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The climate of Kariba is
sub-tropical, with a hot, rainy season from November to March and a long dry season from April to October, within which there is a cool period from May to August. In the latter, it can get cold at night. During the day, it can get very hot from September to April, but especially from September to November, that is, before the rainy season.
The city is located in the north-west of Zimbabwe, on the shores of the lake of the same name, at an altitude of 500 meters (1,650 feet) and on the border with Zambia.
At night, the climate is milder than in the rest of Zimbabwe, due to the northern latitude (therefore closer to the Equator), the lower altitude than most of the country, and the presence of the lake.
Kariba - Climate data
In Kariba, the
average temperature of the coldest month (July) is of 19.8 °C (67.6 °F), that of the warmest month (October) is of 29.9 °C (85.9 °F). Here are the average temperatures.
Kariba - Average temperatures (1991-2020) | Month | Min (°C) | Max (°C) | Mean (°C) | Min (°F) | Max (°F) | Mean (°F) |
|---|
| January | 22 | 32 | 26.9 | 72 | 89 | 80.5 |
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| February | 22 | 32 | 27.1 | 72 | 90 | 80.8 |
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| March | 22 | 32 | 26.5 | 71 | 89 | 79.8 |
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| April | 19 | 31 | 25 | 66 | 88 | 77 |
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| May | 15 | 29 | 22.2 | 59 | 85 | 71.9 |
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| June | 12 | 28 | 20 | 54 | 82 | 67.9 |
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| July | 12 | 27 | 19.8 | 54 | 81 | 67.6 |
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| August | 15 | 30 | 22.5 | 59 | 86 | 72.5 |
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| September | 20 | 34 | 26.8 | 67 | 93 | 80.2 |
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| October | 24 | 36 | 29.9 | 75 | 97 | 85.9 |
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| November | 24 | 35 | 29.8 | 76 | 96 | 85.7 |
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| December | 23 | 33 | 27.7 | 73 | 91 | 81.8 |
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| Year | 19.2 | 31.5 | 25.3 | 66.5 | 88.7 | 77.5 |
|---|
In Kariba,
precipitation amounts to 765 millimeters (30.1 inches) per year: so, it is at an intermediate level. It ranges from 0 mm (0 in) in the driest month (August) to 190 mm (7.5 in) in the wettest one (January). Here is the average precipitation.
Kariba - Average precipitation| Month | Millimeters | Inches | Days |
|---|
| January | 190 | 7.5 | 16 |
|---|
| February | 160 | 6.3 | 13 |
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| March | 115 | 4.5 | 10 |
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| April | 30 | 1.2 | 3 |
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| May | 4 | 0.2 | 1 |
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| June | 1 | 0 | 0 |
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| July | 1 | 0 | 0 |
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| August | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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| September | 1 | 0 | 0 |
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| October | 20 | 0.8 | 2 |
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| November | 75 | 3 | 7 |
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| December | 175 | 6.9 | 14 |
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| Year | 765 | 30.1 | 66 |
|---|
Kariba - Weather by month
Based on the period 1991-2020
In
January, the weather in Kariba is usually warm to hot and muggy. The average temperature is of 26.9 °C (80 °F), with a minimum of 22.2 °C (72 °F) and a maximum of 31.6 °C (89 °F).
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 20 °C (67.5 °F). However, it dropped to 16.5 °C (61.7 °F) in January 2002.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 35.5 °C (95.5 °F). However, it reached 40.4 °C (104.7 °F) in January 2016.
Precipitation amounts to 190 mm (7.5 in), distributed over 16 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 0 minutes.
The average humidity is 73%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 3 kph (2 mph).
In
February, the weather in Kariba is usually warm to hot and muggy. The average temperature is of 27.1 °C (81 °F), with a minimum of 22.2 °C (72 °F) and a maximum of 32 °C (89.5 °F).
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 20 °C (68.5 °F). However, it dropped to 17.1 °C (62.8 °F) in February 2001.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 35.5 °C (95.5 °F). However, it reached 39 °C (102.2 °F) in February 2016.
Precipitation amounts to 160 mm (6.3 in), distributed over 13 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 35 minutes.
The average humidity is 72%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 3 kph (2 mph).
In
March, the weather in Kariba is usually warm to hot and muggy. The average temperature is of 26.5 °C (80 °F), with a minimum of 21.5 °C (70.7 °F) and a maximum of 31.6 °C (88.8 °F).
On the coldest nights, the temperature usually drops to around 18.5 °C (65.5 °F). However, it dropped to 17 °C (62.6 °F) in March 1995.
On the warmest days, the temperature usually reaches around 35 °C (95.5 °F). However, it reached 39 °C (102.2 °F) in March 1994.
Precipitation amounts to 115 mm (4.5 in), distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 10 minutes.
The average humidity is 71%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 3 kph (2 mph).
In
April, the weather in Kariba is usually warm to hot. The average temperature is of 25.0 °C (77 °F), with a minimum of 18.9 °C (66 °F) and a maximum of 31 °C (87.9 °F).
On the coldest nights, the temperature usually drops to around 14.5 °C (58 °F). However, it dropped to 11.2 °C (52.2 °F) in April 1995.
On the warmest days, the temperature usually reaches around 34.5 °C (94 °F).
Precipitation amounts to 30 mm (1.2 in), distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 40 minutes.
The average humidity is 64%.
The average wind speed is 3 kph (2 mph).
In
May, the weather in Kariba is usually warm. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of 22.2 °C (72 °F), with a minimum of 14.9 °C (58.8 °F) and a maximum of 29.4 °C (85 °F).
On the coldest nights, the temperature usually drops to around 11 °C (52 °F). However, it dropped to 8 °C (46.4 °F) in May 1996.
On the warmest days, the temperature usually reaches around 32.5 °C (91 °F). However, it reached 37.2 °C (99 °F) in May 1995.
Precipitation amounts to only 4 mm (0.2 in), and all occurs in one day.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 20 minutes.
The average humidity is 59%.
The average wind speed is 3 kph (2 mph).
In
June, the weather in Kariba is usually warm. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of 20.0 °C (68 °F), with a minimum of 12.4 °C (54.3 °F) and a maximum of 27.5 °C (81.5 °F).
On the coldest nights, the temperature usually drops to around 9 °C (48 °F). However, it dropped to 5.3 °C (41.5 °F) in June 2001.
On the warmest days, the temperature usually reaches around 31.5 °C (89 °F). However, it reached 36.5 °C (97.7 °F) in June 2000.
Precipitation amounts to only 1 mm (0 in), distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 10 minutes. June 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
The average humidity is 60%.
The average wind speed is 3 kph (2 mph).
In
July, the coldest month of the year, the weather in Kariba is usually warm. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of 19.8 °C (68 °F), with a minimum of 12.3 °C (54.2 °F) and a maximum of 27.2 °C (81 °F).
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 8.5 °C (47.5 °F). However, it dropped to 4.3 °C (39.7 °F) in July 2014.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 31 °C (87.5 °F). However, it reached 34.2 °C (93.6 °F) in July 1994.
Precipitation amounts to only 1 mm (0 in), distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 20 minutes.
The average humidity is 53%.
The average wind speed is 4 kph (2 mph).
In
August, the weather in Kariba is usually warm. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of 22.5 °C (72 °F), with a minimum of 15.2 °C (59.3 °F) and a maximum of 29.8 °C (85.7 °F).
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 10 °C (50 °F). However, it dropped to 7.2 °C (45 °F) in August 2006.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 34.5 °C (94 °F). However, it reached 36.9 °C (98.4 °F) in August 2005.
Precipitation amounts to only 0 mm (0 in), so on average it never rains in the whole month.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 35 minutes.
The average humidity is 46%.
The average wind speed is 5 kph (3 mph).
In
September, the weather in Kariba is usually warm to hot. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of 26.8 °C (80 °F), with a minimum of 19.7 °C (67.5 °F) and a maximum of 33.8 °C (92.9 °F).
On the coldest nights, the temperature usually drops to around 14 °C (57 °F). However, it dropped to 11.7 °C (53.1 °F) in September 2009.
On the warmest days, the temperature usually reaches around 39 °C (102 °F). However, it reached 41.4 °C (106.5 °F) in September 2013.
Precipitation amounts to only 1 mm (0 in), distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
The average humidity is 37%.
The average wind speed is 5 kph (3 mph).
In
October, the hottest month of the year, the weather in Kariba is usually very hot. The average temperature is of 29.9 °C (86 °F), with a minimum of 23.7 °C (74.7 °F) and a maximum of 36.1 °C (97.1 °F).
On the coldest nights, the temperature usually drops to around 17.5 °C (63.5 °F). However, it dropped to 12.2 °C (54 °F) in October 1993.
On the warmest days, the temperature usually reaches around 41 °C (106 °F). However, it reached 44.1 °C (111.4 °F) in October 2011.
Precipitation amounts to 20 mm (0.8 in), distributed over 2 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 30 minutes.
The average humidity is 36%.
The average wind speed is 7 kph (4 mph).
In
November, the weather in Kariba is usually very hot. The average temperature is of 29.8 °C (86 °F), with a minimum of 24.4 °C (75.9 °F) and a maximum of 35.3 °C (95.6 °F).
On the coldest nights, the temperature usually drops to around 19.5 °C (67.5 °F). However, it dropped to 12.5 °C (54.5 °F) in November 2009.
On the warmest days, the temperature usually reaches around 40 °C (104.5 °F). However, it reached 42.5 °C (108.5 °F) in November 1997.
Precipitation amounts to 75 mm (3 in), distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 55 minutes.
The average humidity is 47%.
The average wind speed is 6 kph (4 mph).
In
December, the weather in Kariba is usually very hot. The average temperature is of 27.7 °C (82 °F), with a minimum of 22.8 °C (73.1 °F) and a maximum of 32.5 °C (90.6 °F).
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 20 °C (67.5 °F). However, it dropped to 12.4 °C (54.3 °F) in December 2015.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 37 °C (99 °F). However, it reached 40.3 °C (104.5 °F) in December 1992.
Precipitation amounts to 175 mm (6.9 in), distributed over 14 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 5 minutes. December 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
The average humidity is 64%.
The average wind speed is 4 kph (2 mph).