Gulu climate
Gulu (Uganda) has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). The average temperature over the year is 25 °C76 °F, and about 1,084 mm43 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Gulu climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3493 | 1966 | 2680 | 130.5 |
| Feb | 3696 | 2069 | 2882 | 130.5 |
| Mar | 3594 | 2169 | 2882 | 512.0 |
| Apr | 3289 | 2067 | 2678 | 1204.7 |
| May | 2984 | 1966 | 2475 | 1375.4 |
| Jun | 2882 | 1865 | 2374 | 973.8 |
| Jul | 2781 | 1864 | 2373 | 1024.0 |
| Aug | 2882 | 1864 | 2373 | 1355.3 |
| Sep | 2984 | 1865 | 2474 | 1385.4 |
| Oct | 2985 | 1965 | 2475 | 1526.0 |
| Nov | 3086 | 1864 | 2475 | 793.1 |
| Dec | 3289 | 1864 | 2577 | 451.8 |
| Year | 3696 | 1864 | 2576 | 1,08443 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40% | 58% | 6.2 | 11:59 |
| Feb | 36% | 68% | 6.3 | 12:02 |
| Mar | 46% | 79% | 6.1 | 12:06 |
| Apr | 61% | 82% | 5.9 | 12:10 |
| May | 72% | 74% | 5.8 | 12:15 |
| Jun | 71% | 72% | 5.3 | 12:17 |
| Jul | 71% | 73% | 5.2 | 12:16 |
| Aug | 73% | 73% | 5.6 | 12:12 |
| Sep | 70% | 70% | 6.1 | 12:08 |
| Oct | 69% | 77% | 6.1 | 12:03 |
| Nov | 66% | 73% | 5.9 | 11:59 |
| Dec | 52% | 58% | 6.0 | 11:58 |
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 Gulu is like
The warmest month is February, with an average high of 36 °C96 °F and a low of 20 °C69 °F. The coldest is July, when highs average 27 °C81 °F and lows 18 °C64 °F. Seasonal differences are small — just 5.3 °C9.6 °F between the warmest and the coolest month.
It is wet, with about 1,084 mm43 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is August–October, which brings 39% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: January and February. The wettest month is October (152 mm6.0 in), the driest is January (13 mm0.5 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 36% in February to 73% in August. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 58%) are typical of January. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 4 km/h (3 mph) in June to 11 km/h (7 mph) in February.
Best time to visit Gulu
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are June and July and November. Average highs then reach 27 °C81 °F to 30 °C86 °F. Precipitation is 79 mm3.1 in to 102 mm4.0 in per month.
The most challenging month is February, which is hot, with average highs of 36 °C96 °F.
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 Gulu
- Wetter months (April–October) — highs 2781 to 32 °C89 °F, lows 1864 to 20 °C67 °F, about 126 mm5.0 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Drier months (November–March) — highs 3086 to 36 °C96 °F, lows 1864 to 21 °C69 °F, about 41 mm1.6 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water.
How Gulu compares
The nearest larger place is Yei, about 232 km to the northwest. Compared with it, Gulu is on average 0.9 °C1.6 °F cooler. It receives 7% less precipitation (1,084 mm43 in vs 1,164 mm46 in). The difference is largest in May (1.3 °C2.4 °F cooler).
World Climates covers 15 places in Uganda. By annual mean temperature, Gulu is the 2nd warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 12th wettest. See all of them on the Uganda climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Yei (South Sudan, Aw), Arba Minch (Ethiopia, Aw) and Bakwa (DR Congo, Aw).
Nearby places
- Climate in Lira 89 km · 25 °C77 °F · 953 mm38 in
- Climate in Masindi 138 km · 23 °C74 °F · 1,049 mm41 in
- Climate in Hoima 183 km · 24 °C75 °F · 1,063 mm42 in
- Climate in Yei 232 km · 26 °C78 °F · 1,164 mm46 in
- Climate in Juba 244 km · 28 °C83 °F · 936 mm37 in
- Climate in Mityana 264 km · 22 °C71 °F · 1,330 mm52 in
- Climate in Bunia 265 km · 22 °C71 °F · 1,128 mm44 in
- Climate in Mubende 266 km · 21 °C70 °F · 1,251 mm49 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Gulu?
February is the warmest month in Gulu. Its average high is 36 °C (96 °F) and its average low is 20 °C (69 °F).
What is the coldest month in Gulu?
July is the coldest month. Its average high is 27 °C (81 °F) and its average low is 18 °C (64 °F).
When does it rain the most in Gulu?
October is the wettest month with about 152 mm (6.0 in) of precipitation. January is the driest with about 13 mm (0.5 in).
What is the best time to visit Gulu?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are June and July and November.
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 954 m, while Gulu lies at about 1,104 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by −1 °C1.8 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.