Weather by month for central Lesotho, the best months to go and how Lesotho's regions differ, scored from 10 years of climate data.
Sep, Oct, Nov
The highest month scores: comfortable temperatures, little rain and plenty of sun.
Highs 16°C to 18°C · 6–13 rain days
Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Aug, Dec
Still good weather, just not quite the top months.
Highs 12°C to 20°C · 3–19 rain days
Jun, Jul
No months with tough weather, but these are only average.
Highs 9°C to 10°C · 2–3 rain days
Weather by month
Average highs and lows, rain days, sunshine and our month score out of 10.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20°C / 9°C | 19 days (178 mm) | 12.1 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| February | 19°C / 9°C | 15 days (139 mm) | 11.4 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| March | 18°C / 7°C | 13 days (80 mm) | 11.0 h/day | 7.4/10 |
| April | 15°C / 4°C | 8 days (52 mm) | 10.2 h/day | 6.7/10 |
| May | 13°C / 2°C | 4 days (18 mm) | 9.7 h/day | 6.5/10 |
| June | 10°C / -1°C | 2 days (10 mm) | 9.6 h/day | 5.5/10 |
| July | 9°C / -2°C | 3 days (13 mm) | 9.8 h/day | 5.1/10 |
| August | 12°C / 0°C | 3 days (16 mm) | 10.5 h/day | 6.4/10 |
| Best month: September | 16°C / 3°C | 6 days (29 mm) | 11.3 h/day | 7.9/10 |
| Best month: October | 18°C / 5°C | 10 days (66 mm) | 11.5 h/day | 7.9/10 |
| Best month: November | 18°C / 6°C | 13 days (82 mm) | 12.1 h/day | 7.5/10 |
| December | 20°C / 9°C | 18 days (124 mm) | 12.3 h/day | 7.0/10 |
Figures for central Lesotho; the country's best months are weighted across its cities. Best months are highlighted. How we score months
Month by month
20°C / 9°C · 19 rain days · 12.1 h sun
January is Lesotho's warmest month, with highs around 20°C but 18.6 rain days and 178mm of rain, the wettest month of the year. Expect frequent afternoon showers and thunderstorms. The score is 7, a good month if you don't mind packing a rain jacket. New Year's Day falls on 1 January.
19°C / 9°C · 15 rain days · 11.4 h sun
February stays warm, with a high of 19°C, but rain is still common: 15.2 rain days and 139mm. Sun hours drop slightly to 11.4. It scores 7, rated good, similar to January but a touch drier.
18°C / 7°C · 13 rain days · 11.0 h sun
March brings a clear improvement, with highs of 18°C and rain easing to 12.5 days and 80mm. Sun hours hold at 11. It scores 7.4, good, and Moshoeshoe Day on 11 March adds a national holiday to the month.
15°C / 4°C · 8 rain days · 10.2 h sun
April cools to a high of 14.5°C and rain drops sharply to 7.6 days and 52mm. Nights get colder too, with lows around 4°C. The score is 6.7, still good, with Good Friday on 3 April and Easter Monday on 6 April.
13°C / 2°C · 4 rain days · 9.7 h sun
May is noticeably drier, with just 4 rain days and 18mm for the month, though highs fall to 12.5°C and nights dip to 1.7°C. It scores 6.5, good, with Workers' Day on 1 May. Expect cold mornings and mostly dry, sunny days.
10°C / -1°C · 2 rain days · 9.6 h sun
June is the start of winter, with a high of just 9.7°C and lows of -1.1°C. Rain is minimal at 1.8 days and 10mm. The score is 5.5, ok: days are dry but cold, and frost is common overnight.
9°C / -2°C · 3 rain days · 9.8 h sun
July is the coldest month, with highs of 9.4°C and lows down to -1.6°C, bringing hard overnight frost. Rain stays low, 3.2 days and 13mm. It scores 5.1, ok, the lowest of the year. King Letsie III's Birthday falls on 17 July.
12°C / 0°C · 3 rain days · 10.5 h sun
August starts warming up again, with highs reaching 12°C, though nights still dip near freezing at -0.1°C. Rain remains light at 3.1 days and 16mm. The score rises to 6.4, good, as sunshine hours climb to 10.5.
16°C / 3°C · 6 rain days · 11.3 h sun
September marks a clear shift to spring, with highs of 16°C and lows up to 3.4°C. Rain picks up slightly to 5.9 days and 29mm. It scores 7.9, rated best, with warmer days and still-low rainfall.
18°C / 5°C · 10 rain days · 11.5 h sun
October brings highs of 17.8°C and more rain, 9.9 days and 66mm, as the wet season builds. It still scores 7.9, best, balancing warmth with occasional showers. Independence Day falls on 4 October.
18°C / 6°C · 13 rain days · 12.1 h sun
November highs reach 18.4°C with lows of 6.3°C. Rain increases to 12.6 days and 82mm. The score is 7.5, best, offering warm days with more frequent but not yet heavy rain.
20°C / 9°C · 18 rain days · 12.3 h sun
December is warm, with highs of 19.6°C, but rain returns in force: 17.5 rain days and 124mm. It scores 7, good. Christmas Day falls on 25 December and Boxing Day on 26 December, both national holidays.
By trip type
City sightseeing
September to November bring highs of 16-18°C and up to 12.1 sun hours a day, with rain still moderate (6-13 rain days a month). These are good months for walking around towns like Maseru before the heaviest summer storms arrive in December.
Hiking & nature
April, May, August and September offer drier trails, with rain dropping to 3-5 rain days a month and only 16-52mm of rain. May is especially dry at 18mm, though nights get cold, down to 1.7°C. September warms up again to a 16.1°C high while staying mostly dry, making it a good shoulder month for hiking.
Events calendar
Public holidays: New Year's Day (1 Jan)
Public holidays: Moshoeshoe Day (11 Mar)
Public holidays: Good Friday (3 Apr), Easter Monday (6 Apr)
Public holidays: Workers' Day (1 May), Ascension Day (14 May), Africa Day/ Heroes' Day (25 May)
Public holidays: King Letsie III's Birthday (17 Jul)
Public holidays: Independence Day (4 Oct)
Public holidays: Christmas Day (25 Dec), Boxing Day (26 Dec)
Keep planning
FAQ
July is an ok month, with a score of 5.1 out of 10. It's the coldest time of year, with highs of only 9.4°C and lows that drop to -1.6°C. Rain is rare, with just 3.2 rain days and 13mm of rainfall, so skies stay fairly clear, but you need warm layers for the cold nights.
Yes, September is one of the best months, scoring 7.9 out of 10. Highs reach 16.1°C and rain is light, with only 5.9 rain days and 29mm for the month. Sunshine picks up to 11.3 hours a day, making it a comfortable shift out of the cold winter.
January is a good month, scoring 7 out of 10. It's the warmest time, with highs of 19.5°C and lows near 9°C, but it's also the wettest month, with 18.6 rain days and 178mm of rain. Expect frequent showers but still strong sunshine, averaging 12.1 hours a day.
September, October and November are the best months, each scoring 7.5 or higher out of 10. October has the top score at 7.9, with highs of 17.8°C and moderate rain of 66mm over 9.9 days. These months balance mild temperatures, good sunshine and lower rainfall than the summer months.
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