Namibia Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Windhoek, Rundu, Walvis Bay, Oshakati, and Swakopmund
Summary
July 2026 brought unseasonably warm winter conditions across Namibia, delivering the country's 6th warmest month on record for the time of year amidst mid-month heatwaves that pushed regional temperature anomalies over 4°C above mid-winter norms. The unseasonable heat coincided with growing global concerns over a moderate El Niño in the tropical Pacific, which is forecast to peak at Very Strong in Sep-Nov according to our live tracker at ENSO. While healthy national reservoir levels currently offer a buffer, the potential for reduced summer rainfall poses significant long-term agricultural and water security concerns for Southern Africa, with elevated drought risks looming as the summer rainy season approaches.
This month in numbers
Namibia registered an average temperature of 16.5°C in July 2026, sitting 1.6°C above the 1961-1990 baseline to rank as the 6th warmest month on record for the time of year in 87 years of data. That mildness delivered unusually warm winter afternoons across the country, though remaining below the all-time record of 17.27°C set in 2019. On the global stage, land temperatures surged to 15.8°C (+1.6°C above baseline), ranking as the 3rd warmest July globally in recorded history.
What changed
Over the three-month period from May to July 2026, Namibia recorded an average temperature of 16.91°C, which was 0.9°C above the long-term baseline and ranked as the 22nd warmest May to July period on record. Globally, the May to July window was exceptional, coming in as the 2nd warmest May to July on record for global land temperatures with a 1.5°C anomaly. Namibia's longer-term trend shows a baseline warming of +1.43°C, following on from 2025 which ended as the nation's 14th warmest year on record at an average of 21.61°C.
What’s driving change?
Namibia's mid-winter warm anomaly reflects broader regional climate mechanics alongside ocean-atmosphere coupling. As an arid interior, the country is particularly susceptible to , where dry ground lacks moisture for evaporative cooling, converting solar energy directly into higher surface temperatures. Additionally, because environments, inland southern Africa heats rapidly during clear winter weather. The dominant climate driver is ENSO, with the tropical Pacific currently sitting in a moderate El Niño state. Detailed monitoring on our live tracker at ENSO indicates this phase typically shifts atmospheric circulation to suppress cloud cover and rainfall over Southern Africa, historically resulting in hotter, drier conditions across the region.
Looking ahead
Seasonal climate models indicate a 100% probability of El Niño persisting through the upcoming spring and summer, pointing toward a high likelihood of above-average temperatures and heightened drought risks across Namibia as the 2026-2027 rainy season approaches.
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 – Namibia
Köppen BWh · AridNamibia has a arid climate (Köppen BWh: Hot desert), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. December is typically the warmest month, averaging 25.6°C, while July is the coldest at 16.2°C. Annual precipitation averages around 261mm, 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 – Namibia
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 – Namibia
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 – Namibia
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – Namibia
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 – Namibia
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen BWh · AridNamibia has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±4.5°C) and a wet/dry cycle (49× 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: Jan (-27 mm, -33%).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Climate Systems
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Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Namibia
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 Namibia changing?
Namibia 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 Namibia?
Namibia has a arid climate (Köppen BWh: Hot desert), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. December is typically the warmest month, averaging 25.6°C, while July is the coldest at 16.2°C. Annual precipitation averages around 261mm, concentrated mostly in the wet season.
Where does the climate data for Namibia come from?
Climate data for Namibia 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 Namibia climate data cover?
The Namibia climate profile covers Windhoek, Rundu, Walvis Bay, Oshakati and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Namibia
How often is the Namibia climate update refreshed?
The Namibia 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 Namibia 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 Namibia 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.