Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Climate & Monthly Averages

The climate of Dar es Salaam

Dar es Salaam has one of the steadier climates in our dataset. Average highs move only 3°C across the whole year - from 83°F (28°C) in July to 88°F (31°C) in February - so the practical difference between seasons here is rainfall and daylight, not warmth.

Climate quick facts

• Hottest month: February - highs near 88°F (31°C)
• Coldest month: July - highs near 83°F (28°C)
• Decade extremes (2015-2024): 94°F (34°C) high · 66°F (19°C) low
• Wettest month: April (26 rainy days) · Sunniest: October (11.4 h sun/day)
• Climate type: tropical wet-and-dry
• Annual swing: 3°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 6°C
• Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 6
• Average humidity: 78%

Temperatures through the year

July bottoms out at 83°F (28°C) in daylight, 71°F (22°C) after dark. At its warmest, in February, Dar es Salaam runs to 88°F (31°C) in the afternoon and back to 78°F (26°C) by dawn. The wettest month is April (11.7 inches (298 mm) across 26 days) and the driest July.

Rain, sun and snow

Between the average February and the average July lie 3°C, a narrower spread than all but 10% of the 3496 cities in our dataset. October is the brightest month at 11.4 hours of sun a day, against an annual average of 10.6 - sunnier than roughly 85% of the cities we track. Average highs hold at or above 30°C for 6 months of the year, October through March being the unbroken run. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 94°F (34°C) and bottoms at 66°F (19°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.

How Dar es Salaam compares

• Afternoons run 6°C above the following night - a flatter daily curve than all but 9% of the 3496 cities we track.
• Dar es Salaam averages 79°F (26°C) across the year - warmer than 89% of the 3496 cities we track.

Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.

Best time to visit Dar es Salaam

Aim for June to September if you get the choice: humidity and rainfall are at their lowest, which is what actually varies here, and highs average 84°F (29°C) against roughly 8 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in June.

Pack for Dar es Salaam with light clothing for the warm months, proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here and moisture-wicking fabrics for the humidity. February nights average 78°F (26°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.