Burundi Climate
Top 5 Cities: Bujumbura, Gitega, Muyinga, Ruyigi, and Ngozi
This month in numbers
Burundi experienced its 4th warmest April on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 20.88°C, marking an anomaly of +1.5°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. The period of February–April 2026 was the 2nd warmest on record, with an anomaly of +1.8°C. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April on record for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1.1°C.
What changed
The past three months (February–April 2026) have been exceptionally warm for Burundi, ranking as the 2nd warmest such period in 86 years of records. This trend aligns with the country's long-term warming, which has seen an increase of +1.37°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. Burundi's 2025 average temperature of 21.76°C was the warmest year on record. This warming trend in Burundi is part of a broader global pattern, with global land temperatures also experiencing their 2nd warmest February–April on record.
What’s driving change?
Burundi is highly vulnerable to climate change, with a significant portion of its population dependent on rain-fed agriculture. The country has been experiencing an intensification of dry and wet seasons, leading to more severe droughts and floods. In April 2026, heavy rainfall caused devastating floods in areas such as Kiyange in Buterere zone, Bujumbura, leaving over 2,500 people homeless and destroying more than 300 houses. Flooding and landslides are recurrent hazards in Burundi, driving disaster-induced displacement, with 63% of surveyed internally displaced persons affected by floods. These extreme weather events are exacerbated by the ENSO phenomenon, which brought unusually heavy rainfall to East Africa in late 2023 and early 2024. The rising water levels of Lake Tanganyika have also contributed to widespread flooding, damaging critical infrastructure like the Port of Bujumbura. A dry spell between late March and early April also affected bean development, leading to notable crop losses despite near-average cumulative rainfall for the season.
Looking ahead
Seasonal forecasts for March–May 2026 indicate average to above-average rainfall across western and central parts of the East Africa region, including Burundi, which could help improve soil moisture and support agricultural activities.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Burundi
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Burundi changing?
Burundi is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Burundi come from?
Climate data for Burundi comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Burundi climate data cover?
The Burundi climate profile covers Bujumbura, Gitega, Muyinga, Ruyigi and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Burundi
How often is the Burundi climate update refreshed?
The Burundi climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.