About Eritrea

Sara and John say...

Whilst ‘hot and sunny’ is a good working description of the climate of this arid land, there is variation, depending on altitude and proximity to the coast.

Areas bordering the Red Sea receive most cloud and intermittent showers during the winter months from November to February. The breeze and occasional cloud-cover also help to keep something of a lid on temperatures - typically ranging between the high 20s and low 30s Celsius. Through the rest of the year, however, scorching sunshine is almost unrelenting, except during rare summer showers. Temperatures peak in the 40s Celsius, with stifling humidity by night too.

Further inland across Eritrea, dry weather is a common theme for much of the year, but the mountainous central belt is refreshingly cooler. The capital, Asmara, sees temperatures mostly in the 20s Celsius by day. And nights can turn quite chilly, especially through the longer winter nights. Showers can occur at any time of year but, unlike the coast, they tend to be focussed in the summer months, especially July and August.

The lower lands further west towards Sudan are much drier and hotter - ranging between the low 30s Celsius in winter to the mid-40s in early summer. From November to April, rainfall is virtually non-existent, whereas through the summer half of the year, increasing heat and humidity brings showers, peaking from July to September. That said, most days remain dry.

Remnant tropical cyclones rarely bring more abundant rainfall, especially to the coast; but, in general, we would suggest December and January as the most comfortable time for visiting Eritrea.

(Image courtesy: David Stanley Nanaimo)