Rainfall and climate
Temperature by region in Somalia, 1991 to 2023: 18 towns
Average temperatures in Somalia's regional towns range from about 21°C in the northern highlands (Erigavo and Hargeisa) to 29°C in Garbahaarey in Gedo. In 16 of the 18 towns, 2014 to 2023 was between 0.3°C and 0.8°C warmer than 1991 to 2000. Across the 18 towns, 2019 was the warmest year of the period and 1993 the coolest. The highest single readings, above 43°C, were in Gedo and Middle Juba.
Download the numbers (CSV)Plain text (Markdown)
Where these numbers come from
The figures come from NASA POWER, NASA's free service for weather and climate data, which draws its temperatures from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (NASA POWER; NASA GMAO, MERRA-2). Monthly air temperature at 2 metres was downloaded for the main town of each region, at the same points used on Rain by region, 1991 to 2023. "Normal" means the 1991 to 2020 average for that town. Every year for every town is in the data file somalia-temperature-by-region-1991-2023.csv on this page.
What each figure covers.
- Grid squares: each figure is for one MERRA-2 grid square, about 50 by 70 km. It is not a thermometer reading in the town.
- Mogadishu and Marka: they fall in the same grid square, so their figures are identical.
- Highest and lowest: these are the single highest and lowest readings in each year.
For the national average back to 1901, see Rainfall and temperature, 1901 to 2023.
Average temperature by town
| Town | Region | Average 1991 to 2020 (°C) | 2014 to 2023 vs 1991 to 2000 (°C) | Highest reading (°C) | Lowest reading (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Borama | Awdal | 22.3 | +0.8 | 37.7 | 4.9 |
| Hargeisa | Woqooyi Galbeed | 21.4 | +0.6 | 36.5 | 4.3 |
| Burao | Togdheer | 24.2 | +0.6 | 37.9 | 7.3 |
| Erigavo | Sanaag | 20.9 | +0.8 | 35.4 | 3.1 |
| Las Anod | Sool | 26.1 | +0.6 | 38.7 | 8.5 |
| Bosaso | Bari | 27.8 | +0.5 | 36.1 | 18.9 |
| Garowe | Nugaal | 26.6 | +0.7 | 39.8 | 10.3 |
| Galkayo | Mudug | 27.6 | +0.6 | 40.3 | 13.4 |
| Dhusamareb | Galgaduud | 28.1 | +0.5 | 40.4 | 15.0 |
| Beledweyne | Hiiraan | 28.3 | +0.3 | 41.3 | 15.2 |
| Jowhar | Middle Shabelle | 27.6 | +0.4 | 40.9 | 17.9 |
| Mogadishu | Banadir | 27.3 | +0.4 | 37.5 | 20.3 |
| Marka | Lower Shabelle | 27.3 | +0.4 | 37.5 | 20.3 |
| Baidoa | Bay | 26.8 | +0.3 | 41.1 | 15.7 |
| Xudur | Bakool | 26.3 | +0.2 | 40.7 | 14.3 |
| Garbahaarey | Gedo | 29.1 | 0.0 | 43.3 | 14.9 |
| Bu'aale | Middle Juba | 28.5 | +0.5 | 43.0 | 17.7 |
| Kismayo | Lower Juba | 27.8 | +0.6 | 38.6 | 21.5 |
The highest and lowest readings are the extremes for 1991 to 2023. Source: calculated from NASA POWER monthly data.
The hottest and coolest months
- North (Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Sanaag, Bari, Nugaal): the hottest month is May or June, and the coolest is December or January. In Bosaso the June average is 31.6°C and the January average 23.6°C.
- Togdheer, Sool, Mudug: the hottest month is September.
- South (from Hiiraan to Lower Juba): March, at the end of the dry Jilaal season, is the hottest month. July or August, in the cool, windy Xagaa season, is the coolest. In Garbahaarey the March average is 32.1°C.
For the seasons, see Gu and Deyr rains.
Warm and cool years
These figures are the average across the 18 towns, compared with each town's own normal:
| Year | Difference from 1991 to 2020 (°C) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | +0.7 |
| 2017 | +0.5 |
| 2009 | +0.5 |
| 2002 | +0.4 |
| 1996 | -0.5 |
| 1994 | -0.7 |
| 1993 | -0.8 |
In 2019, all 18 towns were warmer than normal, by 0.5 to 1.0°C. It was the warmest year of the period in 9 of the 18 towns. The 2019 Deyr rains were also above normal in all 18 towns, at 112 to 341 percent of normal; see Rain by region.
How these figures compare
- NASA POWER and ERA5: they are both reanalyses, which rebuild past weather from satellites, stations and a weather model. Their figures for the same town can differ, so compare like with like.
- Station records: Somalia's weather station records have long gaps since 1991. The FAO's Somalia Water and Land Information Management project (SWALIM) holds and publishes station and climate data (FAO SWALIM).
How to use it
- Download the data: the file has one row per town and year.
- Compare with rainfall: match each row to the same town and year on the rain page.
- Check the source: NASA POWER lets anyone download the same data for any point.
Sources
- NASA POWER · power.larc.nasa.gov
- NASA GMAO, MERRA-2 · gmao.gsfc.nasa.gov
- FAO SWALIM · faoswalim.org
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Where this matters
- Muqdisho (Mogadishu) and BanaadirMogadishu (Muqdisho) is Somalia's capital and makes up the Banadir region, with about 2.97 million people in 20 districts.
- Dhuusamarreeb (Dhusamareb) and GalgaduudGalgaduud is a region of central Somalia in Galmudug State, with Dhusamareb (Dhuusamarreeb) as its capital and about 845,000 people.
- Jowhar (Johar) and Middle ShabelleMiddle Shabelle is the farming region along the Shabelle river north of Mogadishu, with Jowhar as its capital and about 1 to 1.26 million people.
- Marka (Merca) and Lower ShabelleLower Shabelle is Somalia's biggest farming region, along the Shabelle river south-west of Mogadishu, with Marka (Merca) as its capital and about 835,000 to…
- Baydhabo (Baidoa) and BayBay is a farming region in South West State, with Baidoa (Baydhabo) as its main city and about 1.25 to 1.8 million people.
- Xuddur (Hudur) and BakoolBakool is a region in South West State, on the border with Ethiopia, with Xudur (Hudur) as its capital.
- Bu'aale (Buale) and Middle JubaMiddle Juba is a farming region on the Juba river in the south, with about 447,000 people.
- Kismaayo (Kismayo) and Lower JubaLower Juba is the far southern region on the border with Kenya, with the port city of Kismayo (Kismaayo) as its capital and about 1.2 million people.
Same era
- Australia18,401 people of Somali ancestry and 8,101 born in Somalia lived in Australia at the 2021 Census, more than half in Victoria. History, work, issues.
- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
Keep reading
- Rainfall and temperature in Somalia since 1901: the climate in numbersSomalia's yearly rainfall and temperature from 1901 to 2023, the Gu and Deyr rainy seasons by month, the wettest and driest years, and the limits of the data.
- The Gu and Deyr rains, 1950 to 2023: every rainy season in numbersRain in Somalia's Gu and Deyr seasons for every year from 1950 to 2023, compared with normal, with the dry seasons and floods that shaped people's lives.
- Rain by region in Somalia, 1991 to 2023: the Gu and Deyr in 18 townsGu and Deyr rainfall for the main town of each of Somalia's 18 regions, every year from 1991 to 2023, compared with normal, from ERA5 climate data.