Zanzibar gets on average 10.9 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,979 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Are there tropical nights in Zanzibar?

Yes: Zanzibar has on average 365 tropical nights per year (temperature staying above 20 °C), over 1940-2025.

What was the most extreme apparent temperature in Zanzibar?

In Zanzibar, between 1940 and 2025, the highest apparent temperature reached 41.1 °C on 9 March 2024, and the lowest was 19.7 °C on 12 June 1994.

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