Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Climate & Monthly Averages
Dar es Salaam has a tropical wet-and-dry climate. February is the hottest month, averaging 88° by day; July is the coldest at 83°.
Rain, not cold, divides the year in 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.
The wet-and-dry rhythm at a glance
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.
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.
More climate facts for Dar es Salaam
- 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%
Choosing the right part of the year in Dar es Salaam
Choose dates by rain, not just temperature
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.
What the humidity changes
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.
Warm all year: the monthly rain pattern
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Dar es Salaam's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 10.9 h
- Daylight
- 12.5 h
February
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.0 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
March
- Rain
- 20 days
- Sunshine
- 10.1 h
- Daylight
- 12.2 h
April
- Rain
- 26 days
- Sunshine
- 8.3 h
- Daylight
- 12.0 h
May
- Rain
- 16 days
- Sunshine
- 9.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
June
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 10.5 h
- Daylight
- 11.7 h
July
- Rain
- 6 days
- Sunshine
- 10.6 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
August
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 10.8 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
September
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 12.1 h
October
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
November
- Rain
- 20 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
December
- Rain
- 21 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 12.5 h
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Dar es Salaam's coolest part of the year: July, June, May.
Monthly temperature and rain table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 87° | 78° | 15 | 3.4 in | 10.9 h/day | 12.5 h | 48% | 78% |
| February | 88° | 78° | 12 | 2.2 in | 11.0 h/day | 12.3 h | 43% | 77% |
| March | 88° | 78° | 20 | 5.5 in | 10.1 h/day | 12.2 h | 65% | 80% |
| April | 85° | 75° | 26 | 11.7 in | 8.3 h/day | 12.0 h | 86% | 86% |
| May | 84° | 74° | 16 | 5.8 in | 9.7 h/day | 11.8 h | 50% | 82% |
| June | 83° | 72° | 8 | 1.3 in | 10.5 h/day | 11.7 h | 25% | 77% |
| July | 83° | 71° | 6 | 0.9 in | 10.6 h/day | 11.8 h | 18% | 75% |
| August | 84° | 71° | 9 | 0.9 in | 10.8 h/day | 11.9 h | 29% | 75% |
| September | 85° | 72° | 11 | 1.1 in | 11.3 h/day | 12.1 h | 37% | 75% |
| October | 86° | 74° | 14 | 3.3 in | 11.4 h/day | 12.3 h | 45% | 77% |
| November | 86° | 76° | 20 | 5.1 in | 11.2 h/day | 12.4 h | 66% | 80% |
| December | 87° | 77° | 21 | 4.5 in | 11.4 h/day | 12.5 h | 67% | 80% |
How Dar es Salaam compares for rain and warmth
- 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.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.
How the calendar changes in warm-weather Dar es Salaam
September through November
September through November sits firmly in the heat here - highs near 86°F (30°C), nights near 74°F (23°C), and rain falls on around 45 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.3 hours of sun a day. With the moisture factored in, afternoons feel hotter than the reading suggests - the humidity and dew point converter shows why.
December through February
December through February in Dar es Salaam runs hot, with daytime highs averaging 87°F (31°C) and nights around 78°F (26°C); rain falls on around 48 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.1 hours of sun a day.
March through May
March through May is hot here - highs near 85°F (30°C), nights near 76°F (24°C), and rain falls on around 61 of the 90 days.
June through August
June through August brings hot afternoons here - highs near 83°F (29°C), nights near 72°F (22°C), and expect showers on roughly 22 days across the season. Daylight is generous - around 10.6 hours of sun a day.
Questions about heat and rain in Dar es Salaam
What is the average temperature in Dar es Salaam?
Is Dar es Salaam cold in winter?
How hot does Dar es Salaam get in summer?
Are nights cold in Dar es Salaam?
Dar es Salaam temperature extremes in the 2015–2024 dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.