Matadi climate
Matadi (DR Congo) has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). The average temperature over the year is 26 °C79 °F, and about 1,094 mm43 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Matadi climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3187 | 2272 | 2780 | 1094.3 |
| Feb | 3189 | 2373 | 2781 | 1144.5 |
| Mar | 3188 | 2373 | 2781 | 1676.6 |
| Apr | 3086 | 2373 | 2780 | 1646.5 |
| May | 3187 | 2272 | 2679 | 1074.2 |
| Jun | 3189 | 1967 | 2578 | 70.3 |
| Jul | 3289 | 1865 | 2577 | 00.0 |
| Aug | 3290 | 1966 | 2678 | 60.2 |
| Sep | 3392 | 2169 | 2781 | 240.9 |
| Oct | 3391 | 2271 | 2781 | 993.9 |
| Nov | 3087 | 2272 | 2679 | 1546.1 |
| Dec | 3086 | 2272 | 2679 | 1445.7 |
| Year | 3392 | 1865 | 2679 | 1,09443 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82% | 85% | 4.6 | 12:25 |
| Feb | 81% | 84% | 4.8 | 12:18 |
| Mar | 82% | 81% | 5.1 | 12:09 |
| Apr | 86% | 83% | 4.6 | 11:59 |
| May | 83% | 75% | 3.8 | 11:51 |
| Jun | 73% | 69% | 3.4 | 11:47 |
| Jul | 69% | 67% | 3.4 | 11:49 |
| Aug | 67% | 71% | 3.4 | 11:55 |
| Sep | 66% | 73% | 3.4 | 12:05 |
| Oct | 73% | 82% | 3.5 | 12:15 |
| Nov | 83% | 84% | 4.3 | 12:23 |
| Dec | 83% | 87% | 4.2 | 12:28 |
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 Matadi is like
The warmest month is October, with an average high of 33 °C91 °F and a low of 22 °C71 °F. The coldest is July, when highs average 32 °C89 °F and lows 18 °C65 °F. Temperatures barely change through the year: the warmest and the coolest month differ by only 2.3 °C4.2 °F.
It is wet, with about 1,094 mm43 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is February–April, which brings 41% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: June–August. The wettest month is March (167 mm6.6 in), the driest is July (0 mm0.0 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 66% in September to 86% in April. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 67%) are typical of July. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 1 km/h (1 mph) in April to 3 km/h (2 mph) in September.
Best time to visit Matadi
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are June–August: average highs of 31 °C89 °F to 32 °C90 °F with 0 mm0.0 in to 7 mm0.3 in of precipitation per month.
The most challenging month is March, which is hot, with average highs of 31 °C88 °F, very wet (167 mm6.6 in) and humid (82% relative humidity).
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to 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 Matadi
- Wetter months (October–May) — highs 3086 to 33 °C91 °F, lows 2271 to 23 °C73 °F, about 132 mm5.2 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 (June–September) — highs 3189 to 33 °C92 °F, lows 1865 to 21 °C69 °F, about 9 mm0.4 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water.
How Matadi compares
Compared with Cabinda, about 144 km to the west, Matadi has practically the same average temperature and receives a similar amount of precipitation. The difference is largest in August (1.1 °C2 °F warmer).
Of the 36 places in the DR Congo covered by World Climates, Matadi is the 4th warmest by annual mean temperature and the 32nd wettest by annual precipitation. See all of them on the DR Congo climate page.
Places in other countries with the most similar temperature and rainfall pattern: Cabinda (Angola, Aw), Nkayi (Republic of the Congo, Aw) and Soyo (Angola, Aw).
Nearby places
- Boma 45 km · 27 °C80 °F · 1,034 mm41 in
- Mbanza Kongo 98 km · 25 °C77 °F · 1,109 mm44 in
- Moanda 121 km · 26 °C79 °F · 907 mm36 in
- Soyo 125 km · 26 °C79 °F · 907 mm36 in
- Cabinda 144 km · 26 °C79 °F · 1,085 mm43 in
- Mbanza-Ngungu 167 km · 23 °C74 °F · 1,402 mm55 in
- Nkayi 185 km · 26 °C78 °F · 1,669 mm66 in
- Inkisi 193 km · 25 °C76 °F · 1,546 mm61 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Matadi?
October is the warmest month in Matadi, with an average high of 33 °C (91 °F) and an average low of 22 °C (71 °F).
What is the coldest month in Matadi?
July is the coldest month, with an average high of 32 °C (89 °F) and an average low of 18 °C (65 °F).
When does it rain the most in Matadi?
March is the wettest month with about 167 mm (6.6 in) of precipitation; July is the driest with about 0 mm (0.0 in).
What is the best time to visit Matadi?
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 — most of all 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 311 m, while Matadi lies at about 183 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +0.8 °C1.5 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.