When to Visit Mogadishu

Mogadishu keeps its weather simple. Two degrees north of the equator, the Indian Ocean city locks in highs between 28°C (82°F) and 32°C (90°F) every single month. Humidity stays pegged at 70 percent. Only the rain changes, and that rhythm tells you when to arrive. East Africa's monsoon cycle rules here. Two dry spells, two wet ones. December through March is the Jilaal, the long dry. January and February see almost no rain at all. April to June is the Gu, the long rains, peaking in June at 81mm. July through September is the Hagaa, a shorter, cooler dry spell when the southwest monsoon knocks the edge off the heat. October and November bring the Deyr, the short rains, before December resets the loop. The ocean is the secret. You would expect equatorial heat to punish. Yet the constant sea breeze keeps the city livable. Even in April, the hottest month at 32°C (89°F), the wind works overtime. Still, 70 percent humidity year-round is real. It clings to shirts and slows your stride, when the rains arrive and the air turns thick.