Kenya Weather

Kenya climate

Kenya's equatorial position would suggest uniformly tropical conditions, but the country's remarkable topographic diversity creates everything from hot, humid coastal lowlands to cool highland plateaus and semi-arid northern deserts. The Great Rift Valley cuts through the country, flanked by volcanic highlands exceeding 5,000 meters on Mount Kenya, creating dramatic microclimates and some of the most productive agricultural land in East Africa.

Kenya experiences two rainy seasons: the "long rains" from March to May and the "short rains" from October to December, driven by the passage of the ITCZ. However, climate variability is high, and droughts or floods can occur when the Indian Ocean Dipole or ENSO events disrupt normal patterns. The coast receives rainfall from both monsoon seasons and maintains warm, humid conditions year-round. The northern counties bordering Somalia and Ethiopia are hot and arid.

Nairobi sits at 1,660 meters elevation, giving it a remarkably pleasant climate with temperatures averaging 17°C year-round — earning it the nickname "Green City in the Sun." Mombasa on the coast is hot and tropical with temperatures around 28°C. The Maasai Mara and savanna regions have warm days and cool nights, ideal for wildlife viewing. Mount Kenya's glaciers are among the few equatorial ice masses remaining, though rapidly retreating due to climate change.