Ethiopia climate

World Climates covers 27 places in Ethiopia. By annual mean temperature, the warmest is Warder (27 °C81 °F) and the coolest is Debre Birhan (13 °C55 °F). The wettest is Nekemte with 1,809 mm71 in of precipitation per year, the driest Warder with 363 mm14 in.

The most common climate types (Köppen classification computed from these averages) are subtropical highland (dry winter) (Cwb, 12 places), hot semi-arid (BSh, 6 places), tropical savanna (dry winter) (Aw, 5 places) and monsoon-influenced humid subtropical (Cwa, 2 places).

The highest monthly average high is in Warder (36 °C97 °F in March); the lowest monthly average low is in Debre Birhan (3 °C38 °F in December).

Across the places in Ethiopia, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are January, November and December (26, 24 and 26 of 27 places respectively).

Temperature and rainfall across Ethiopia

Annual mean temperatures in Ethiopia range from 13 °C55 °F to 27 °C81 °F. The typical place (the median of all 27) has a year average of 19 °C67 °F. Annual precipitation ranges from 363 mm14 in to 1,809 mm71 in. The median place receives about 953 mm38 in in an average year.

In 0 places of 27, the coldest month has an average low below 0 °C (32 °F). In 9 places, the warmest month has an average high above 30 °C (86 °F). No place here gets less than 250 mm (10 in) of precipitation a year. None gets more than 2,000 mm (79 in) a year.

Averaged over all 27 places, March is the warmest month, with a mean of 21 °C70 °F. December is the coldest, with 17 °C63 °F. The wettest month on average is August (195 mm7.7 in). The driest is January (10 mm0.4 in). Single places can differ a lot from this average, so check the page of each city.

The table below lists the places sorted by population. The largest ones covered here are Addis Ababa, Jijiga and Gonder. Each city page has a chart and a table for every month. It also shows the best time to visit and what to pack. The figures are 25-year averages for 2001–2025 from NASA POWER. They describe grid cells of roughly 50–70 km, not single weather stations.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the warmest place in Ethiopia?

By annual mean temperature, the warmest place in Ethiopia is Warder at 27 °C81 °F. The coolest is Debre Birhan at 13 °C55 °F.

Where does it rain the most in Ethiopia?

Nekemte gets the most precipitation, 1,809 mm71 in in an average year. The driest place is Warder with 363 mm14 in.

How many places in Ethiopia does this site cover?

World Climates has climate data for 27 places in Ethiopia. Each one has a page with monthly averages for temperature, rainfall, humidity and daylight.

When is the best time to visit Ethiopia?

It depends on the place. Across Ethiopia, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are January, November and December. Check the page of each city for its own best months.