Weather locations in Djibouti

Djibouti stands at the mouth of the Red Sea, on the Gulf of Aden, and its climate is almost entirely desert with a hot semi-arid fringe. The country is small, but its geography is extreme: a low coastal strip that is among the hottest inhabited places on earth, sharp volcanic mountains in the centre, and a salt lake lying well below sea level.

Main climate types

Three zones can be distinguished. The coastal plain, including the capital, is hot semi-arid, receiving under 300 millimetres a year. The mountains of the Goda massif and the Forest of the Day, rising above 1,500 metres, catch more moisture and grade into a montane type. In between, the interior plateau is semi-desert, and there is a shallow salt lake at Assal which lies below sea level and is one of the lowest points on earth.

Temperatures

Djibouti City has January means near 27 degrees Celsius and July means near 34, and overnight lows rarely fall below 20 during the hottest months. The coast is reliably hot all year. The uplands are different: at about 1,500 metres, January means fall to around 16 and July to about 26, and winter nights can approach 10 degrees. Humidity is high along the coast in summer, when the sea itself is very warm.

Rainfall

Annual rainfall is about 50 millimetres in the far south near the coast, though the northern highlands receive more, possibly up to 500 millimetres, mostly between June and September. Whatever water falls arrives in short, heavy showers rather than long spells, and the north-west is the wettest part of the country. There is no dry season anywhere and no month that is reliably dry.

When to go

Between November and March, when daytime temperatures near the coast usually stay below 30 degrees, is the best window for travel. The summer months of July and August are extremely hot and humid along the sea, and are best avoided for anything that involves walking outdoors.