Despite its geographic location in southern Africa either side of the Tropic of Capricorn, Namibia takes many travelers by surprise with the relatively cool climate that extends across most of the country. This is the result of a cold ocean current sweeping north along Namibia’s 932 mile coastline, generating dramatically picturesque fogs, as well as plateaus enhancing the altitude of much of Namibia’s interior.
The coastline is Namibia’s driest region. Its Namib-Naukluft Park and Skeleton Coast National Park protect parts of the Namib Desert, often considered the oldest desert on Earth and seeing as little as a tenth of an inch of rain a year. Despite its desert moniker, temperatures rarely rise above 60 degrees, and offshore winds can make it feel much cooler, permitting easier exploration of the region’s wildlife and dramatic dune landscapes.
Much warmer than the coast, Namibia’s capital Windhoek sits in the middle of the country. Its weather is typical of that experienced across most of the country’s inland areas, with summer (November to March) temperatures generally in the high 70s by day. The mild temperatures continue into Namibia’s winter months, which are also the sunniest and driest.
Bucking the trend is Namibia’s northern reaches, including Etosha National Park and Zambezi Region (known historically as the Caprivi Strip). Here travelers should prepare for tropical conditions. Humidity is much higher than in other parts of the country, making it feel much hotter, and rainfall is also substantially greater.
Zambezi Region, Namibia’s wettest, records an average 23 inches of rain per year. Predominantly falling from December through to February, it makes Zambezi Region Namibia’s most verdant, with rivers, forest, and savanna providing habitat for an impressive array of species.
Namibia Weather by Month
Average monthly temperatures (°F) and rainfall (inches) for select locations in Namibia are shown below.
Windhoek
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| High | 90.6 | 87.4 | 84.8 | 81.6 | 76.8 | 71.4 | 72.4 | 77.6 | 85.0 | 88.6 | 90.4 | 92.8 |
| Low | 65.4 | 64.0 | 61.8 | 55.8 | 49.6 | 43.8 | 43.8 | 47.8 | 54.8 | 59.4 | 62.4 | 64.4 |
| Rain | 3.4 | 3.6 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
Source: World Meteorological Organization
Namibia Travel Guide
Namibia Tours & Safaris / Namibia FAQ / Namibia Accommodations
Top Namibia Travel Destinations
Damaraland / Etosha National Park / Fish River Canyon / Namib-Naukluft Park / The Skeleton Coast / The Zambezi Region / Windhoek
The Big Five
African Elephant / Cape Buffalo / Leopard / Lion / Rhino
Weather for Other African Countries
Botswana Weather / Kenya Weather / South Africa Weather / Tanzania Weather / Zimbabwe Weather
