Weather

Hawassa, located at an elevation of 5578 ft. above sea level, experiences a climate similar to Addis Ababa, but slightly higher. Ethiopia experiences a highly diverse climate, with varying conditions across different regions. Ethiopia can be divided into three main climatic zones. The first is the Alpine vegetated zone, also known as Dega, which is characterized by alpine vegetation. The second is the temperate zone, known as Weyna Dega, which experiences moderate temperatures. Lastly, the hot zone, called Qola, is characterized by high temperatures.

13 Months of Sunshine

In the Ethiopian calendar, a year is divided into 13 months. Ethiopia's position near the Earth's Equator exposes it to more sunlight than many countries, a feature that helped turn Ethiopia into an international travel destination.

Highlands & Lowlands

Average daytime temperatures hover around 60F with most rain occurring between mid-June and mid-September. During the rainy season, storms can be severe with thunderstorms likely. In the drought-susceptible Northeast, rainfall is considerably more erratic. The Lowlands experience less rain overall, but there is a short rainy season in March and April.

Southern Rift Valley

With an average elevation of around 5,000 feet, the Southern Rift Valley experiences moderate to hot temperatures and rains from mid-June to mid-September. Temperatures in the Bale Mountains can drop to freezing and on the opposite end of the spectrum the mercury can hit 120F in the Danakil Depression.

The Lower Omo Valley

This region experiences hot, humid conditions and long rains from March to June and short rains in November. Many of the roads in the Lower Omo Valley become impassable during the rainy season. During this time, travel can be difficult with great distances, high temperatures and changeable weather conditions. 

Ethiopian Seasons

Kiremt (Winter) - June, July and August are the summer season. Heavy rain falls in these three months.

Tseday (Spring) - September, October and November are the spring season sometime known as the harvest season.

Bega (Summer) - December, January and February are the dry season with frost in morning specially in January.

Belg (Autumn) - March, April and May are the autumn season with occasional showers.