Uganda Climate
Top 5 Cities: Kampala, Gulu, Lira, Mbarara, and Jinja
This month in numbers
Uganda experienced its 9th warmest April on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 23.71°C, an anomaly of +1.3°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. The period of February–April 2026 was the 3rd warmest on record for Uganda, with an average temperature of 25.2°C, a significant +2.2°C above the baseline. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April on record for land temperatures, and the February–April period ranked as the 2nd warmest globally for land temperatures.
What changed
The recent three-month period (February–April 2026) saw Uganda experiencing exceptionally warm conditions, ranking as the 3rd warmest such period in 86 years of records. This continues a trend of elevated temperatures, with 2025 being the warmest year on record for the country. Uganda's current 1-month temperature anomaly of +1.32°C places it 141st out of 234 regions globally, slightly cooler than the overall Africa group average for the month. The country's 3-month anomaly of +2.21°C ranks it 87th globally.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth in Uganda is part of a long-term trend, with the country experiencing a temperature rise of approximately 1.3°C since the 1960s. This warming is contributing to more frequent and intense heat conditions. While the current ENSO state is Neutral, with a forecast indicating an 82% probability of El Niño developing by May–July 2026, its influence on the recent warming is likely muted. However, the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) was in a strong phase over Uganda in February 2026, contributing to unusual heavy rainfall during what is typically a dry month. This unseasonal rainfall led to flood and landslide alerts across Western, Central, and Eastern Uganda, particularly in the Lake Victoria Basin and Mount Elgon areas. Flooding has continued into May in areas like Bukedea District, exacerbated by rains and waters from the Mount Elgon sub-region.
Looking ahead
Forecasts for the coming months suggest an enhanced chance of above-normal rainfall across Uganda through April, supporting continued improvement in agricultural and pastoral conditions.
Sources:
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Uganda
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 Uganda changing?
Uganda 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 Uganda come from?
Climate data for Uganda 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 Uganda climate data cover?
The Uganda climate profile covers Kampala, Gulu, Lira, Mbarara and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Uganda
How often is the Uganda climate update refreshed?
The Uganda 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.