AI-generatedBulawayo at a glance
- Best time
- Apr – Sep
- Warmest month
- Oct · 31°
- Sunshine a year
- 2,530 h
- Rain a year
- 633 mm
- Climate
- Subtropical
- Time zone
- UTC+2
- Elevation
- 1,348 m
Climate in Bulawayo
Bulawayo has a subtropical climate with warm summers and mild winters. October is the warmest month with average highs of 31 °C, while July is the coolest at 22 °C. With around 2,530 hours of sunshine a year, Bulawayo is sunny; September is the sunniest month with 8.2 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Best time to visit Bulawayo
The best time to visit Bulawayo is from April to September. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from March to August. The rainy season is from December to February; the wettest month is January with 154 mm.
Bulawayo through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Bulawayo in spring
Sep – Nov
Good
- 30–31 °C by day
- 7.6 h of sun a day
- 20 rainy days in all
Bulawayo in summer
Dec – Feb
Good
- 27–28 °C by day
- 6.2 h of sun a day
- 46 rainy days in all
Bulawayo in autumn
Mar – May
Excellent
- 25–27 °C by day
- 6.8 h of sun a day
- 15 rainy days in all
Bulawayo in winter
Jun – Aug
Excellent
- 22–26 °C by day
- 7.1 h of sun a day
- 2 rainy days in all
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No sea nearby
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
Mar – Aug
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
Dec – Feb
Rainy season or more than 12 rainy days
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Bulawayo for you.
Your best months: May – July
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Weather in October
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Good
Best time to visit: April – September
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 22°
- Midday, 13:00: about 31°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 29°
- Evening, 20:00: about 22°
- Night, 23:00: about 19°
05:3618:07
Pleasant evenings; a light layer can help.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 05:22–06:05 · evening 17:38–18:21
- Blue hour
- Morning 05:13–05:22 · evening 18:21–18:29
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
October in Bulawayo compared with home
Loading the climate at home …
Early or late October?
In October, daytime highs stay at about 30° from start to end. The days get 0.5 h longer.
| October | 1 Oct | 31 Oct |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime high | 30° | 30° |
| Night-time low | 14° | 16° |
| Daylight | 12.3 h | 12.8 h |
What is the weather like in Bulawayo in October?
In October, Bulawayo is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and nights cool down to about 15 °C. The sun shines for around 7.9 hours a day. Rain falls on about 5 days, adding up to 22 mm. On about 21 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, October is a good month for a holiday in Bulawayo.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 12 h 31 min05:36 – 18:07
- UV index
- 13 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 21 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 32 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 21 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Time zone
- UTC+2offset from UTC
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %50 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %82 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %90 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Water bottle – drink plenty
- A jumper for the evenings
Compare two months in Bulawayo
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
August has the better holiday weather in Bulawayo: score 96 against 68. In August, days are 5 °C cooler than in October. August has 5 fewer rainy days.
| Month | October | August |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 68 | 96better |
| Daytime high | 31° | 26° |
| Night-time low | 15° | 10° |
| Sunshine | 7.9 h | 7.9 h |
| Rainy days | 5 | 0better |
| Rainfall | 22 mm | 1 mmbetter |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Bulawayo month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
62January27° · 6.1 h
In January, Bulawayo is hot: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. Expect around 6.1 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 16 days, totalling 154 mm. On about 6 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, January is a good month for a holiday in Bulawayo.
Bulawayo in January71February27° · 6.3 h
In February, Bulawayo is hot: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. Expect around 6.3 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 13 days, totalling 116 mm. On about 6 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, February is a good month for a holiday in Bulawayo.
Bulawayo in February78March27° · 6.4 h
In March, Bulawayo is hot: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. Expect around 6.4 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 62 mm in total. On about 6 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, March is a good month for a holiday in Bulawayo.
Bulawayo in March91April26° · 6.7 h
In April, Bulawayo is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 14 °C. The sun shines for around 6.7 hours a day. Rain is rare: about 5 days bring 26 mm in total. All in all, April is an excellent month for a holiday in Bulawayo.
Bulawayo in April95May25° · 7.4 h
In May, Bulawayo is warm: daytime highs average 25 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sun shines for around 7.4 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. All in all, May is an excellent month for a holiday in Bulawayo.
Bulawayo in May93June22° · 6.8 h
In June, Bulawayo is warm: daytime highs average 22 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sun shines for around 6.8 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. All in all, June is an excellent month for a holiday in Bulawayo.
Bulawayo in June92July22° · 6.7 h
In July, Bulawayo is warm: daytime highs average 22 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sun shines for around 6.7 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. All in all, July is an excellent month for a holiday in Bulawayo.
Bulawayo in July96August26° · 7.9 h
In August, Bulawayo is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sun shines for around 7.9 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. All in all, August is an excellent month for a holiday in Bulawayo.
Bulawayo in August81September30° · 8.2 h
In September, Bulawayo is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sun shines for around 8.2 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. On about 16 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, September is an excellent month for a holiday in Bulawayo.
Bulawayo in September68October31° · 7.9 h
In October, Bulawayo is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and nights cool down to about 15 °C. The sun shines for around 7.9 hours a day. Rain falls on about 5 days, adding up to 22 mm. On about 21 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, October is a good month for a holiday in Bulawayo.
Bulawayo in October56November30° · 6.6 h
In November, Bulawayo is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. The sun shines for around 6.6 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 89 mm in total. On about 16 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, November is a so-so month for a holiday in Bulawayo.
Bulawayo in November56December28° · 6.1 h
In December, Bulawayo is hot: daytime highs average 28 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. Expect around 6.1 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 17 days, totalling 147 mm. On about 9 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, December is a so-so month for a holiday in Bulawayo.
Bulawayo in DecemberClimate in detail
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Bulawayo
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
- Pleasant 15–20°
PleasantOctober: nights around 15°. Ideal for sleeping, often with the window open.
The coolest nights are in July (7°), the warmest in January (17°). Nights are pleasant for sleeping (15 to 20 °C) from October to March. Nights fall below 8 °C on average in July, so the room should be heated.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 62 | 27° | 17° | 6.1 h | 16 | 154 |
| FebruaryFeb | 71 | 27° | 17° | 6.3 h | 13 | 116 |
| MarchMar | 78 | 27° | 16° | 6.4 h | 9 | 62 |
| AprilApr | 91 | 26° | 14° | 6.7 h | 5 | 26 |
| MayMay | 95 | 25° | 11° | 7.4 h | 1 | 5 |
| JuneJun | 93 | 22° | 8° | 6.8 h | 1 | 4 |
| JulyJul | 92 | 22° | 7° | 6.7 h | 1 | 2 |
| AugustAug | 96 | 26° | 10° | 7.9 h | 0 | 1 |
| SeptemberSep | 81 | 30° | 13° | 8.2 h | 1 | 5 |
| OctoberOct | 68 | 31° | 15° | 7.9 h | 5 | 22 |
| NovemberNov | 56 | 30° | 17° | 6.6 h | 13 | 89 |
| DecemberDec | 56 | 28° | 17° | 6.1 h | 17 | 147 |
Climate averages 1996–2025 (sunshine partly WMO station normals 1991–2020), not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
20.15° S, 28.58° E · 1,348 m · Africa/Harare
Sunshine hours in Bulawayo
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 7.9 of 12.5 hours of daylight in Bulawayo, 63 % of the daylight hours.
Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
Rain in Bulawayo: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Bulawayo has about 5 rainy days with 22 mm of rain in total.
UV index in Bulawayo
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 13 · extremeAvoid the midday sun; SPF 50+, covering clothes, hat and sunglasses.
The sun is strongest in January (UV 14).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 10 min
- Fair skin
- about 15 min
- Light brown skin
- about 20 min
- Olive skin
- about 25 min
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen the time, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Wind and clouds in Bulawayo
How breezy and how cloudy Bulawayo is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Bulawayo typically peaks at 21 km/h during the day: Beaufort 4, moderate breeze.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 32 % of the sky over Bulawayo: mostly sunny, with about 7.9 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Heat and humidity in Bulawayo
How often the day gets hot in Bulawayo (30 °C and more), and in which months heat and humidity come together. Tap a month to select it.
Heat calendar
- pleasant
- some hot or muggy days
- often muggy
- often hot
- hot and muggy
In October, Bulawayo has about 21 hot days, with an average daytime high of 31 °C: often hot. Avoid the midday sun, look for shade and drink plenty.
Hot days reach at least 30 °C; a month counts as muggy when the mean dew point reaches 18 °C on at least 15 days. Averages from ERA5 and ERA5-Land, 1996–2025. Muggy nights through the year
Planning a trip to Bulawayo
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Bulawayo in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Bulawayo has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 95) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 59).
- 87
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Excellent
- 27 °C by day
- 6.6 h of sun a day
- 6 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 95
May half-term
May – Jun
ExcellentBest holidays
- 24 °C by day
- 7.3 h of sun a day
- 1 rainy day a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 95
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Excellent
- 25 °C by day
- 7.5 h of sun a day
- 0 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 68
October half-term
Oct
Good
- 31 °C by day
- 7.9 h of sun a day
- 5 rainy days a month
- 59
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Fair
- 28 °C by day
- 6.1 h of sun a day
- 17 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 10 h 40 min
- Distance
- 8,450 km
- Time zone
- UTC+2
- Jet lag
- Hardly any (under 3 h)
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Compare & alternatives
Bulawayo compared
Put Bulawayo side by side with another destination.
Bulawayo vs Harare
In October Harare has the better holiday weather (score 81 vs 68). During the day Harare is 2 °C cooler than Bulawayo.
| in October | Bulawayo | Harare |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 68 | 81 |
| Daytime high | 31° | 29° |
| Sunshine | 8 h | 8 h |
| Rainy days | 5 | 5 |
| Best time | Apr – Sep | Apr – Oct |
Through the year
Zimbabwe in October: the best places
In October, Bulawayo ranks 2 of 3 destinations in this country.
- Harare29°81
- 2BulawayoThis page31°68
- 3Victoria Falls36°49
Near Bulawayo
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Bulawayo
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Bulawayo's – good alternatives.
Frequently asked questions about Bulawayo
When is the best time to visit Bulawayo?
The best time to visit Bulawayo is from April to September. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
What is the warmest month in Bulawayo?
October is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C and nights around 15 °C. July is the coolest month at 22 °C.
When does it rain most in Bulawayo?
The rainy season is from December to February; the wettest month is January with 154 mm. The driest month is August with 1 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Bulawayo get?
Bulawayo gets around 2,530 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is September with 8.2 hours a day; in January there are 6.1 hours a day.
What time zone is Bulawayo in?
Bulawayo is on UTC+2 all year.
How long is the flight from London to Bulawayo?
A nonstop flight from London to Bulawayo takes about 10 h 40 min, for a straight-line distance of about 8,450 km.
Which school holidays are best for Bulawayo?
Bulawayo has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 95) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 59). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 87, May half-term 95, summer holidays 95, October half-term 68, Christmas holidays 59.