Nairobi Weather Guide

The weather in Nairobi used to stick to gentle routine. Hot and dry Dec – March – Long (heavy) rains April to June, Cold weather July to September and short (lighter) rains in October – November. With climate change, these seasons are shifting, rains often fail and there is widespread drought.

Nairobi was intentionally settled on the cooler highlands to give residents a break from the hot tropical climate that the rest of Kenya has. When it is hot, it’s invariably a dry heat rather than humid. Nairobi gets cold in the morning and evening even during the hot months. During the colder months and in the rains, it can get down to 12 degrees at night.

Weather facts about Nairobi (pre climate change)

• Long rains are from March to May and short rains from October to December.
• The coldest days are in July and August
• The hottest days are in January and February.

Rainy season in Nairobi

Traditionally there were two wet seasons in Nairobi: from March to May (long rains) then from October to December.(short rains(.

During the wet seasons, it doesn’t always rain the whole day. It often rains in the morning and evenings and the sun comes out in the afternoon.

The rains can be very heavy, causing roads to flood, roofs to leak, electricty to fail and traffic jams to reach epic proportions.

Weather In Nairobi By Month

January

January in Nairobi, temperature averages 25 degrees. Little rain expected.

February

February in Nairobi, temperature averages 27 degrees. Little rain expected.

March

March in Nairobi, the average temperature is 23 degrees. During this month, the long rains can start.

April

April in Nairobi, the average temperature is 23 degrees. This is the peak time for the long rains. Expect heavy rain and flooding. Not a great time to go on safari unless you like digging yourself out of ditches.

May

May in Nairobi, the average temperature is 20 degrees. Heavy rain expected.

June

March in Nairobi, the average temperature is 18 degrees. Rains should abate and the cold season begins

July

July in Nairobi, the average temperature is 17 degrees, but can dip down to 12. This is the driest month in Nairobi.

August

August in Nairobi, the average temperature is 20 degrees. Things should start to heat up, with the odd very hot and very cold day.

September

September in Nairobi, the average temperature is 20 degrees. A dry month.

October

October in Nairobi, the average temperature is 21 degrees. The short rains in Nairobi usually start at the end of this month. It often rains in the morning and evening and is dry during the day.

November

November in Nairobi, the average temperature is 23 degrees. Short rains continue, they may dry up towards the end of hte month or continue into early December.

December

December in Nairobi, the average temperature is 23 degrees. This is the beginning of the hot season, but Christmas it could be very toasty indeed

Weather & Climate Outside Nairobi

The climate in Kenya varies depending on your location. Lake Turkana and the northern deserts are eternally hot with little rain. Mount Kenya is surprisingly cool even in the hot months. The capital city, Nairobi, is temperate all year round, rarely going above 30 degrees Celsius in summer or dipping below 12 degrees in winter. As with many other places in Kenya, it is affected by the long rains from April to June and the short rains from October to November. 

Mombasa and the Coast

Kenya’s coastline and its second largest city, Mombasa, are hot and humid all year. The rains arrive here from April to June and October to November, but this doesn’t temper the heat and inevitably adds to the humidity. If you are packing for Mombasa and the coast, then sweaters are rarely required (mosquito repellent and anti-malarials are).

Northern Kenya

Northern Kenya is an arid region blessed with abundant year-round sunshine and limited rainfall. The best time to travel to Northern Kenyan highlights like Lake Turkana and Sibiloi National Park is June through August. During this time, temperatures are cooler and more bearable.

Western Kenya and the Maasai Mara National Reserve

Western Kenya is generally hot and humid, with rain occurring throughout the year. The Maasai Mara National Reserve is located in Western Kenya but at a high altitude, and for this reason it can still get cold at night. Mara weather is often characterised by hot days and chilly evenings.

Mount Kenya

At the highest elevations near Mount Kenya, it’s cold all year round, especially at night, when the temperature can drop as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit. Typically, early mornings on the mountain are sunny and dry, with clouds often forming by midday. Pack your suitcase with warm clothes, extra blankets and sleeping bags and wet weather clothes.

Climate Change

As climate change continues to affect weather patterns, these usually predictable rainy seasons are becoming irregular. Some years little rain falls at all whilst others it has been known to rain from March to September. In the years I have lived in Kenya, the weather hasn’t stayed true to form at all. Weather forecasting systems are notoriously unreliable. Perhaps it’s the difference in altitudes or Kenya’s equatorial position, but never rely on a forecast; they are almost always wrong

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Weather In Nairobi – What to Pack

I’ve written a guide on what to pack for visiting Nairobi and Kenya. Please refer to the blog links below.

What to pack for a Kenyan Safari

Packing list for moving to Kenya

Female Packing List for Kenya

Where to stay in Nairobi.

For guides on where to stay in Nairobi, please see links below. I use booking.com for all hotel bookings within Kenya.

121 Incredible Family Friendly Resorts in Kenya 

12 best 5 Star Hotels In Nairobi

The 12 Best Nairobi Hotels – Where to Stay in Kenya

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