Mbuji-Mayi climate

DR Congo · 6.14°S, 23.59°E · elevation 621 m · population 2,101,332

Warmest month
August
high 34 °C94 °F
Coldest month
December
low 21 °C70 °F
Wettest month
November
162 mm6.4 in
Best time to visit
May
by our comfort score
Annual precipitation
1,185 mm47 in
July driest
Year average
26 °C78 °F
tropical savanna (dry winter) (Aw)

Mbuji-Mayi (DR Congo) has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). The average temperature over the year is 26 °C78 °F, and about 1,185 mm47 in of precipitation falls in an average year.

Temperature by month

Average highAverage low
15°20°25°30°35°40°60°70°80°90°100°JFMAMJJASOND34°94°18°65°January: high 29 °C / 84 °F, low 21 °C / 70 °FFebruary: high 30 °C / 86 °F, low 21 °C / 71 °FMarch: high 30 °C / 85 °F, low 21 °C / 71 °FApril: high 30 °C / 85 °F, low 21 °C / 70 °FMay: high 31 °C / 88 °F, low 20 °C / 68 °FJune: high 33 °C / 91 °F, low 18 °C / 65 °FJuly: high 34 °C / 93 °F, low 19 °C / 66 °FAugust: high 34 °C / 94 °F, low 21 °C / 70 °FSeptember: high 32 °C / 90 °F, low 22 °C / 71 °FOctober: high 30 °C / 85 °F, low 21 °C / 71 °FNovember: high 29 °C / 84 °F, low 21 °C / 70 °FDecember: high 29 °C / 83 °F, low 21 °C / 70 °F

Precipitation by month

Precipitation per month (mminches)
0501001502000246JJanuary: 137 mm / 5.4 inFFebruary: 145 mm / 5.7 inMMarch: 146 mm / 5.8 inAApril: 110 mm / 4.3 inMMay: 34 mm / 1.3 inJJune: 8 mm / 0.3 inJJuly: 4 mm / 0.2 inAAugust: 45 mm / 1.8 inSSeptember: 105 mm / 4.1 inOOctober: 135 mm / 5.3 inNNovember: 162 mm / 6.4 inDDecember: 155 mm / 6.1 in1626.4

Mbuji-Mayi climate table

Monthly averages, 2001–2025
MonthHigh °C°FLow °C°FMean °C°FPrecip. mmin
Jan2984217025771375.4
Feb3086217126781455.7
Mar3085217126781465.8
Apr3085217025781104.3
May318820682678341.3
Jun33911865267880.3
Jul34931966267940.2
Aug349421702882451.8
Sep3290227127801054.1
Oct3085217126781355.3
Nov2984217025771626.4
Dec2983217025771556.1
Year3494186526781,18547

“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.

Humidity, cloud, sun and daylight
MonthHumid.CloudSolarDaylight
Jan77%86%4.912:26
Feb76%85%5.112:19
Mar77%82%5.312:09
Apr78%76%5.411:59
May67%57%5.411:50
Jun50%40%5.211:46
Jul40%42%5.011:48
Aug46%63%4.711:55
Sep64%69%5.012:05
Oct75%77%5.312:15
Nov80%84%5.212:24
Dec79%88%4.912:29

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 Mbuji-Mayi is like

The warmest month is August, with an average high of 34 °C94 °F and a low of 21 °C70 °F. The coldest is December, when highs average 29 °C83 °F and lows 21 °C70 °F. Temperatures barely change through the year: the warmest and the coolest month differ by only 3 °C5.4 °F.

It is wet, with about 1,185 mm47 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is November–January, which brings 38% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: June and July. The wettest month is November (162 mm6.4 in), the driest is July (4 mm0.2 in).

Relative humidity ranges from 40% in July to 80% in November. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 40%) are typical of June. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 4 km/h (2 mph) in March to 7 km/h (4 mph) in July.

Best time to visit Mbuji-Mayi

Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are May: average highs of 31 °C88 °F to 31 °C88 °F with 34 mm1.3 in to 34 mm1.3 in of precipitation per month.

The most challenging month is November, which is very wet (162 mm6.4 in) and humid (80% 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.

Mbuji-Mayi weather by month

  • January29 °C84 °F / 21 °C70 °F
  • February30 °C86 °F / 21 °C71 °F
  • March30 °C85 °F / 21 °C71 °F
  • April30 °C85 °F / 21 °C70 °F
  • May31 °C88 °F / 20 °C68 °F
  • June33 °C91 °F / 18 °C65 °F
  • July34 °C93 °F / 19 °C66 °F
  • August34 °C94 °F / 21 °C70 °F
  • September32 °C90 °F / 22 °C71 °F
  • October30 °C85 °F / 21 °C71 °F
  • November29 °C84 °F / 21 °C70 °F
  • December29 °C83 °F / 21 °C70 °F

What to pack for Mbuji-Mayi

  • Wetter months (September–April) — highs 2983 to 32 °C90 °F, lows 2170 to 22 °C71 °F, about 137 mm5.4 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 (May–August) — highs 3188 to 34 °C94 °F, lows 1865 to 21 °C70 °F, about 23 mm0.9 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water.

How Mbuji-Mayi compares

Of the 36 places in the DR Congo covered by World Climates, Mbuji-Mayi is the 13th warmest by annual mean temperature and the 22nd 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 (seasons shifted for the other hemisphere where needed): Chitato (Angola, Aw), Bondoukou (Ivory Coast, Aw) and Carnot (Central African Republic, Aw).

Nearby places

  • Gandajika 79 km · 24 °C76 °F · 1,177 mm46 in
  • Mwene-Ditu 98 km · 23 °C74 °F · 1,237 mm49 in
  • Kabinda 99 km · 24 °C75 °F · 1,230 mm48 in
  • Kananga 132 km · 25 °C78 °F · 1,242 mm49 in
  • Tshikapa 310 km · 26 °C79 °F · 1,179 mm46 in
  • Kamina 328 km · 22 °C72 °F · 1,138 mm45 in
  • Chitato 341 km · 25 °C77 °F · 1,139 mm45 in
  • Ilebo 388 km · 26 °C79 °F · 1,375 mm54 in

All places in the DR Congo

Frequently asked questions

What is the warmest month in Mbuji-Mayi?

August is the warmest month in Mbuji-Mayi, with an average high of 34 °C (94 °F) and an average low of 21 °C (70 °F).

What is the coldest month in Mbuji-Mayi?

December is the coldest month, with an average high of 29 °C (83 °F) and an average low of 21 °C (70 °F).

When does it rain the most in Mbuji-Mayi?

November is the wettest month with about 162 mm (6.4 in) of precipitation; July is the driest with about 4 mm (0.2 in).

What is the best time to visit Mbuji-Mayi?

Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are May.

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.

Sources and method