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WHEN TO GO |
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Kenya has complicated and rather unpredictable climatic shifts .
Broadly, the pattern is that January to March is hot and dry, while from
April to June it is hot and wet, a period known as the "long rains".
From July until October the weather is very warm and dry, and then come
the "short rains", making November and December warm and wet. At high
altitudes, however, it may rain at almost any time. Western Kenya has a
scattered rainfall pattern influenced by Lake Victoria, while the
eastern half of the country, and especially the coast itself, are
largely controlled by the Indian Ocean's monsoon winds - the dry
northeast monsoon ( kaskazi ) blowing from December to March and the
moist southeast monsoon ( kusi ) from April to November, which normally
brings the heaviest rain in May. Temperatures are determined largely by
altitude: you can reckon on a drop of 6°C (or 11°F) for every 1000m you
climb from sea level. Nairobi, for example, (at 1600m, higher than the
Cairngorms or the Appalachians) has a moderate climate, and can get down
to 5°C (41°F) at night.
The main tourist seasons tie in with the rainfall patterns: the biggest
influxes are in December and January and, to a lesser extent, July and
August. Dry-season travel has a number of advantages, not least of which
is the greater visibility of wildlife as animals are concentrated along
the diminishing watercourses. July and August are probably the best
months , overall, for game-viewing. October to January are the months
with the clearest seas for snorkelling and diving - especially November.
In the "long rains", the mountain parks are sometimes closed, as the
muddy tracks are undrivable. But the rainy seasons shouldn't deter
travel unduly: the rains usually come only in short afternoon or evening
cloudbursts, and the landscape is strikingly green and fresh even if the
skies may be cloudy. There are bonuses, too, in the lack of tourists:
hotel and other prices are reduced and people generally have more time
for you.
Kenya's climate
| |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
June |
July |
Aug |
Sept |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
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Nairobi (Alt 1661m)
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Av day temp (°C)
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25 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
22 |
21 |
21 |
21 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
23 |
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v night temp (°C)
|
12 |
13 |
14 |
14 |
13 |
12 |
11 |
11 |
11 |
13 |
13 |
13 |
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Days with rainfall
|
5 |
6 |
11 |
16 |
17 |
9 |
6 |
7 |
6 |
8 |
15 |
11 |
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Rainfall (mm)
|
38 |
64 |
125 |
211 |
158 |
46 |
15 |
23 |
31 |
53 |
109 |
86 |
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Mombasa (sea level)
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Av day temp (°C)
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31 |
31 |
31 |
30 |
28 |
28 |
27 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
29 |
30 |
|
Av night temp (°C)
|
24 |
24 |
25 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
22 |
22 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
24 |
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Days with rainfall
|
6 |
3 |
7 |
15 |
20 |
15 |
14 |
16 |
14 |
10 |
10 |
9 |
|
Rainfall (mm)
|
25 |
18 |
64 |
196 |
320 |
119 |
89 |
66 |
63 |
86 |
97 |
61 |
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Kisumu (Alt 1135m)
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Av day temp (°C)
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29 |
29 |
28 |
28 |
27 |
27 |
27 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
29 |
29 |
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Av night temp (°C)
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18 |
19 |
19 |
18 |
18 |
17 |
17 |
17 |
17 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
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Days with rainfall
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6 |
8 |
12 |
14 |
14 |
9 |
8 |
10 |
8 |
7 |
9 |
8 |
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Rainfall (mm)
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48 |
81 |
140 |
191 |
155 |
84 |
58 |
76 |
64 |
56 |
86 |
102
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