Congo Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, Dolisie, Nkayi, and Owando
This month in numbers
Congo experienced its 3rd warmest June on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 25.08°C, a significant 1.5°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. Globally, June 2026 also ranked as the 3rd warmest June for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1°C compared to the same baseline.
What changed
The April–June 2026 period saw Congo record its 7th warmest such period on record, with an average temperature of 25.54°C, 1.2°C above the long-term average. This continues a warming trend, with 2025 being the warmest year on record for Congo at 25.83°C. The broader African continent also experienced a warmer-than-average period, with a 1-month anomaly of +1.58°C across its 15 members.
What’s driving change?
The elevated temperatures in Congo are consistent with the global trend of land warming faster than ocean. A study published in the Journal of Climate suggests that rising temperatures over the Congo Basin are actively altering weather patterns across the world, pushing tropical rainfall eastward and creating a climate ripple effect that stretches from Africa to the western Pacific Ocean. Additionally, Congo has been experiencing a drought since the end of December 2025, which has continued for 162 days as of June 10, 2026, and is expected to have a minor impact on agriculture. The region has also seen a significant cluster of wildfire activity, with 16 wildfire events logged in the past month, representing 100% of the annual total for Congo. This unusual concentration of wildfires includes a large-scale event near Sake with extreme heat output and rapid spread.
Looking ahead
Seasonal forecasts suggest an enhanced probability of above-normal rainfall continuing across southern parts of Africa, with severe to extreme surpluses expected to emerge in southern Somalia beginning October 2026.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Congo
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Congo – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – Congo
Our World in Data / NOAA - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Wet / dry seasonsKöppen Am · TropicalCongo doesn't have a warm/cold cycle - its monthly temperature range is only 1.1°C across the year - but it does have a strong wet/dry cycle (the wettest month gets 4× as much rain as the driest). So we track how the wet season has shifted instead.
Monthly rainfall climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: Jun (+14 mm, +20%).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rainfall & Precipitation
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Headline: anomaly vs the 1961–1990 mean. Small figure: the actual value. Rank: position in the full record (1st = highest ever). Record: highest (or lowest) value on record with its year.
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Congo
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 Congo changing?
Congo 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 headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Congo come from?
Climate data for Congo 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 Congo climate data cover?
The Congo climate profile covers Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, Dolisie, Nkayi and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Congo
How often is the Congo climate update refreshed?
The Congo 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.