Eritrea Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Asmara, Keren, Sawa, Massawa, and Assab
This month in numbers
Eritrea experienced its 2nd warmest June on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 31.41°C, a significant 2.2°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. This follows a trend of unusually high temperatures, as the April–June 2026 period also ranked as the 3rd warmest on record, at 30.56°C, which is 2°C above average. Globally, land temperatures in June 2026 were the 3rd warmest on record, and the April–June period ranked as the 2nd warmest.
What changed
The consistent warmth in Eritrea over the past three months aligns with a broader pattern across the Greater Horn of Africa, where warmer-than-usual temperatures are widely expected. Eritrea's 1-month anomaly of +2.17°C places it 53rd globally out of 234 regions, while its 3-month anomaly of +2.03°C ranks it 88th. The country's annual average temperature for 2025 was 27.51°C, making it the 4th warmest year in 85 years of records, continuing a long-term warming trend of +1.29°C since the 1961–1990 baseline.
What’s driving change?
The persistent dry and hot conditions across Eastern Africa, including Eritrea, are largely influenced by the presence of El Niño. This climate pattern is known to disrupt rainfall patterns, leading to drought in some regions and increased heat. Eritrea has been experiencing abnormally dry conditions for weeks, particularly in its northern regions. The evolving 2026 climate conditions closely resemble those experienced during strong El Niño years like 1997 and 2023. Additionally, elevated heat stress was flagged for Eritrea in late May–early June, indicating a compound risk of severe heat.
Looking ahead
The seasonal outlook for June to September 2026 indicates a high likelihood of below-normal rainfall across much of Eritrea, which is a critical rainy season for the country. This forecast, resembling past strong El Niño years, suggests potential implications for agriculture, water availability, and food security.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Eritrea
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.
Eritrea – 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 – Eritrea
Our World in Data / NOAA - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen BWh · AridEritrea has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±3.0°C) and a wet/dry cycle (12× wet:dry ratio). Both sides of the annual rhythm are shown below.
Monthly rainfall climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: Aug (+18 mm, +24%).
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 Eritrea
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 Eritrea changing?
Eritrea 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 Eritrea come from?
Climate data for Eritrea 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 Eritrea climate data cover?
The Eritrea climate profile covers Asmara, Keren, Sawa, Massawa and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Eritrea
How often is the Eritrea climate update refreshed?
The Eritrea 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.