Kinshasa, DR Congo Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Kinshasa
Kinshasa has one of the steadier climates in our dataset. Average highs move only 2°C across the whole year - from 86°F (30°C) in July to 87°F (31°C) in March - so the practical difference between seasons here is rainfall and daylight, not warmth.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: March - highs near 87°F (31°C)
- Coldest month: July - highs near 86°F (30°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 95°F (35°C) high · 64°F (18°C) low
- Wettest month: November (23 rainy days) · Sunniest: June (10.3 h sun/day)
- Climate type: tropical wet-and-dry
- Annual swing: 2°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 8°C
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 9
- Average humidity: 78%
Temperatures through the year
July bottoms out at 86°F (30°C) in daylight, 69°F (21°C) after dark. At its warmest, in March, Kinshasa runs to 87°F (31°C) in the afternoon and back to 74°F (24°C) by dawn. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 95°F (35°C) and bottoms at 64°F (18°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records. Between the average March and the average July lie 2°C, a narrower spread than all but 3% of the 3496 cities in our dataset.
Rain, sun and snow
November is the wettest month at 9.6 inches (244 mm) over 23 days; July is the driest. Sunshine averages 9.3 hours a day over the year, peaking in June at 10.3 hours. Average highs hold at or above 30°C for 9 months of the year, February through October being the unbroken run. 3 months average under 20 mm of rain, the longest unbroken stretch running June through August.
How Kinshasa compares
- Kinshasa averages 79°F (26°C) across the year - warmer than 88% 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 | 85° | 73° | 16 | 5.1 in | 9.1 h/day | 12.3 h | 53% | 83% |
| February | 87° | 74° | 16 | 5.6 in | 9.0 h/day | 12.2 h | 57% | 82% |
| March | 87° | 74° | 17 | 5.8 in | 9.1 h/day | 12.1 h | 55% | 81% |
| April | 87° | 74° | 19 | 6.7 in | 9.1 h/day | 12.0 h | 63% | 83% |
| May | 87° | 74° | 12 | 3.1 in | 9.8 h/day | 11.9 h | 40% | 82% |
| June | 86° | 71° | 1 | 0.2 in | 10.3 h/day | 11.9 h | 3% | 74% |
| July | 86° | 69° | 0 | 0.1 in | 10.1 h/day | 11.9 h | 2% | 70% |
| August | 87° | 71° | 3 | 0.7 in | 9.3 h/day | 12.0 h | 9% | 67% |
| September | 89° | 73° | 7 | 1.4 in | 9.5 h/day | 12.1 h | 24% | 69% |
| October | 87° | 74° | 19 | 6.2 in | 9.2 h/day | 12.2 h | 60% | 78% |
| November | 85° | 73° | 23 | 9.6 in | 8.6 h/day | 12.3 h | 77% | 84% |
| December | 85° | 73° | 24 | 7.5 in | 8.8 h/day | 12.4 h | 76% | 85% |
Kinshasa month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Kinshasa's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 16 days
- Sunshine
- 9.1 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
February
- Rain
- 16 days
- Sunshine
- 9.0 h
- Daylight
- 12.2 h
March
- Rain
- 17 days
- Sunshine
- 9.1 h
- Daylight
- 12.1 h
April
- Rain
- 19 days
- Sunshine
- 9.1 h
- Daylight
- 12.0 h
May
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 9.8 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
June
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 10.3 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
July
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 10.1 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
August
- Rain
- 3 days
- Sunshine
- 9.3 h
- Daylight
- 12.0 h
September
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 12.1 h
October
- Rain
- 19 days
- Sunshine
- 9.2 h
- Daylight
- 12.2 h
November
- Rain
- 23 days
- Sunshine
- 8.6 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
December
- Rain
- 24 days
- Sunshine
- 8.8 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Kinshasa
September through November
Through September through November, Kinshasa is hot: 87°F (31°C) by day, 73°F (23°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 49 of the 90 days. 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 brings hot afternoons here - highs near 86°F (30°C), nights near 74°F (23°C), and rain falls on around 56 of the 90 days.
March through May
March through May is hot here - highs near 87°F (30°C), nights near 74°F (23°C), and rain falls on around 49 of the 90 days.
June through August
Through June through August, Kinshasa is hot: 87°F (30°C) by day, 70°F (21°C) after dark, and precipitation is sparse, near 1.0 inches (26 mm) for the season.
Climate questions, answered
How often does it rain in Kinshasa?
Is Kinshasa hot in summer?
How warm is Kinshasa on average?
How much does the weather change through the year in Kinshasa?
How long does summer last in Kinshasa?
Best time to visit Kinshasa
June to September is the sweet spot for Kinshasa - humidity and rainfall are at their lowest, which is what actually varies here. Expect 87°F (31°C) in the afternoon and around 3 days of rain in a typical month of it. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in June.
Pack for Kinshasa 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. Note the gap between afternoon and night: March pairs 87°F (31°C) with 74°F (24°C).
Kinshasa 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.