Lesotho Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Maseru, Teyateyaneng, Mafeteng, Leribe, and Maputsoe
This month in numbers
Lesotho experienced a June 2026 average temperature of 3.63°C, an anomaly of +0.4°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. This ranked as the 50th warmest June in 86 years of records. Globally, June 2026 was the 3rd warmest June on record for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1°C. The three-month period from April to June 2026 saw an average temperature of 7.57°C, an anomaly of +0.8°C, ranking as the 27th warmest such period on record.
What changed
Lesotho's average temperature for April–June 2026 was 0.8°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. This places Lesotho 196th out of 234 regions for its 3-month anomaly. The country's 2025 annual average temperature of 12.49°C was the 3rd warmest in 85 years of records, continuing a long-term warming trend of +1.37°C against the 1961–1990 baseline. Heavy and erratic rainfall in late April and early May caused waterlogging and widespread crop damage across the deficit-producing Senqu River Valley and Southern Lowlands, leading to a below-average harvest in those areas.
What’s driving change?
The ongoing warming trend in Lesotho is consistent with the global pattern of . The country has experienced prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall patterns, severe soil erosion, and recurring water shortages, which have significantly affected agricultural production. A potentially strong El Niño weather pattern is expected to intensify through late 2026 and into next year, which could trigger further climate-related disruption, including changing rainfall patterns that threaten harvests and water supplies.
Looking ahead
Warmer than normal conditions are expected across Lesotho, with the highest probabilities over the western parts of the country, while drier than normal conditions are anticipated over north-western, northern, and southern areas from June to September.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Lesotho
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.
Lesotho – 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 – Lesotho
Our World in Data / NOAA - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen Cwb · TemperateLesotho has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±6.2°C) and a wet/dry cycle (9× 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: Apr (+26 mm, +50%).
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 Lesotho
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 Lesotho changing?
Lesotho 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 Lesotho come from?
Climate data for Lesotho 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 Lesotho climate data cover?
The Lesotho climate profile covers Maseru, Teyateyaneng, Mafeteng, Leribe and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Lesotho
How often is the Lesotho climate update refreshed?
The Lesotho 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.