Weather on Mount Kilimanjaro The Local Weather conditions on
Kilimanjaro can be some what unpredictable to say the very least. Precipitation varies from 2000mm per year
in the rainforest belt to less than100mm per year in the summit zone. Similarly, daily temperature fluxes
are a typical when compared to normal weather cycles, and are largely dependent on Altitude. Due to its
proximity to the equator, Mount Kilimanjaro does not experience wide temperature changes from season
to season. Instead, the temperatures on Mount Kilimanjaro are determined more so by the altitude
and time of day. At higher altitude you have fog and drizzle, and slowly but surely the moisture
will creep into your clothes, your gear, your bones. At the beginning of the climb, at the base
of the mountain, the average temperature is around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 27 degrees Celsius).
From there, the temperatures will decrease as you move through Mount Kilimanjaro's ecological zones.
At the summit, Uhuru Point, the night time temperatures can range between 0 and -15 degrees Fahrenheit
(-18 to -26 degrees Celsius).
Bad weather on Kilimanjaro not only makes for a miserable trek
and ruins your photos, most importantly it simply makes the climb twice as hard! Most climbers end up
sleeping in every item of clothing they possess, including hats and gloves on the night prior to
summiting. Ironically enough however, prior to making the final push towards Uhuru Peak,
individuals are advised to don a pair of shorts and a T-shirt beneath their heavily
padded climbing gear. Prepare for the worst case scenario, and then enjoy that
everything turns out much easier than expected! |
