Typical Weather and Tourism in Ethiopia

The winter solstice is on December 21^st. The average max temperature is about 73° Fahrenheit. The average minimum temperature is about 41° Fahrenheit. During the winter, morning frost is most likely to occur, especially during the month of January. It is also a season for occasional rain.

The summer solstice occurs on June 21^st. The average maximum temperature during this month is about 75°F. The average minimum temperature during this month is about 51°F.  Heavy rain is common during the summer months of June to August. The capital city of Addis Ababa experiences hail and more cloud cover so this plays a role in the cooler temperatures.

The spring equinox occurs on March 20. The average maximum temperature is about 77°F. The average minimum temperature is about 49°F. There is not much precipitation during this season. It is known in Ethiopia as the harvest season. This season is probably the best time to go if you want to visit Ethiopia.

The autumnal equinox occurs on September 23. The average maximum temperature is about 70°F. The average minimum temperature is about 51°F. This season experiences occasional showers, but nothing too heavy. May is known for being the hottest month in Ethiopia.

If you are interested in visiting the city of Addis Ababa, the spring season (September to November) would be the best time to go. This is in comparison to the other seasons. June through August, in the city, is known for experiencing heavy rain.  December through February, the winter season, is dry with morning frosts. Lastly, the autumn season (March through April) has occasional showers, but May is known for being the hottest month in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia has a number of beautiful scenic places that are ideal to see during the spring. One of these is the Blue Nile Falls, which is located in Bahir Dar, north of Addis Ababa. This waterfall is located on the shores of Lake Tana, which is the biggest lake in Ethiopia. Another sight to see is the Semien Mountains, which is farther north of Lake Tana. The Semien Mountains are a UNESCO world heritage sight and is a plateau separated by valleys and rising to pinnacles. The tallest peak, Ras Dashen, is 4,500 meters high.

            There are no potential weather hazards in the spring season. I recommend those interested in travelling to Ethiopia to go during the spring because the temperature is very comfortable. An average maximum temperature of 77°F is definitely not too hot or too cold. Also, there is not much precipitation during the spring months, so it is an ideal time to go especially if you’re a nature lover and want to see some of Ethiopia’s scenic places.

Semien Mountains and Blue Nile Falls, respectively. Picture sources: wikipedia.org, artmundus.wordpress.com

Ethiopia: See nature’s old gifts and live life untamed!



Sources:
http://www.weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-min-max-Temperature-fahrenheit,Addis-Abbeba,Ethiopia
http://www.ethiopiantreasures.co.uk/pages/climate.htm

Temperature Controls in the city of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia

In this post, I will briefly explain the climate Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia (9.0300° N, 38.7400°E). My expectation when I was researching what the temperature was like in this city was that it was going to be extremely hot. However, I was shocked to find out that it was not that hot at all, by Hawai’i standards. According to http://www.weather-and-climate.com, the warmest month in Addis Ababa, which is May, is 77°F while the coolest month, July, is 68°F. Based on that information, the annual range of temperature for Addis Ababa is 9°F.

            This surprisingly cool temperature is due to a few factors, but for now I’ll focus on elevation. Addis Ababa has an elevation of 2,536m or 7,730ft. That is very high in comparison to Mt. Ka’ala (highest point on O’ahu) which is 1,227m or 4,025ft. The effect that elevation has on air temperature is due to less atmospheric pressure and density as altitude increases . As this pressure decreases, the air molecules have more room expand and thus the cooler air temperature. One temperature control that does not affect the city is its geographic location away from the open ocean. Because the city is pretty far from the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Arabian Sea, differential heating has no large affect on it. Differential heating is when land heats faster than water or vice versa. The warmer air pulls the cooler air in.

            Because of the high elevation and position near the equator, Addis Ababa has a moderate year round temperature. It is not affected by ocean currents too much, and should sea levels rise, its high elevation would not harm the city negatively. Since Addis Ababa has a subtropical highland climate, drought would not be a problem as well. It seems that it is a safe place to be with regards to future climate change, as it is in an ideal geographical position.


Source: http://www.weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine-fahrenheit,Addis-Abbeba,Ethiopia