Kilimanjaro records about 1600mm of rain across roughly 95 wet days a year, which is a 26% chance on an average day. April is the wettest month at 250mm (16% of the annual total) and July the driest at 18mm. Local rain type: monsoon. Kilimanjaro has five climate zones from base to summit. Rain at the base can mean snow at the peak — trekking weather varies dramatically by altitude.
Chance of rain on an average day: 26%
Rainfall climatology for Kilimanjaro. The live hour-by-hour answer for today loads at the top of this page from Open-Meteo and refreshes through the day — the figures below describe a typical year, not today.
Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.
| Annual rainfall | 1600mm |
| Rain days per year | 95 |
| Odds on an average day | 26% |
| Wettest month | April — 250mm over 23 days |
| Driest month | July — 18mm over 2 days |
| Rain type | monsoon |
| Best dry window | January-February and June-October offer the driest trekking conditions. |
| Worst rain window | March through May brings the heaviest rain — most routes become treacherous. |
April delivers 1289% more rain than July (250mm vs 18mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.
No single month holds more than 16% of the annual total, so rain in Kilimanjaro is spread through the year — there is no season you can rely on being dry.
Kilimanjaro rain arrives in short, heavy bursts — shelter and timing matter more than gear.
Rain falls on about 23 days in April against 2 in July — the frequency swing matters more for planning than the millimetre totals.
Climate normals. Use them to judge whether today's live forecast at the top of the page is typical or unusual for the season.
| Month | Rainfall | Rain days | Chance on a given day | Highs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 58mm | 5 | 17% | 30°C |
| February | 62mm | 6 | 20% | 30°C |
| March | 140mm | 13 | 43% | 29°C |
| April | 250mm | 23 | 77% | 29°C |
| May | 195mm | 18 | 60% | 27°C |
| June | 32mm | 3 | 10% | 27°C |
| July | 18mm | 2 | 7% | 26°C |
| August | 22mm | 2 | 7% | 26°C |
| September | 28mm | 3 | 10% | 27°C |
| October | 52mm | 5 | 17% | 27°C |
| November | 92mm | 9 | 30% | 29°C |
| December | 68mm | 6 | 20% | 29°C |
Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Kilimanjaro we combine the hourly probability curve, expected volume in millimetres, and the city's own rainfall record into a single umbrella verdict.
| Factor | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly probability | 40% | Peak and sustained chance of measurable rain across the next 24 hours. |
| Expected volume | 30% | Total millimetres, which separates a passing shower from a genuine soaking. |
| Timing & duration | 20% | When rain starts, when it eases, and the longest continuous dry window. |
| Local rain type | 10% | Drizzle, brief showers, thunderstorms or monsoon — each needs different gear. |
Live hourly values come from Open-Meteo and refresh through the day. Monthly rainfall figures are climate normals, so they describe a typical year rather than a forecast.
Kilimanjaro records rain on roughly 95 days a year — about a 26% chance on any given day — totalling around 1600mm.
April, with about 250mm over 23 rain days. That is 16% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.
July is the driest month at 18mm across roughly 2 days. January-February and June-October offer the driest trekking conditions.
Kilimanjaro has five climate zones from base to summit. Rain at the base can mean snow at the peak — trekking weather varies dramatically by altitude.
No. Probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm of rain falls at your location at some point in the period. Check the expected millimetres alongside it: 40% with 0.4mm is a passing shower, 40% with 12mm is a soaking.