Zimbabwe Weather by Month

Zimbabwe has a dry season from May to October and a rainy season from November to April. Very little rain falls between May and September; only the Eastern Highlands get occasional showers. Winter nights (June and July) are cold, close to 5°C in Hwange, while October is the hottest month, reaching 33–35°C at Victoria Falls and Kariba. The rains usually start between November and early December. Written by Bryan Fawcett.

Temperatures and rainfall below are the official long-term averages (1961–1990 normals) published by the World Meteorological Organization from Zimbabwe’s Meteorological Services Department. Individual years vary, and recent years have been hotter than these averages.

The seasons at a glance

Season	Months	What it’s like
Cool and dry	May – August	Sunny days of 21–29°C and cool to cold nights (about 5–14°C, coldest inland in June and July). Almost no rain. Best for walking and comfortable safaris
Hot and dry	September – October	Very hot days, up to 33–35°C in the low-lying parks. Animals gather at water, so game viewing is at its best
Early rains	November – December	Hot and humid, with afternoon thunderstorms. The bush turns green and many animals give birth
Main rains	January – March	Warm, with the heaviest rain. Lush landscapes and good birding, but some roads and camps close
End of the rains	April	Rain tails off, the bush is green and Victoria Falls is close to full flow

Temperatures and rainfall by destination

Victoria Falls town, beside the falls (WMO station 962).

Month	Average high	Average low	Rainfall
January	30°C	18°C	168 mm
February	29°C	18°C	126 mm
March	30°C	17°C	70 mm
April	29°C	14°C	24 mm
May	27°C	10°C	3 mm
June	25°C	6°C	1 mm
July	25°C	6°C	0 mm
August	28°C	8°C	0 mm
September	32°C	13°C	2 mm
October	33°C	17°C	27 mm
November	32°C	18°C	64 mm
December	30°C	18°C	174 mm

Annual rainfall: about 659 mm.

Hwange National Park, Main Camp area (WMO station 965).

Month	Average high	Average low	Rainfall
January	29°C	18°C	145 mm
February	29°C	18°C	129 mm
March	29°C	17°C	57 mm
April	28°C	13°C	20 mm
May	26°C	9°C	3 mm
June	24°C	5°C	0 mm
July	24°C	5°C	0 mm
August	27°C	7°C	1 mm
September	31°C	12°C	2 mm
October	32°C	16°C	21 mm
November	32°C	18°C	56 mm
December	30°C	18°C	126 mm

Annual rainfall: about 560 mm.

Kariba town, on the lake shore (WMO station 966). There is no official weather station at Mana Pools. The Zambezi Valley floor there is broadly similar to Kariba.

Month	Average high	Average low	Rainfall
January	31°C	22°C	192 mm
February	31°C	21°C	158 mm
March	31°C	21°C	112 mm
April	30°C	18°C	30 mm
May	28°C	14°C	4 mm
June	26°C	11°C	1 mm
July	26°C	11°C	1 mm
August	29°C	14°C	0 mm
September	33°C	19°C	1 mm
October	35°C	23°C	18 mm
November	34°C	23°C	74 mm
December	31°C	22°C	175 mm

Annual rainfall: about 766 mm.

Harare (WMO station 263).

Month	Average high	Average low	Rainfall
January	26°C	16°C	191 mm
February	26°C	16°C	176 mm
March	26°C	14°C	99 mm
April	26°C	12°C	37 mm
May	24°C	9°C	7 mm
June	22°C	7°C	2 mm
July	22°C	6°C	2 mm
August	24°C	8°C	3 mm
September	28°C	12°C	6 mm
October	29°C	14°C	40 mm
November	28°C	16°C	93 mm
December	26°C	16°C	183 mm

Annual rainfall: about 839 mm.

Bulawayo (WMO station 950), 35 km from Matobo National Park.

Month	Average high	Average low	Rainfall
January	28°C	16°C	118 mm
February	27°C	16°C	105 mm
March	27°C	15°C	51 mm
April	26°C	13°C	33 mm
May	24°C	10°C	7 mm
June	22°C	7°C	2 mm
July	22°C	7°C	1 mm
August	24°C	9°C	1 mm
September	28°C	12°C	7 mm
October	29°C	15°C	38 mm
November	29°C	16°C	91 mm
December	28°C	16°C	120 mm

Annual rainfall: about 574 mm.

Masvingo (WMO station 961), about 27 km from Great Zimbabwe.

Month	Average high	Average low	Rainfall
January	28°C	17°C	129 mm
February	27°C	17°C	107 mm
March	27°C	15°C	66 mm
April	26°C	13°C	28 mm
May	24°C	9°C	13 mm
June	22°C	6°C	6 mm
July	22°C	5°C	3 mm
August	24°C	8°C	6 mm
September	27°C	11°C	10 mm
October	29°C	15°C	30 mm
November	29°C	16°C	77 mm
December	28°C	17°C	140 mm

Annual rainfall: about 615 mm.

Mutare (WMO station 954), the gateway to the Bvumba and Chimanimani. Nyanga sits higher and is cooler; there is no official weather station there.

Month	Average high	Average low	Rainfall
January	28°C	18°C	154 mm
February	27°C	16°C	164 mm
March	26°C	16°C	88 mm
April	25°C	14°C	32 mm
May	24°C	11°C	12 mm
June	21°C	8°C	9 mm
July	21°C	8°C	6 mm
August	23°C	9°C	6 mm
September	26°C	12°C	20 mm
October	27°C	15°C	46 mm
November	28°C	16°C	86 mm
December	27°C	17°C	167 mm

Annual rainfall: about 790 mm.

Victoria Falls water levels through the year

The amount of water going over Victoria Falls depends on rain that falls far upstream in Zambia and Angola, so the falls run months behind Zimbabwe’s own rainy season.

High water: usually from about February to May, with operators reporting the peak around April. The spray can hide the falls, and you will get soaked on the rainforest walk.
Low water: usually from about September to December, lowest around November. The Zambian side can run almost dry, but the Zimbabwean side still has water, and this is the season for Devil’s Pool on the Zambian side.
On record: the Zambezi River Authority measured its highest flow at Victoria Falls in March 1958, at 10,000 cubic metres a second. The long-term average is 1,100 cubic metres a second. In mid-October 2026 the river was running at 313.

Exact timing changes from year to year with the rains. See our Victoria Falls guide for what to see at each water level.

Which month should you go?

For the best game viewing: August to October, when the bush is dry and animals stay near water.
For Victoria Falls at its biggest: March to May.
For walking safaris and comfortable days: June to August. Pack warm layers for early mornings.
For lower prices, green landscapes and birding: November to April, when many lodges offer green-season rates.

Read more in when to visit Zimbabwe and weather by region.

What to pack for the weather

June to August: a warm fleece or jacket, a hat and gloves for morning game drives. It can be close to freezing in an open vehicle at dawn.
September to October: light, breathable clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and plenty of sunscreen.
November to April: a light rain jacket and quick-drying clothes. Malaria risk is higher in the rainy season, so take health precautions.

See our full packing guide.

Sources

World Meteorological Organization — World Weather Information Service, Zimbabwe (climate normals 1961–1990 from the Meteorological Services Department), accessed 21 October 2026
Zambezi River Authority — river flows (Victoria Falls station), data to 19 October 2026
Meteorological Services Department of Zimbabwe — 2026/27 seasonal rainfall outlook, October 2026

Essential Information

Culture & Customs

The seasons at a glance

Temperatures and rainfall by destination

Victoria Falls water levels through the year

Which month should you go?

What to pack for the weather

Sources

​The seasons at a glance

​Temperatures and rainfall by destination

​Victoria Falls water levels through the year

​Which month should you go?

​What to pack for the weather

​Sources

The seasons at a glance

Temperatures and rainfall by destination

Victoria Falls water levels through the year

Which month should you go?

What to pack for the weather

Sources