Zanzibar City, Tanzania Climate & Monthly Averages
Zanzibar City has a tropical wet-and-dry climate. February is the hottest month, averaging 89° by day; July is the coldest at 82°.
Rain, not cold, divides the year in Zanzibar City
Temperature barely moves in Zanzibar City - 4°C between the average February and the average July. Rainfall does the work instead: 14.3 inches (363 mm) in April against 1.4 inches (36 mm) in August.
The wet-and-dry rhythm at a glance
The wettest month is April (14.3 inches (363 mm) across 27 days) and the driest August. At its warmest, in February, Zanzibar City runs to 89°F (32°C) in the afternoon and back to 78°F (26°C) by dawn. July is the coolest month, with highs of 82°F (28°C) and lows near 72°F (22°C). The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 98°F (36°C) and bottoms at 65°F (18°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
Average highs hold at or above 30°C for 5 months of the year, December through March being the unbroken run.
Days and nights are about 6°C apart on average - narrower than all but 8% of the 3496 cities in our dataset.
More climate facts for Zanzibar City
- Hottest month: February - highs near 89°F (32°C)
- Coldest month: July - highs near 82°F (28°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 98°F (36°C) high · 65°F (18°C) low
- Wettest month: April (27 rainy days) · Sunniest: December (11.5 h sun/day)
- Climate type: tropical wet-and-dry
- Annual swing: 4°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 6°C
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 5
- Average humidity: 79%
Choosing the right part of the year in Zanzibar City
Choose dates by rain, not just temperature
The best time to visit Zanzibar City is generally June to August and February, when humidity and rainfall are at their lowest, which is what actually varies here. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 84°F (29°C), with rain on about 14 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 Zanzibar City 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 Zanzibar City's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 11.1 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
February
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.1 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
March
- Rain
- 19 days
- Sunshine
- 10.4 h
- Daylight
- 12.2 h
April
- Rain
- 27 days
- Sunshine
- 8.4 h
- Daylight
- 12.0 h
May
- Rain
- 20 days
- Sunshine
- 9.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
June
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 10.5 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
July
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 10.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
August
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 10.9 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
September
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 12.1 h
October
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
November
- Rain
- 23 days
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
December
- Rain
- 23 days
- Sunshine
- 11.5 h
- Daylight
- 12.5 h
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Zanzibar City'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 | 88° | 78° | 14 | 3.0 in | 11.1 h/day | 12.4 h | 45% | 77% |
| February | 89° | 78° | 11 | 1.9 in | 11.1 h/day | 12.3 h | 40% | 75% |
| March | 89° | 77° | 19 | 4.7 in | 10.4 h/day | 12.2 h | 60% | 78% |
| April | 84° | 76° | 27 | 14.3 in | 8.4 h/day | 12.0 h | 90% | 87% |
| May | 82° | 75° | 20 | 7.0 in | 9.7 h/day | 11.8 h | 65% | 84% |
| June | 82° | 73° | 15 | 2.1 in | 10.5 h/day | 11.8 h | 50% | 79% |
| July | 82° | 72° | 15 | 1.7 in | 10.7 h/day | 11.8 h | 48% | 78% |
| August | 83° | 71° | 14 | 1.4 in | 10.9 h/day | 11.9 h | 44% | 76% |
| September | 85° | 71° | 14 | 1.5 in | 11.3 h/day | 12.1 h | 45% | 76% |
| October | 86° | 73° | 15 | 3.5 in | 11.4 h/day | 12.3 h | 50% | 77% |
| November | 86° | 75° | 23 | 6.3 in | 11.3 h/day | 12.4 h | 77% | 82% |
| December | 86° | 77° | 23 | 5.1 in | 11.5 h/day | 12.5 h | 74% | 81% |
How Zanzibar City compares for rain and warmth
- Rain or snow reaches the ground on 209 days a year - more wet days than 92% of the 3496 cities we track.
- Zanzibar City averages 79°F (26°C) across the year - warmer than 89% of the 3496 cities we track.
- Its warmest and coolest months are 4°C apart - a steadier year than all but 11% 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 Zanzibar City
September through November
September through November runs hot here - highs near 86°F (30°C), nights near 73°F (23°C), and rain falls on around 52 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.3 hours of sun a day.
December through February
December through February runs hot here - highs near 88°F (31°C), nights near 77°F (25°C), and rain falls on around 48 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.2 hours of sun a day.
March through May
March through May sits firmly in the heat here - highs near 85°F (29°C), nights near 76°F (24°C), and rain falls on around 66 of the 90 days.
June through August
Through June through August, Zanzibar City sits firmly in the heat: 82°F (28°C) by day, 72°F (22°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 43 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 10.7 hours of sun a day.
Questions about heat and rain in Zanzibar City
How sunny is Zanzibar City?
How hot does Zanzibar City get in summer?
Does Zanzibar City have seasons?
Are nights cold in Zanzibar City?
How long does summer last in Zanzibar City?
Zanzibar City 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.