Gaborone, Botswana Climate & Monthly Averages
Gaborone has a semi-arid climate. December is the hottest month, averaging 90° by day; July is the coldest at 71°.
Gaborone's climate runs on sunshine and sparse rain
Gaborone averages 71°F (21°C) across the year, with 10.9 hours of sunshine a day and 13.6 inches (345 mm) of precipitation. The spread runs from July, at 71°F (22°C), to December, at 90°F (32°C).
What the dry climate changes
Precipitation concentrates in December - 2.9 inches (74 mm) on 9 days - and thins out by August. July is the coolest month, with highs of 71°F (22°C) and lows near 44°F (6°C). At its warmest, in December, Gaborone runs to 90°F (32°C) in the afternoon and back to 69°F (20°C) by dawn. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 109°F (43°C) and bottoms at 33°F (0°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
Average highs hold at or above 30°C for 6 months of the year, September through February being the unbroken run.
Four of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is May through August. Relative humidity averages 48% across the year, drier than all but 5% of the 3496 cities in our dataset. Sunshine averages 10.9 hours a day over the year - sunnier than 93% of the 3496 cities in our dataset, peaking in January at 11.7 hours.
More climate facts for Gaborone
- Hottest month: December - highs near 90°F (32°C)
- Coldest month: July - highs near 71°F (22°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 109°F (43°C) high · 33°F (0°C) low
- Wettest month: December (9 rainy days) · Sunniest: January (11.7 h sun/day)
- Climate type: semi-arid
- Annual swing: 12°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 14°C
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 6
- Average humidity: 48%
Heat, cold and scarce precipitation in the dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.
When the dry weather is easiest to use
Avoiding the hardest heat or cold
April to August is the sweet spot for Gaborone - temperatures sit either side of the peak heat rather than in it. Expect 76°F (24°C) in the afternoon and around 1 days of rain in a typical month of it. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in April.
Prepare for sun and cooler nights
Pack for Gaborone with lightweight, breathable clothing and serious sun protection. December nights average 69°F (20°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.
Monthly heat and rainfall table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 89° | 69° | 9 | 2.8 in | 11.7 h/day | 13.5 h | 30% | 55% |
| February | 88° | 68° | 8 | 2.4 in | 11.2 h/day | 13.0 h | 28% | 57% |
| March | 86° | 65° | 5 | 1.0 in | 10.8 h/day | 12.3 h | 15% | 56% |
| April | 81° | 59° | 4 | 1.3 in | 9.9 h/day | 11.5 h | 14% | 59% |
| May | 76° | 51° | 1 | 0.3 in | 10.3 h/day | 10.9 h | 4% | 54% |
| June | 71° | 45° | 1 | 0.1 in | 10.0 h/day | 10.6 h | 2% | 52% |
| July | 71° | 44° | 1 | 0.1 in | 10.4 h/day | 10.7 h | 2% | 45% |
| August | 79° | 50° | 0 | 0.0 in | 10.7 h/day | 11.3 h | 1% | 37% |
| September | 86° | 57° | 0 | 0.1 in | 11.2 h/day | 12.0 h | 1% | 32% |
| October | 90° | 63° | 3 | 0.9 in | 11.3 h/day | 12.7 h | 8% | 35% |
| November | 90° | 66° | 6 | 1.7 in | 11.7 h/day | 13.4 h | 19% | 43% |
| December | 90° | 69° | 9 | 2.9 in | 11.4 h/day | 13.7 h | 30% | 52% |
How daytime heat and cool nights change by month
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Gaborone's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 11.7 h
- Daylight
- 13.5 h
February
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 13.0 h
March
- Rain
- 5 days
- Sunshine
- 10.8 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
April
- Rain
- 4 days
- Sunshine
- 9.9 h
- Daylight
- 11.5 h
May
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 10.3 h
- Daylight
- 10.9 h
June
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 10.0 h
- Daylight
- 10.6 h
July
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 10.4 h
- Daylight
- 10.7 h
August
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 10.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.3 h
September
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 12.0 h
October
- Rain
- 3 days
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 12.7 h
November
- Rain
- 6 days
- Sunshine
- 11.7 h
- Daylight
- 13.4 h
December
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 13.7 h
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Gaborone's coolest part of the year: June, July, May.
Heat and cold across the Gaborone year
Spring (September through November)
Through spring, Gaborone is hot: 89°F (32°C) by day, 62°F (17°C) after dark, and rain comes on about 9 days over the three months. Daylight is generous - around 11.4 hours of sun a day.
Summer (December through February)
Through summer, Gaborone sits firmly in the heat: 89°F (31°C) by day, 68°F (20°C) after dark, and expect showers on roughly 26 days across the season. Daylight is generous - around 11.4 hours of sun a day.
Fall (March through May)
Fall is hot here - highs near 81°F (27°C), nights near 58°F (15°C), and rain comes on about 10 days over the three months. Daylight is generous - around 10.3 hours of sun a day.
Winter (June through August)
Winter is mild and warm here - highs near 74°F (23°C), nights near 46°F (8°C), and precipitation is sparse, near 6 mm (0.2 in) for the season. Daylight is generous - around 10.4 hours of sun a day.
How unusual is Gaborone?
- Afternoons run 14°C above the following night - a bigger day-to-night gap than 97% of the 3496 cities we track.
- Rain or snow reaches the ground on 47 days a year - fewer wet days than all but 8% of the 3496 cities we track.
- 60% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more seasonal than 92% of the 3496 cities we track.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.