Djibouti Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Djibouti City, Ali Sabieh, Dikhil, Tadjourah, and Obock
Summary
July brought intense heat to Djibouti, delivering one of the warmest months on record for the Horn of Africa nation. A relentlessly hot May to July period pushed temperatures well above historical norms, leaving urban centres and rural communities dealing with severe heat stress, with dry and warmer-than-average conditions expected to linger into early autumn.
This month in numbers
During July 2026, Djibouti recorded an average temperature of 34.62°C, standing 2.3°C above the 1961-1990 baseline to register as the 4th warmest on record. This capped an exceptionally hot season: the May-July 2026 average of 33.58°C was 1.7°C above normal, ranking as the 3rd warmest 3-month spell on record. Globewide, the land temperature for the month reached 15.8°C, making it the 3rd warmest July globally.
What changed
Temperatures across the region surged consistently through the spring and summer months, accelerating from a modest 0.6°C anomaly in February to a 1.9°C anomaly in May before peaking at 2.3°C above baseline. This elevated mid-year warmth aligns with Djibouti's long-term climate trajectory, where average annual temperatures have risen by 1.12°C compared to the 1961-1990 reference period. Following 2025, which ended as the 3rd warmest full year on record at 29.07°C, the recent run of high temperatures demonstrates a sustained warming pattern across the Horn of Africa.
What’s driving change?
The elevated temperatures in Djibouti reflect broader atmospheric mechanisms, including , where parched terrain loses its capacity to cool through evaporation and instead converts solar energy directly into sensible heat. Because , coastal and desert environments across East Africa experience intensified heat stress during the summer monsoonal lull. These conditions have contributed to severe heat stress across densely populated areas like Djibouti City, while local weather disturbances in surrounding regions have added to environmental strain.
Looking ahead
Seasonal climate forecasts from regional meteorological agencies indicate a high probability of above-normal temperatures and drier-than-usual conditions persisting across Djibouti and the northern Greater Horn of Africa over the coming months.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – Global
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance (countries & continents) · Met Office (UK) · US states & climate regions. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Djibouti
Köppen BWh · AridDjibouti has a arid climate (Köppen BWh: Hot desert), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. June is typically the warmest month, averaging 34.0°C, while January is the coldest at 23.7°C. Annual precipitation averages around 216mm, concentrated mostly in the wet season.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly precipitation.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Djibouti
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Heatwave Days – Djibouti
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Djibouti
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – Djibouti
Latest month is provisional and may be revised by the data provider in the next update cycle.
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Records – Djibouti
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen BWh · AridDjibouti has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±4.6°C) and a wet/dry cycle (7× wet:dry ratio). Both sides of the annual rhythm are shown below.
Monthly precipitation climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: May (+18 mm, +325%).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Djibouti
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.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
Monthly rainfall - Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD) preferred, World Bank CCKP/CRU TS fallback where GPCC lacks direct coverage.
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Djibouti changing?
Djibouti 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.
What is the climate like in Djibouti?
Djibouti has a arid climate (Köppen BWh: Hot desert), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. June is typically the warmest month, averaging 34.0°C, while January is the coldest at 23.7°C. Annual precipitation averages around 216mm, concentrated mostly in the wet season.
Where does the climate data for Djibouti come from?
Climate data for Djibouti 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 Djibouti climate data cover?
The Djibouti climate profile covers Djibouti City, Ali Sabieh, Dikhil, Tadjourah and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Djibouti
How often is the Djibouti climate update refreshed?
The Djibouti 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.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Djibouti climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Djibouti climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.