Dili climate
Dili (Timor Leste) has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). The average temperature over the year is 29 °C84 °F, and about 925 mm36 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Dili climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3086 | 2780 | 2883 | 2439.6 |
| Feb | 3085 | 2780 | 2882 | 2038.0 |
| Mar | 3086 | 2780 | 2883 | 1204.7 |
| Apr | 3188 | 2680 | 2984 | 542.1 |
| May | 3188 | 2678 | 2883 | 331.3 |
| Jun | 3188 | 2476 | 2882 | 210.8 |
| Jul | 3188 | 2374 | 2781 | 80.3 |
| Aug | 3289 | 2374 | 2781 | 40.2 |
| Sep | 3392 | 2476 | 2984 | 40.2 |
| Oct | 3494 | 2679 | 3086 | 130.5 |
| Nov | 3493 | 2882 | 3187 | 542.1 |
| Dec | 3289 | 2781 | 2985 | 1676.6 |
| Year | 3494 | 2374 | 2984 | 92536 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82% | 86% | 5.3 | 12:34 |
| Feb | 84% | 83% | 5.5 | 12:23 |
| Mar | 81% | 77% | 5.5 | 12:10 |
| Apr | 75% | 65% | 5.6 | 11:55 |
| May | 74% | 62% | 5.1 | 11:44 |
| Jun | 71% | 57% | 4.8 | 11:38 |
| Jul | 69% | 50% | 5.1 | 11:40 |
| Aug | 65% | 43% | 6.0 | 11:50 |
| Sep | 62% | 42% | 6.6 | 12:04 |
| Oct | 61% | 47% | 6.8 | 12:19 |
| Nov | 64% | 61% | 6.5 | 12:31 |
| Dec | 76% | 83% | 5.5 | 12:37 |
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 Dili is like
The warmest month is November, with an average high of 34 °C93 °F and a low of 28 °C82 °F. The coldest is July, when highs average 31 °C88 °F and lows 23 °C74 °F. Seasonal differences are small — just 3.6 °C6.6 °F between the warmest and the coolest month.
Annual precipitation is moderate at about 925 mm36 in. The wettest three-month stretch is December–February, which brings 66% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: July–October. The wettest month is January (243 mm9.6 in), the driest is August (4 mm0.2 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 61% in October to 84% in February. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 42%) are typical of September. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 8 km/h (5 mph) in November to 13 km/h (8 mph) in July.
Best time to visit Dili
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are April–August. Average highs then reach 31 °C88 °F to 32 °C89 °F. Precipitation is 4 mm0.2 in to 54 mm2.1 in per month.
The most challenging month is January, which is hot, with average highs of 30 °C86 °F, very wet (243 mm9.6 in) and humid (82% relative humidity).
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 Dili
- Wetter months (December–March) — highs 3085 to 32 °C89 °F, lows around 27 °C80 °F, about 183 mm7.2 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Drier months (April–November) — highs 3188 to 34 °C94 °F, lows 2374 to 28 °C82 °F, about 24 mm0.9 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water.
How Dili compares
The nearest larger place is Kupang, about 281 km to the southwest. Compared with it, Dili is on average 1.1 °C1.9 °F warmer. It receives 28% less precipitation (925 mm36 in vs 1,289 mm51 in). The difference is largest in April (1.4 °C2.4 °F warmer).
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall (with seasons shifted for the other hemisphere). The closest matches are Kupang (Indonesia, Aw), Bima (Indonesia, Aw) and Pathein (Myanmar, BSh).
Nearby places
- Climate in Kupang 281 km · 28 °C82 °F · 1,289 mm51 in
- Climate in Baubau 475 km · 28 °C82 °F · 1,768 mm70 in
- Climate in Kendari 611 km · 27 °C81 °F · 2,151 mm85 in
- Climate in Ambon 613 km · 27 °C80 °F · 2,655 mm105 in
- Climate in Labuan Bajo 625 km · 27 °C81 °F · 2,202 mm87 in
- Climate in Darwin 721 km · 28 °C82 °F · 1,654 mm65 in
- Climate in Watampone 732 km · 28 °C82 °F · 1,642 mm65 in
- Climate in Bima 753 km · 28 °C83 °F · 1,203 mm47 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Dili?
November is the warmest month in Dili. Its average high is 34 °C (93 °F) and its average low is 28 °C (82 °F).
What is the coldest month in Dili?
July is the coldest month. Its average high is 31 °C (88 °F) and its average low is 23 °C (74 °F).
When does it rain the most in Dili?
January is the wettest month with about 243 mm (9.6 in) of precipitation. August is the driest with about 4 mm (0.2 in).
What is the best time to visit Dili?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are April–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 256 m, while Dili lies at about 3 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +1.6 °C3 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.