Kenema climate
Kenema (Sierra Leone) has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). The average temperature over the year is 26 °C79 °F, and about 1,933 mm76 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Kenema climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3391 | 1967 | 2679 | 10.0 |
| Feb | 3493 | 2271 | 2882 | 70.3 |
| Mar | 3494 | 2374 | 2984 | 160.6 |
| Apr | 3493 | 2475 | 2984 | 451.8 |
| May | 3289 | 2374 | 2882 | 1164.6 |
| Jun | 3085 | 2272 | 2679 | 29812 |
| Jul | 2882 | 2170 | 2576 | 40116 |
| Aug | 2781 | 2170 | 2476 | 45718 |
| Sep | 2882 | 2271 | 2577 | 35514 |
| Oct | 2984 | 2272 | 2678 | 1777.0 |
| Nov | 3086 | 2272 | 2679 | 522.0 |
| Dec | 3188 | 2068 | 2678 | 70.3 |
| Year | 3494 | 1967 | 2679 | 1,93376 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62% | 40% | 5.0 | 11:43 |
| Feb | 64% | 46% | 5.2 | 11:52 |
| Mar | 66% | 55% | 5.3 | 12:04 |
| Apr | 69% | 65% | 5.2 | 12:17 |
| May | 77% | 77% | 4.8 | 12:29 |
| Jun | 84% | 82% | 4.2 | 12:35 |
| Jul | 88% | 87% | 3.8 | 12:32 |
| Aug | 90% | 90% | 3.7 | 12:22 |
| Sep | 89% | 88% | 4.2 | 12:09 |
| Oct | 87% | 78% | 4.8 | 11:56 |
| Nov | 82% | 68% | 4.6 | 11:45 |
| Dec | 71% | 48% | 4.6 | 11:40 |
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 Kenema is like
The warmest month is April, with an average high of 34 °C93 °F and a low of 24 °C75 °F. The coldest is August, when highs average 27 °C81 °F and lows 21 °C70 °F. Seasonal differences are small — just 4.5 °C8.1 °F between the warmest and the coolest month.
It is wet, with about 1,933 mm76 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is July–September, which brings 63% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: December–March. The wettest month is August (457 mm18 in), the driest is January (1 mm0.0 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 62% in January to 90% in August. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 40%) are typical of January. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 4 km/h (2 mph) in November to 8 km/h (5 mph) in August.
Best time to visit Kenema
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are November and December. Average highs then reach 30 °C86 °F to 31 °C88 °F. Precipitation is 7 mm0.3 in to 52 mm2.0 in per month.
The most challenging month is August, which is very wet (457 mm18 in) and humid (90% 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 Kenema
- Wetter months (June–October) — highs 2781 to 30 °C85 °F, lows 2170 to 22 °C72 °F, about 338 mm13 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and a good rain jacket or umbrella and quick-drying shoes.
- Drier months (November–May) — highs 3086 to 34 °C94 °F, lows 1967 to 24 °C75 °F, about 35 mm1.4 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water.
How Kenema compares
The nearest larger place is Monrovia, about 181 km to the south. Compared with it, Kenema is on average 0.4 °C0.6 °F cooler. It receives 13% more precipitation (1,933 mm76 in vs 1,718 mm68 in). The difference is largest in December (1.3 °C2.3 °F cooler).
World Climates covers 4 places in Sierra Leone. By annual mean temperature, Kenema is the 3rd warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 4th wettest. See all of them on the Sierra Leone climate page.
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 Palmas (Brazil, Aw), Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa (Guatemala, Aw) and Udupi (India, Am).
Nearby places
- Climate in Bo 61 km · 26 °C80 °F · 1,938 mm76 in
- Climate in Koidu 89 km · 26 °C78 °F · 2,024 mm80 in
- Climate in Monrovia 181 km · 27 °C80 °F · 1,718 mm68 in
- Climate in Kissidougou 188 km · 25 °C76 °F · 1,744 mm69 in
- Climate in Freetown 235 km · 26 °C79 °F · 2,570 mm101 in
- Climate in Nzérékoré 262 km · 25 °C76 °F · 1,954 mm77 in
- Climate in Kindia 304 km · 25 °C78 °F · 2,847 mm112 in
- Climate in Manéah 320 km · 27 °C81 °F · 2,941 mm116 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Kenema?
April is the warmest month in Kenema. Its average high is 34 °C (93 °F) and its average low is 24 °C (75 °F).
What is the coldest month in Kenema?
August is the coldest month. Its average high is 27 °C (81 °F) and its average low is 21 °C (70 °F).
When does it rain the most in Kenema?
August is the wettest month with about 457 mm (18.0 in) of precipitation. January is the driest with about 1 mm (0.0 in).
What is the best time to visit Kenema?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are November and December.
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.