Bukavu climate
Bukavu (DR Congo) has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). The average temperature over the year is 20 °C68 °F, and about 1,705 mm67 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Bukavu climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2475 | 1661 | 2068 | 1606.3 |
| Feb | 2577 | 1661 | 2069 | 1415.5 |
| Mar | 2576 | 1661 | 2069 | 1977.7 |
| Apr | 2475 | 1661 | 2068 | 1817.1 |
| May | 2474 | 1560 | 1967 | 1124.4 |
| Jun | 2474 | 1457 | 1966 | 522.0 |
| Jul | 2475 | 1356 | 1966 | 311.2 |
| Aug | 2577 | 1558 | 2068 | 732.9 |
| Sep | 2576 | 1661 | 2069 | 1275.0 |
| Oct | 2476 | 1661 | 2068 | 1887.4 |
| Nov | 2474 | 1661 | 2068 | 26410 |
| Dec | 2475 | 1661 | 2068 | 1797.1 |
| Year | 2577 | 1356 | 2068 | 1,70567 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80% | 90% | 4.6 | 12:15 |
| Feb | 77% | 88% | 5.0 | 12:12 |
| Mar | 79% | 88% | 5.1 | 12:08 |
| Apr | 83% | 90% | 5.0 | 12:03 |
| May | 83% | 82% | 5.0 | 12:00 |
| Jun | 78% | 71% | 4.7 | 11:59 |
| Jul | 73% | 68% | 4.8 | 11:59 |
| Aug | 71% | 78% | 4.7 | 12:02 |
| Sep | 74% | 86% | 4.8 | 12:06 |
| Oct | 78% | 90% | 4.8 | 12:10 |
| Nov | 81% | 91% | 4.5 | 12:14 |
| Dec | 80% | 90% | 4.5 | 12:16 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Bukavu is like
The warmest month is February, with an average high of 25 °C77 °F and a low of 16 °C61 °F. The coldest is July, when highs average 24 °C75 °F and lows 13 °C56 °F. Temperatures barely change through the year: the warmest and the coolest month differ by only 1.7 °C3.1 °F.
It is wet, with about 1,705 mm67 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is October–December, which brings 37% of the annual total. The wettest month is November (264 mm10 in), the driest is July (31 mm1.2 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 71% in August to 83% in May. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 68%) are typical of July. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 3 km/h (2 mph) in December to 4 km/h (3 mph) in August.
Best time to visit Bukavu
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are June–August. Average highs then reach 24 °C74 °F to 25 °C77 °F. Precipitation is 31 mm1.2 in to 73 mm2.9 in per month.
The most challenging month is November, which is very wet (264 mm10 in).
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Bukavu
- Wetter months (October–January, March and April) — highs 2474 to 25 °C76 °F, lows around 16 °C61 °F, about 195 mm7.7 in of precipitation a month. Pack light layers — T-shirts plus a light sweater or jacket and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Drier months (February, May–September) — highs 2474 to 25 °C77 °F, lows 1356 to 16 °C61 °F, about 89 mm3.5 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses.
How Bukavu compares
The nearest larger place is Kigali, about 148 km to the northeast. Compared with it, Bukavu is on average 0.5 °C0.9 °F cooler. It receives 32% more precipitation (1,705 mm67 in vs 1,291 mm51 in). The difference is largest in August (0.9 °C1.6 °F cooler).
World Climates covers 36 places in the DR Congo. By annual mean temperature, Bukavu is the 35th warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 4th wettest. See all of them on the DR Congo climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Kigali (Rwanda, Aw), Gisenyi (Rwanda, Am) and Kisii (Kenya, Af).
Nearby places
- Climate in Gisenyi 99 km · 21 °C70 °F · 1,692 mm67 in
- Climate in Bujumbura 115 km · 26 °C78 °F · 1,808 mm71 in
- Climate in Kigali 148 km · 20 °C68 °F · 1,291 mm51 in
- Climate in Gitega 159 km · 19 °C66 °F · 1,339 mm53 in
- Climate in Nyagatare 211 km · 21 °C71 °F · 1,137 mm45 in
- Climate in Kasulu 271 km · 22 °C71 °F · 1,167 mm46 in
- Climate in Kigoma 279 km · 26 °C79 °F · 1,183 mm47 in
- Climate in Mbarara 290 km · 21 °C70 °F · 1,092 mm43 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Bukavu?
February is the warmest month in Bukavu. Its average high is 25 °C (77 °F) and its average low is 16 °C (61 °F).
What is the coldest month in Bukavu?
July is the coldest month. Its average high is 24 °C (75 °F) and its average low is 13 °C (56 °F).
When does it rain the most in Bukavu?
November is the wettest month with about 264 mm (10.4 in) of precipitation. July is the driest with about 31 mm (1.2 in).
What is the best time to visit Bukavu?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are June–August.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.
The grid cell’s average elevation is 1,872 m, while Bukavu lies at about 1,631 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +1.6 °C2.8 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.