Rwanda climate

World Climates covers 3 places in Rwanda. By annual mean temperature, the warmest is Nyagatare (21 °C71 °F) and the coolest is Kigali (20 °C68 °F). The wettest is Gisenyi with 1,692 mm67 in of precipitation per year, the driest Nyagatare with 1,137 mm45 in.

The most common climate types (Köppen classification computed from these averages) are tropical savanna (dry winter) (Aw, 2 places) and tropical monsoon (Am, 1 place).

The highest monthly average high is in Nyagatare (29 °C84 °F in February); the lowest monthly average low is in Kigali (13 °C56 °F in July).

Across the places in Rwanda, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are June, July and August (3, 3 and 3 of 3 places respectively).

Temperature and rainfall across Rwanda

Annual mean temperatures in Rwanda range from 20 °C68 °F to 21 °C71 °F. The typical place (the median of all 3) has a year average of 21 °C70 °F. Annual precipitation ranges from 1,137 mm45 in to 1,692 mm67 in. The median place receives about 1,291 mm51 in in an average year.

In 0 places of 3, the coldest month has an average low below 0 °C (32 °F). In 0 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 3 places, February is the warmest month, with a mean of 22 °C71 °F. June is the coldest, with 20 °C68 °F. The wettest month on average is November (172 mm6.8 in). The driest is July (35 mm1.4 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 Kigali, Gisenyi and Nyagatare. 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.

Climate of each place in Rwanda

Kigali has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). Its year average is 20 °C68 °F. The warmest month is February, with an average high of 27 °C81 °F. The coldest is June, with an average low of 14 °C57 °F. About 1,291 mm51 in of precipitation falls in a year. April is the wettest month and July the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are January and June–September.

Gisenyi has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am). Its year average is 21 °C70 °F. The warmest month is February, with an average high of 26 °C79 °F. The coldest is June, with an average low of 16 °C61 °F. About 1,692 mm67 in of precipitation falls in a year. November is the wettest month and July the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are June–August.

Nyagatare has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). Its year average is 21 °C71 °F. The warmest month is February, with an average high of 29 °C84 °F. The coldest is May, with an average low of 16 °C60 °F. About 1,137 mm45 in of precipitation falls in a year. April is the wettest month and July the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are December–February and June–September.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the warmest place in Rwanda?

By annual mean temperature, the warmest place in Rwanda is Nyagatare at 21 °C71 °F. The coolest is Kigali at 20 °C68 °F.

Where does it rain the most in Rwanda?

Gisenyi gets the most precipitation, 1,692 mm67 in in an average year. The driest place is Nyagatare with 1,137 mm45 in.

How many places in Rwanda does this site cover?

World Climates has climate data for 3 places in Rwanda. Each one has a page with monthly averages for temperature, rainfall, humidity and daylight.

When is the best time to visit Rwanda?

It depends on the place. Across Rwanda, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are June, July and August. Check the page of each city for its own best months.