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Climate - Angola


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine

Flag - Angola

Map - Angola

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Angola is a large African country, located in the southern hemisphere and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and its climate is tempered by a cool sea current along the coast and by the altitude in the plateau which is found in the interior. The result is a sub-tropical climate almost everywhere. From May to August, ie the austral winter, there is a cool and dry season (called Cacimbo), while in the austral summer, there's usually a hot and rainy season, which runs from mid-September to April in the north-east, from mid-October to April in the center, from November to March in the south, while along the coast, it only goes from February to April in Luanda, and it's almost non-existent on the southern coast (which is therefore desert).
The cool sea current that flows along the coast, the Benguela Current, makes the climate mild and dry, at least in the central and southern part; in the southernmost part of the coast, the climate is even desert. In inland areas, the rains are generally more abundant than on the coast, but here too, they are more abundant in the center and north because of the greater proximity to the Equator.
Now, let's have a look at the three main climate zones.

Index


  • 1- The tropical zone - M'banza-Kongo
  • 2- The coast - Luanda, Namibe
  • 3- The plateau - Huambo, Ondjiva

The tropical zone



The tropical area

In the northernmost area, where the plateau drops below 1,000 meters (3,300 feet), and in the northern part of the exclave of Cabinda (a small province detached from the main territory and overlooking the sea), the climate is tropical, with a rainy season that runs from mid-October to mid-May in the western part (see M'banza-Kongo) and from mid-September to April in the eastern part (see Dundo). Rainfall exceeds 1,000 millimeters (40 inches) per annum everywhere.

M'banza-Kongo

Here is the average precipitation in M'banza-Kongo, located at 400 meters (1,300 feet) above sea level.
Mbanza-Kongo - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January1154.57
February1254.97
March1706.710
April2509.812
May1003.96
June100
July000
August102
September90.42
October7537
November2007.911
December1556.110
Year120547.474

The average temperature drops to around 21/22 °C (70/72 °F) in the austral winter, from June to August, while it remains around 25/26 °C (77/79 °F) for a long period (October to May). Very hot days are rare: usually, the temperature does not exceed 34/35 °C (93/95 °F), but during the rainy season, the air is moist, so the heat is unpleasant. Here are the average temperatures of M'banza-Kongo.
Mbanza-Kongo - Average temperatures
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January212925708477
February213025.5708677.9
March213025.5708677.9
April213025.5708677.9
May202924.5688476.1
June172722638171.6
July162520.5617768.9
August162621617969.8
September182722.5648172.5
October202924.5688476.1
November202924.5688476.1
December212925708477
Year19.328.323.7566.88375

In the western part, there is not much sun, in fact, the sky is often cloudy even during the dry season, as can be seen from the sunshine hours in M'banza-Kongo.
Mbanza-Kongo - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January5150
February6170
March5.5170
April5.5170
May5.5175
June6.5190
July5150
August4125
September4115
October4120
November4.5140
December4.5140
Year51820

In contrast, in the eastern part, the sun frequently shines, at least in the dry season.
The best period to visit this area is from June to August, since it is the coolest, and within the dry season.

The coast



Climate of the coast

Along the coast (which also includes the southern part of the Cabinda province), the climate is desert (but mild) in the southern part, semi-desert in the central part (between the two red lines, where the capital, Luanda, is located), and semiarid in the northern part, where rainfall exceeds 500 mm (20 in) per year. Although there's little rain, fog, mists and low clouds are common, especially in winter, ie from June to October in the south (see Namibe) and from July to October in Luanda. In the north, in Cabinda, there's not much sun, in fact, in winter, there are fogs and mists, while in the rainy season, which here begins to be substantial and runs from late October to early May, the sky is often cloudy.
The average temperature is higher in the northern part of the coast, which is closer to the Equator: in Cabinda, it reaches a maximum of 26 °C (79 °F) from February to April and a minimum of 21 °C (70 °F) in July; in Luanda, it's around 26 °C (79 °F) from February to April and around 20 °C (68 °F) in July and August.

Luanda

Here are the average temperatures of Luanda.
Luanda - Average temperatures (2001-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January243027.3768681.1
February253127.7768781.9
March253128.1778882.7
April253127.7768881.9
May242926.6758579.8
June212723.6698074.5
July192521.8667771.2
August192521.9667771.4
September202623.3697974
October232825.3738277.5
November242926.5758579.7
December243026.8758580.3
Year22.628.525.572.683.378

In Luanda, the only months with moderate rains are March and April. Here is the average precipitation.
Luanda - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January2512
February351.43
March1003.97
April1254.99
May200.82
June000
July000
August100
September20.10
October60.22
November351.43
December2513
Year37514.731

In Luanda, the sun does not shine very often; however, the sunniest months are the dryest months of the first part of the year (January, February, and May), while the least sunny ones are those when the cool current prevails (from July to October), and fogs and low clouds are more easily formed.
Luanda - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January7215
February7205
March6.5210
April6.5190
May7.5230
June7205
July5.5165
August5150
September5150
October5.5165
November6185
December6.5200
Year6.22280

The sea temperature in Luanda is warm for many months of the year, while it becomes a little cool for swimming from July to September, when it drops to 21.5/22.5 °C (70.5/72.5 °F).
Luanda - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January2781
February2883
March2984
April2883
May2780
June2475
July2272
August2271
September2373
October2576
November2680
December2780
Year25.678.2

Namibe

The southern part of the coast is cooler: in Namibe (formerly Moçâmedes), the mean temperature reaches a maximum of 24 °C (75 °F) in February-March and a minimum of 16.5 °C (61.5 °F) in July.
Namibe - Average temperatures
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January182622647971.6
February202824688275.2
March202824688275.2
April182722.5648172.5
May152520597768
June132217.5557263.5
July132016.5556861.7
August132117557062.6
September152218.5597265.3
October162319.5617367.1
November172521637769.8
December172621.5637970.7
Year16.224.420.2561.275.968.5

In the southern part of the coast, rainfall is very scarce, in fact, it drops below 50 mm (2 in) per year. Here is the average precipitation in Namibe.
Namibe - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January60.24
February90.45
March160.66
April100.44
May000
June000
July000
August000
September000
October102
November20.13
December20.14
Year451.828

In the southern part of the coast, the sun shines more often in March and April (since it almost never rains), while in winter, the sun becomes even rarer (since the cold current is felt more), especially from July to September.
Namibe - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January7210
February7.5210
March7.5230
April7.5230
May7215
June4.5140
July3.5105
August3.5110
September4.5130
October5155
November7215
December7220
Year62175

In the southern part of the coast, the sea temperature is lower, and it becomes very cool in the winter months, around 18/19 °C (64/66 °F).
Namibe - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January2272
February2373
March2577
April2577
May2373
June2068
July1966
August1864
September1966
October2068
November2170
December2272
Year21.470.6

In the southern part of the coast, the best period is summer, since it is not too hot and it is sunny, while winter is mild but damp and foggy.

Iona National Park

Anyway, the coastal area can experience sudden increases in temperature when the wind blows from the interior, especially where the escarpment that separates the plain from the plateau is higher. In the central area, we find the highest peak of the country, Morro de Moco, 2,620 meters (8,600 feet) high.

The plateau



Highlands climate

On the inland plateau, whose altitude generally ranges between 1,000 and 1,800 meters (3,300 and 6,000 feet), the climate is sub-tropical, with a rainy season, which runs from October to April in the north, and from December to March in the south. Generally, the rainfall is between 1,200 and 1,600 mm (47 to 63 in) per annum in the center and north (above the orange line on the map), while it drops below 1,000 mm (40 in) in the south.
Between the tropics, the sun passes through the zenith (that is, it shines directly overhead in the sky) at mid-day in two moments of the year, quite separated from each other (at the Equator, this event takes place at the equinoxes, that is, on March 21 and September 23), and this affects the rainfall pattern, producing two maxima within the rainy season, that is, in November-December and March-April in northern Angola. On the contrary, in the south, which is closer to the Tropic of Capricorn, the two solar peaks are very close to each other, so the wettest period is only one and goes from December to February, ie at the height of the summer.

Huambo

Here is the average precipitation in Huambo, located in the center of the plateau, at 1,700 meters (5,600 feet) above sea level.
Huambo - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January2108.316
February1556.114
March2309.117
April1556.110
May200.82
June000
July000
August20.10
September200.83
October1254.913
November2058.118
December2509.817
Year136553.7110

On the plateau, during the coolest season, from May to August, the sun shines and it never rains, but there are wide variations in temperature between night and day, so nights are cold, with possible frosts, while during the day, it can be even hot.
Here are the mean temperatures in Huambo.
Huambo - Average temperatures
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January142519.5577767.1
February142519.5577767.1
March142419577566.2
April142519.5577767.1
May112618.5527965.3
June82516.5467761.7
July82516.5467761.7
August102718.5508165.3
September132921558469.8
October142720.5578168.9
November142519.5577767.1
December142419577566.2
Year12.325.618.954.278.166

In Huambo, the sun often shines in the dry period, while it does not shine very often in the rainy season, from October to April.
Huambo - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January4.5145
February5140
March4.5145
April5.5170
May8240
June9270
July8.5270
August8255
September6.5200
October5.5165
November4.5135
December4.5140
Year6.22275

Ondjiva

In the southernmost part of the plateau, near the border with Namibia, where the average altitude is around a thousand meters (3,300 feet), between September and November (that is, before the rainy season) it can be very hot, with highs around 33/35 °C (92/95 °F) and peaks of 40 °C (104 °F), as we can see from the temperatures of Ondjiva, at 1,100 meters (3,600 feet) of altitude.
Ondjiva - Average temperatures
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January183225649077
February183124.5648876.1
March173023.5638674.3
April163023618673.4
May112920528468
June72717458162.6
July62716.5438161.7
August83019468666.2
September133323559173.4
October173526639578.8
November183426649378.8
December183225649077
Year13.930.822.35787.572

As mentioned, in the southern part of the plateau, rainfall is scarcer than in the central and northern part, and the rainy season is also shorter. Here is the average rainfall in Ondjiva.
Ondjiva - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January1054.110
February1455.712
March1204.79
April552.24
May30.11
June001
July000
August000
September100
October150.62
November5026
December1254.98
Year62024.453

In the southern part of the plateau, the sun shines even more often, especially in the summer, which here is less rainy.
Ondjiva - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January7220
February8.5235
March7.5240
April8.5260
May9.5300
June10.5320
July10.5320
August10305
September11325
October8.5265
November8.5260
December7.5235
Year93280

In the plateau, the best time is from May to September.

Kalandula Falls
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When to go and what to pack in Angola

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