Climate
Namibia is truly a country of “blue skies and sunshine”, and all-in-all provides travellers to the area with an agreeable climate. Namibia experiences on average 300 days of sunshine in a year and is the aridest country in Southern Africa. Namibia has mostly a subtropical desert climate and is situated at the southern edge of the tropics; the Tropic of Capricorn more or less bisects the country in half.
However, extreme variances in temperature can be experienced depending on the season and your geographic location. For example, the Namib Desert experiences warm to hot days in the winter months (from June to September), but temperatures are known to drop considerably at night and can get freezing.
In Namibia, the summer months (Oct-Apr) can become hot with temperatures hitting 35°C or higher in the north and south. Winter days (May-Sept) are pleasant, but temperatures can become quite cold, dropping below zero in mid-winter. Average daytime temperatures in summer range between 20-35°C while in winter they drop, with the average being between 18-22°C during the day.
The Coastal region is kept cooler by the cold Benguela current and is free from rain for most of the year. For visitors along the coast, fog conditions are quite common, although it does tend to lift in midmorning, settling in again during the late afternoons. Namibia’s generally clear skies, sparse population and unpolluted air ensure that it’s ranked as one of the best places to embark on stargazing.
Summer months are long and occur from October to April. Average summer temperatures range from 20 degrees Celsius on the coast to 35 degrees Celsius in the central region. Temperatures can reach in excess of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the southern region of Namibia, especially in the Namib Desert. Summertime is also the rainy season in Namibia. The rainy season is divided into a short and a main rainy season. The short rainy season occurs between September and November – the main rainy season occurs between December to April. The rains are generally of short duration and bring much relief to the heat.
Namibia is considered to be a year-round destination. Therefore, ensure that you pack accordingly for comfort and coolness in the summer months and warmth for the winter nights.
