Climate - Lesotho

Index

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• Introduction - Maseru, Oxbow Lodge
• When to go
• What to pack

Introduction

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In Lesotho, the climate varies essentially with altitude: it is temperate at the lowest elevations, while it gets colder with increasing altitude. Winter is the driest season, while summer is the rainiest.
Lesotho is a small mountainous country, enclave of South Africa, by which is entirely surrounded. In most of the country, crossed by the Drakensberg (or Maloti) range, the altitude exceeds 2,000 meters (6,500 feet). The highest peak is Mount Thabana Ntlenyana, 3,482 meters (11,424 feet) high.
Being in the Southern Hemisphere, the country has obviously reversed seasons in comparison with Europe and North America.
In Lesotho, the weather is often unstable, with rapid changes in wind and temperature from day to day.
Snow is more common at high altitudes, above 2,000 meters (6,500 feet), where rainfall is more abundant as well.

Maseru

The capital, Maseru, is located at an altitude of 1,600 metres (5,250 ft), in one of the least elevated areas of Lesotho (the lowest altitude is 1,400 metres or 4,600 feet). Here, the climate is temperate: it's warm in summer, sometimes hot during the day, but with cool nights, while it's mild in winter during the day but with cold nights.
In fact, the temperature range between night and day is generally wide.
In summer, from December to February, highs hover around 24/28 °C (75/82 °F) and lows around 14/15 °C (54/59 °F). As mentioned, summer is the rainiest season, mainly due to afternoon thunderstorms, which, however, don't reduce too much the sunshine duration.
In winter, from May to August, lows are slightly above freezing (0 °C or 32 °F), while highs are around 16/19 °C (61/66 °F). Here are the average temperatures.

Precipitation in Maseru mounts to 775 millimeters (30.5 inches) per year, including more than 95 mm (3.7 in) from November to March, while precipitation is scarce in winter. Although winter is a dry season, sometimes snow can fall. Here is the average precipitation.

The sun at Maseru shines all year round, as can be seen in the following table.

Oxbow Lodge

As mentioned, with increasing altitude, the climate gets colder. The Oxbow Lodge is located in the north, 2,500 meters (8,200 ft) above sea level, in the Maloti Mountains, not far from the Moteng pass. Here, from May to August, night temperatures usually drop a few degrees below freezing. Summer is very mild during the day, but with cold nights. Here are the average temperatures.

Precipitation is more abundant than in Maseru, amounting to 1,100 mm (43 in) per year. However, winter is dry here too.

When to go

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Despite the fact that it is the rainiest season, the austral summer, from December to February, is the best season to visit Lesotho because in any case it's sunny, and at night it's not as cold as the rest of the year.
During the day, it can get hot at lower altitudes, but nights remain cool: even in Maseru, it will be useful to bring a sweater for the evening.
In this period, however, some mountain roads may be impassable because of the rains.

You can also go in spring and autumn, especially in April, September and October, when the temperatures are mild, although there are still considerable differences between night and day; the sun frequently shines, and rainfall is possible but not abundant.
Sometimes, however, it can freeze at night even in spring and autumn, and it can snow at high altitudes.

What to pack

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In winter (June to August): in Maseru, bring spring/autumn clothes, a sweater and a warm jacket for the evening; above 2,000 meters (6,500 feet), a down jacket, gloves, a scarf, a hat, hiking shoes.

In summer (December-February): in Maseru, bring light clothes for the day, a sweatshirt and a jacket for the evening, a sun hat, a light raincoat or umbrella; for the highest elevations, a sweatshirt or sweater, a warm jacket, hiking boots.

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