Virtually the same size as the UK, Uganda might be landlocked but its climate and weather are hugely influenced by the presence of Lake Victoria, the largest inland waterbody in Africa, to the south. Almost half of Lake Victoria’s waters are within Uganda’s borders – the rest is mostly in Tanzania, with a small portion in Kenya.
Lake Victoria’s influence is twofold: first, it creates atmospheric moisture, which brings higher rainfall and humidity; second, it increases the frequency of thunderstorms. As a result, the southern city of Entebbe, on the shores of the lake, is considerably wetter than nearby Kampala, a short distance inland. Both cities experience most of their rainfall from March to May.
Temperatures across Uganda are, as you might expect from one of just 13 nations crossed by the equator, remarkably consistent, with maximums in the low to high 20s celsius and minimums mostly in the high teens. One notable exception is the hillier south-west, including Kabale, at an altitude of almost 1,900 metres (6,200ft). Here, although daytime temperatures are equally high, at night they can plummet to as low as 8 or 9C.
In general, though, Uganda’s climate is very pleasant, with warm (rather than very hot) temperatures, and the rain mostly falling in heavy showers before clearing to sunshine.
