Harare, Zimbabwe Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Harare
Harare's year is organised around rain rather than temperature. 67% of its 28.6 inches (727 mm) annual total arrives in the December to February window, while August averages less than 1 mm. Temperatures move far less: 84°F (29°C) at the year's warmest against 70°F (21°C) at its coolest.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: October - highs near 84°F (29°C)
- Coldest month: July - highs near 70°F (21°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 98°F (37°C) high · 40°F (5°C) low
- Wettest month: January (22 rainy days) · Sunniest: October (11.6 h sun/day)
- Climate type: subtropical highland
- Annual swing: 8°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 11°C
- Average humidity: 61%
Temperatures through the year
Warmth peaks in October: highs of 84°F (29°C), lows of 60°F (16°C). July bottoms out at 70°F (21°C) in daylight, 47°F (8°C) after dark. Six of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is March through August.
Rain, sun and snow
6 months average under 20 mm of rain, the longest unbroken stretch running May through October. Sunshine averages 10.8 hours a day over the year - sunnier than 91% of the 3496 cities in our dataset, peaking in October at 11.6 hours. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 98°F (37°C) and bottoms at 40°F (5°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
How Harare compares
- 67% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more seasonal than 96% of the 3496 cities we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 76° | 61° | 22 | 8.8 in | 9.8 h/day | 13.1 h | 69% | 78% |
| February | 77° | 61° | 16 | 4.9 in | 10.7 h/day | 12.7 h | 57% | 77% |
| March | 77° | 59° | 12 | 3.1 in | 11.0 h/day | 12.2 h | 37% | 73% |
| April | 75° | 56° | 6 | 1.8 in | 10.3 h/day | 11.7 h | 22% | 69% |
| May | 73° | 51° | 1 | 0.2 in | 10.7 h/day | 11.3 h | 4% | 59% |
| June | 69° | 48° | 0 | 0.1 in | 10.1 h/day | 11.1 h | 1% | 58% |
| July | 70° | 47° | 1 | 0.1 in | 10.3 h/day | 11.2 h | 2% | 54% |
| August | 76° | 51° | 0 | 0.0 in | 11.2 h/day | 11.5 h | 0% | 47% |
| September | 81° | 56° | 0 | 0.0 in | 11.5 h/day | 12.0 h | 2% | 42% |
| October | 84° | 60° | 3 | 0.8 in | 11.6 h/day | 12.5 h | 9% | 46% |
| November | 82° | 62° | 13 | 3.5 in | 11.3 h/day | 13.0 h | 42% | 60% |
| December | 80° | 62° | 16 | 5.3 in | 10.9 h/day | 13.2 h | 53% | 69% |
Harare month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Harare's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 22 days
- Sunshine
- 9.8 h
- Daylight
- 13.1 h
February
- Rain
- 16 days
- Sunshine
- 10.7 h
- Daylight
- 12.7 h
March
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.0 h
- Daylight
- 12.2 h
April
- Rain
- 6 days
- Sunshine
- 10.3 h
- Daylight
- 11.7 h
May
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 10.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.3 h
June
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 10.1 h
- Daylight
- 11.1 h
July
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 10.3 h
- Daylight
- 11.2 h
August
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 11.5 h
September
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 11.5 h
- Daylight
- 12.0 h
October
- Rain
- 3 days
- Sunshine
- 11.6 h
- Daylight
- 12.5 h
November
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 13.0 h
December
- Rain
- 16 days
- Sunshine
- 10.9 h
- Daylight
- 13.2 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Harare
Spring (September through November)
Spring in Harare brings hot afternoons, with daytime highs averaging 82°F (28°C) and nights around 59°F (15°C); rain comes on about 16 days over the three months. Daylight is generous - around 11.5 hours of sun a day.
Summer (December through February)
Summer brings comfortable warmth here - highs near 78°F (25°C), nights near 61°F (16°C), and rain falls on around 54 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 10.5 hours of sun a day.
Fall (March through May)
Fall in Harare brings comfortable warmth, with daytime highs averaging 75°F (24°C) and nights around 56°F (13°C); expect showers on roughly 19 days across the season. Daylight is generous - around 10.7 hours of sun a day.
Winter (June through August)
Winter in Harare is pleasantly warm, with daytime highs averaging 72°F (22°C) and nights around 49°F (9°C); precipitation is essentially absent. Daylight is generous - around 10.5 hours of sun a day.
Climate questions, answered
How humid does Harare get?
When is the dry season in Harare?
Are nights cold in Harare?
What should I wear in Harare?
Best time to visit Harare
Aim for April to September if you get the choice: the rains have stopped and the heat has not yet peaked, and highs average 74°F (23°C) against roughly 2 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in April.
Pack for Harare with light clothing for the warm months and a compact umbrella or rain shell. Note the gap between afternoon and night: October pairs 84°F (29°C) with 60°F (16°C).
Harare temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.