Tshikapa climate
Tshikapa (DR Congo) has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). The average temperature over the year is 26 °C79 °F, and about 1,179 mm46 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Tshikapa climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3086 | 2271 | 2678 | 1244.9 |
| Feb | 3187 | 2272 | 2679 | 1224.8 |
| Mar | 3187 | 2272 | 2679 | 1626.4 |
| Apr | 3086 | 2272 | 2679 | 1285.0 |
| May | 3289 | 2170 | 2780 | 361.4 |
| Jun | 3392 | 1967 | 2679 | 60.3 |
| Jul | 3494 | 1967 | 2780 | 40.1 |
| Aug | 3595 | 2171 | 2883 | 311.2 |
| Sep | 3391 | 2272 | 2781 | 1034.1 |
| Oct | 3187 | 2272 | 2679 | 1435.6 |
| Nov | 2984 | 2271 | 2578 | 1636.4 |
| Dec | 2984 | 2271 | 2577 | 1566.2 |
| Year | 3595 | 1967 | 2679 | 1,17946 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 79% | 86% | 4.9 | 12:27 |
| Feb | 76% | 85% | 5.1 | 12:19 |
| Mar | 79% | 82% | 5.2 | 12:09 |
| Apr | 82% | 79% | 5.1 | 11:58 |
| May | 68% | 59% | 5.1 | 11:50 |
| Jun | 48% | 40% | 5.0 | 11:45 |
| Jul | 40% | 39% | 4.9 | 11:47 |
| Aug | 52% | 55% | 4.4 | 11:54 |
| Sep | 70% | 65% | 4.8 | 12:05 |
| Oct | 78% | 76% | 5.2 | 12:16 |
| Nov | 82% | 82% | 5.2 | 12:25 |
| Dec | 82% | 86% | 4.9 | 12:30 |
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 Tshikapa is like
The warmest month is August, with an average high of 35 °C95 °F and a low of 21 °C71 °F. The coldest is December, when highs average 29 °C84 °F and lows 22 °C71 °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 1,179 mm46 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is October–December, which brings 39% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: June and July. The wettest month is November (163 mm6.4 in), the driest is July (4 mm0.1 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 40% in July to 82% in November. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 39%) are typical of July. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 1 km/h (0 mph) in October to 1 km/h (1 mph) in July.
Best time to visit Tshikapa
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are May: average highs of 32 °C89 °F to 32 °C89 °F with 36 mm1.4 in to 36 mm1.4 in of precipitation per month.
The most challenging month is March, which is hot, with average highs of 31 °C87 °F, very wet (162 mm6.4 in) and humid (79% 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 Tshikapa
- Wetter months (September–April) — highs 2984 to 33 °C91 °F, lows around 22 °C71 °F, about 138 mm5.4 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 (May–August) — highs 3289 to 35 °C95 °F, lows 1967 to 21 °C71 °F, about 19 mm0.8 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water.
How Tshikapa compares
Compared with Kananga, about 188 km to the east, Tshikapa is on average 1 °C1.9 °F warmer and receives 5% less precipitation (1,179 mm46 in vs 1,242 mm49 in). The difference is largest in October (1.2 °C2.2 °F warmer).
Of the 36 places in the DR Congo covered by World Climates, Tshikapa is the 3rd warmest by annual mean temperature and the 23rd 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): Bondoukou (Ivory Coast, Aw), Kigoma (Tanzania, Aw) and Bimbo (Central African Republic, Aw).
Nearby places
- Chitato 99 km · 25 °C77 °F · 1,139 mm45 in
- Kananga 188 km · 25 °C78 °F · 1,242 mm49 in
- Lucapa 223 km · 24 °C75 °F · 989 mm39 in
- Ilebo 233 km · 26 °C79 °F · 1,375 mm54 in
- Kikwit 267 km · 26 °C79 °F · 1,333 mm52 in
- Mwene-Ditu 300 km · 23 °C74 °F · 1,237 mm49 in
- Mbuji-Mayi 310 km · 26 °C78 °F · 1,185 mm47 in
- Gandajika 350 km · 24 °C76 °F · 1,177 mm46 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Tshikapa?
August is the warmest month in Tshikapa, with an average high of 35 °C (95 °F) and an average low of 21 °C (71 °F).
What is the coldest month in Tshikapa?
December is the coldest month, with an average high of 29 °C (84 °F) and an average low of 22 °C (71 °F).
When does it rain the most in Tshikapa?
November is the wettest month with about 163 mm (6.4 in) of precipitation; July is the driest with about 4 mm (0.1 in).
What is the best time to visit Tshikapa?
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.
The grid cell’s average elevation is 622 m, while Tshikapa lies at about 484 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +0.9 °C1.6 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.