03.29.11
World Wide Weather #36: Nairobi, Kenya
This week’s post in the global weather and climate series features Nairobi, Kenya.
Nairobi skyline, from Wikipedia
Nairobi, just south of the equator, lies on the Nairobi River in south central Kenya. Kenya borders Lake Victoria and the Indian Ocean. Founded as a rail depot in 1899, Nairobi quickly grew and became the capital of British East Africa in 1907.
Today, Nairobi is the capital of and largest city in Kenya, as well as the largest city in east Africa. The population (2009 census) is 3.1 million. Well off financially, Nairobi welcomes many tourists each year. The primary tourist destination is the Nairobi National Park, including giraffes, lions, and rhinos. Nicknames for the city include “The Green City in the Sun” (from the vegetation and warm climate) and “Safari Capital of the World” (from the popular safari tourism).
A giraffe in Nairobi National Park, bordering the city of Nairobi in the background. From Wikipedia
A few more facts about Nairobi (from Wikipedia):
- Time zone: East Africa Time (UTC+3)
- Average elevation: 5,450 ft (1,661 m)
- Climate zone: Subtropical highland
- Average high temperature: 74 °F (23 °C)
- Average low temperature: 54 °F (12 °C)
- Average annual high/low temperature range: 69 to 78 °F (21 to 26 °C) / 50 to 57 °F (10 to 14 °C)
- Average annual precipitation: 40 inches (1,024 mm)
Weather: As Nairobi is near the equator, the city experiences fairly warm daytime temperatures throughout the year. However, the city is over a mile above sea level, so nights can be quite cool.
The rainiest months of the year are March through May and November through December.On average, the months of July and August each receive less than one inch of rain.
We’re going into the wettest month; April receives, on average, 8.6 inches of rain over 16 rainy days.
This week is forecast to be especially warm for the area, with highs in the low 80s and lows near 60 °F. Rain is in the forecast for Tuesday through Thursday (it has already been raining there for at least the past week).
For weather maps and information on current and forecast Nairobi and Kenya weather, see the Kenya Meteorological Department, Weather Underground and Weather Online UK (global maps and models).
For a bit more information on Nairobi, here’s a link to Wikipedia.
Next Tuesday I plan to take a look at the climate and weather in another part of the globe. As always, if you have any suggestions for future cities, please leave a comment!