Nairobi, Kenya Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Nairobi
There is not much of a seasonal calendar in Nairobi. Its warmest and coolest months differ by 4°C, against a dataset median nearer 15°C, which leaves 81°F (27°C) in March and 73°F (23°C) in July as the two ends of the year.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: March - highs near 81°F (27°C)
- Coldest month: July - highs near 73°F (23°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 89°F (32°C) high · 47°F (8°C) low
- Wettest month: April (26 rainy days) · Sunniest: February (11.3 h sun/day)
- Climate type: subtropical highland
- Annual swing: 4°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 10°C
- Average humidity: 70%
Temperatures through the year
Days and nights are about 10°C apart on average - wider than roughly 78% of the cities we track. July sits at the other end of the year: 73°F (23°C) by day, 54°F (12°C) at night. At its warmest, in March, Nairobi runs to 81°F (27°C) in the afternoon and back to 60°F (16°C) by dawn. Precipitation concentrates in April - 7.3 inches (186 mm) on 26 days - and thins out by July.
Rain, sun and snow
Between the average March and the average July lie 4°C, a narrower spread than all but 10% of the 3496 cities in our dataset. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 89°F (32°C) and bottoms at 47°F (8°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
How Nairobi compares
- Nairobi sits close to the middle of our dataset on most measures: 66°F (19°C) as an annual average, 35.4 inches (900 mm) of precipitation and 10.0 hours of sun a day.
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 | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 79° | 58° | 9 | 2.0 in | 11.1 h/day | 64% |
| February | 81° | 59° | 8 | 1.8 in | 11.3 h/day | 60% |
| March | 81° | 60° | 12 | 2.9 in | 10.8 h/day | 63% |
| April | 77° | 61° | 26 | 7.3 in | 9.7 h/day | 77% |
| May | 75° | 59° | 18 | 4.2 in | 10.0 h/day | 77% |
| June | 74° | 56° | 9 | 1.6 in | 9.4 h/day | 73% |
| July | 73° | 54° | 5 | 0.8 in | 8.3 h/day | 70% |
| August | 74° | 55° | 7 | 1.0 in | 8.5 h/day | 68% |
| September | 77° | 56° | 7 | 1.3 in | 9.9 h/day | 66% |
| October | 79° | 58° | 14 | 3.6 in | 10.5 h/day | 65% |
| November | 76° | 59° | 23 | 5.7 in | 9.8 h/day | 78% |
| December | 76° | 59° | 16 | 3.3 in | 10.7 h/day | 74% |
Nairobi month by month
Nairobi weather in January
January brings highs around 79°F (26°C), lows near 58°F (15°C), about 9 wet days.
Nairobi weather in February
February brings highs around 81°F (27°C), lows near 59°F (15°C), about 8 wet days - typically the sunniest month of the year in Nairobi.
Nairobi weather in March
March brings highs around 81°F (27°C), lows near 60°F (16°C), about 12 wet days - typically the hottest month of the year in Nairobi.
Nairobi weather in April
April brings highs around 77°F (25°C), lows near 61°F (16°C), about 26 wet days - typically the wettest month of the year in Nairobi.
Nairobi weather in May
May brings highs around 75°F (24°C), lows near 59°F (15°C), about 18 wet days.
Nairobi weather in June
June brings highs around 74°F (23°C), lows near 56°F (13°C), about 9 wet days.
Nairobi weather in July
July brings highs around 73°F (23°C), lows near 54°F (12°C), about 5 wet days - typically the coldest month and the driest month of the year in Nairobi.
Nairobi weather in August
August brings highs around 74°F (23°C), lows near 55°F (13°C), about 7 wet days.
Nairobi weather in September
September brings highs around 77°F (25°C), lows near 56°F (13°C), about 7 wet days.
Nairobi weather in October
October brings highs around 79°F (26°C), lows near 58°F (15°C), about 14 wet days.
Nairobi weather in November
November brings highs around 76°F (24°C), lows near 59°F (15°C), about 23 wet days.
Nairobi weather in December
December brings highs around 76°F (25°C), lows near 59°F (15°C), about 16 wet days.
Seasons in Nairobi
Spring (September through November)
Through spring, Nairobi brings comfortable warmth: 77°F (25°C) by day, 58°F (14°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 44 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 10.1 hours of sun a day.
Summer (December through February)
Through summer, Nairobi brings comfortable warmth: 79°F (26°C) by day, 59°F (15°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 33 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.0 hours of sun a day.
Fall (March through May)
Through fall, Nairobi is mild and warm: 78°F (25°C) by day, 60°F (15°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 56 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 10.2 hours of sun a day.
Winter (June through August)
Winter in Nairobi is pleasantly warm, with daytime highs averaging 74°F (23°C) and nights around 55°F (13°C); expect showers on roughly 21 days across the season.
Climate questions, answered
Is Nairobi humid?
How sunny is Nairobi?
Are nights cold in Nairobi?
How warm is Nairobi on average?
Best time to visit Nairobi
July to September and February is the sweet spot for Nairobi - warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up. Expect 76°F (25°C) in the afternoon and around 7 days of rain in a typical month of it. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in July.
Pack for Nairobi with light clothing for the warm months and proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here. March nights average 60°F (16°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.
Nairobi temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ.