South Sudan Climate
Top 5 Cities: Juba, Wau, Malakal, Yei, and Aweil
This month in numbers
South Sudan experienced its 20th warmest April on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 30.46°C, an anomaly of +1.7°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. The global land temperature for April 2026 also ranked as the 2nd warmest on record, with an anomaly of +1.1°C. Looking at the broader picture, the February–April 2026 period in South Sudan was the 9th warmest on record, with an average temperature of 31.08°C, a significant +2.3°C above the baseline.
What changed
The past three months (February–April 2026) in South Sudan have been notably warmer than average, continuing a long-term warming trend for the country, which has seen an increase of +2.03°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. South Sudan's 1-month anomaly of +1.71°C places it 127th out of 234 regions globally, while its 3-month anomaly of +2.25°C ranks it 74th. Within the Africa group, South Sudan's April anomaly was 0.33°C warmer than the group average, placing it as the 4th warmest among its regional peers.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warming trend in South Sudan is influenced by the broader global warming trend, with land warming faster than ocean. The current ENSO state is Neutral, with a +0.11°C anomaly in the NOAA ONI 3-month (FMA 2026). However, there is a strong forecast for El Niño to emerge in May–July 2026 with a 61% chance, persisting through at least the end of the year. El Niño typically brings wetter conditions to East Africa during the "short rains" (October-December) season, often leading to flooding and locust outbreaks. South Sudan has been experiencing significant flooding, with inundation continuing in the Sudd wetlands. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that efforts are underway to pre-position supplies ahead of the rainy season, which runs from April to October and often cuts off road access. Flooding is a dominant climate hazard, with 91% of surveyed internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by flooding or storms.
Looking ahead
Forecasts for May 2026 suggest that most of South Sudan faces a 40%–70% chance of above-normal temperatures, with warmer than usual conditions expected over most parts of the country.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for South Sudan
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 South Sudan changing?
South Sudan 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 trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for South Sudan come from?
Climate data for South Sudan 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 South Sudan climate data cover?
The South Sudan climate profile covers Juba, Wau, Malakal, Yei and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for South Sudan
How often is the South Sudan climate update refreshed?
The South Sudan 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.