African countries where it snows? Sounds like a fantasy, doesn’t it? Well, it’s true. Africa might be renowned for its warm tropical climate. Still, there are regions where winter brings a blanket of snow, transforming the landscapes into an enchanting wonderland straight out of Winterfell.
So, contrary to popular belief, snowfall is not an unheard-of phenomenon in certain parts of the African continent. There are indeed certain African countries where it snows. So, pack your warmest attire as we embark on a virtual journey to witness the magic of snowfall in Africa.
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Does it Snow in Africa?
Africa is diversified, large, and also the hottest continent. It is usually characterized by dryland and deserts and doesn’t get so cold to the extent of snowfall. However, it does snow in Africa.
A few African countries, especially in the north, experience snow year-in-year-out. These countries experience low temperatures, more precipitation, and high elevation resulting in snowfall.
Clouds gather around the peaks of higher mountains as warm, moist air rises. Many mountains in Africa can be covered in snow all year round since snowfall is more likely to occur at high altitudes. These locations, especially those farther from the equator, also experience cooler temperatures in some specific months.
10 African Countries Where It Snows
Algeria
Algeria has an extensive landmass and experiences three types of climate: the continental climate experienced by the highlands and rocky province, the Mediterranean climate in coastal areas where the weather is favourable, and the desert climate in the Sahara Desert.
Setif and Batna are the two main regions that experience snow in northern Algeria during winter, making it one of the African countries where it snows. Setif is the eastern part of Algeria with a height of 1,100 metres 3608 feet) above sea level. Setif sees 21.7 snowfall days per year and gathers about 15.87 inches (403 millimetres) of snow.
Batna, also a city in northern Algeria, experiences snow for 14.7 days throughout the year and accumulates up to 6.54 inches (166 millimetres) of snow.
From December, winter starts with a cool temperature. Setif records an average temperature ranging from lows of 38.7°C to 11.5°C. Winter continues into January, and the temperature continues to drop. Places like Setif experience average low temperatures of 2.4 °C and experience snow for 6.8 days. The collection depth of snow can be as deep as 128 millimetres (5.04 inches).
In February, in Setif, temperatures dropped further to average lows of 2.2°C. Setif sees the most snowfall in February, with an accumulation of 5.79 inches (147 millimetres) of snow.
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Ethiopia (Simien Mountains)
Yes, Ethiopia is indeed one of the African countries where it snows. The mountains in the north receive a few feet of snow yearly, which is quite impressive, given that Ethiopia is located near the equator.
The country has several high mountains that receive a dusting of snowfall yearly, including Ras Dashen, which reaches an elevation of 4,550 m in the Simien Mountains National Park in the Amhara Region in North Gondar.
Kenya (Mount Kenya)
Mount Kenya receives a lot of snow and rain from March to December, making Kenya one of the African countries where it snows. The mountain’s high elevation is why it’s really cold.
When it’s not snowing or raining, the mountain is usually windy.
Lesotho
Lesotho is also one of the special African countries where it snows. The country’s climate is frigid because its lowest point is 1400 meters above sea level, and its highest point is 3,482 meters above sea level. Maseru, the capital city, experiences snow year round, which can accumulate to about 13 millimetres.
Winter in Lesotho is the coldest time of the year, starting from June to August. During this time, the temperature flops, and the highlands experience snowfall. Lows can reach 0 °C, and highs can reach 16/19 °C.
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Morocco
Morocco is another one of the African countries where it snows. Surrounded by
the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, it is in the closest proximity to Spain, a European country.
The nation also has diverse temperatures – highlands, semi-arid, Mediterranean,
and sub-mediterranean zones.
The temperature in the Mediterranean zone ranges from 29°C to 32°C, in the sub-Mediterranean from 27°C to 40°C, in the continental from 32°C to 360°C, and Alpine has a high temperature of 30°C.
During winter, from December to February, the temperature differs by zone and can be as low as -5° C or as high as -8°C. It regularly snows at this time of year in various country sections, particularly in the north and central zones.
Namibia
Namibia is also one of the few African countries where it snows. And even though it is occasional and in little quantity, it still creates an aura of chillness for exploration whenever it does.
South Africa
South Africa is indeed one of the African countries where it snows; however, not all regions experience snow due to their diverse environment.
Regions like Drakensberg and Cape have extremely low temperatures that result in snow. Cold regions experience a median high of 12.3°C to as low as 4.7°C. The temperature can drop to 4°C the following month with an average of 6 millimetres of snow.
The Western Cape and Northern Cape experience the most snow, with at least five snow days annually, reaching up to 30 millimetres. June marks the start of winter in the parts where it snows, and August usually marks the end of it.
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Tanzania (Mount Kilimanjaro)
While Tanzania is technically one of the African countries where it snows, the only part of Tanzania that experiences snowfall is Mount Kilimanjaro, which is the tallest mountain in Africa. This results in the equatorial trade winds and high-altitude anti-trades influencing the temperature of the mountain, thus making it cooler than the rest of Africa.
The temperature declines to -15°c and -29°c on the peak. It may also reach temperatures of 21°C to 27°C and does not have a specific time it snows. However, it is more common in the first week of December and occurs throughout June, July, August, and September.
Different sides of the mountain also experience the same weather in diverse ways—for instance, the southern experiences more rainfall than the northern.
Tunisia
While Tunisia’s climate varies in different geography and terrain throughout the year, it is usually classified as semi-arid or arid. It is known to experience little rainfall from June to September. The southern and northern regions of the country experience different weather, such that the latter experience more extreme temperatures reaching up to 40°C and winter temperatures dropping as low as 5°C while the latter experience mild weather conditions. Whereas in the north, during summer, the temperature increases to 30°C.
Part of the reason why Tunisia’s climate is diverse is that the Sahara desert and the Mediterranean Sea border the country.
So, while snowfall is rare in Tunisia, snow does fall in Tunisia during winter, from December to February, when the central and northern areas of the country are covered with a blanket of white. During this time, some light snow falls on its highest mountain peaks in winter months in alpine regions such as Jebel Zanghouan and Jebel ECH Chambi, and the mountaintops are snow-capped, which creates a breathtaking view.
In December, there is higher precipitation and a chill temperature than in other months, with an average temperature between 10°C and 18°C. During the day, temperatures may reach 25°C, but at night, they can drop to as low as 5°C. The country’s northern regions also tend to experience cooler temperatures, making it one of the African countries where it snows.
Uganda (Rwenzori mountains)
The temperature of Rwenzori Mountain, located on Uganda’s border, ranges from 20°C to -5°C and below, making Uganda one of the African countries where it snows.
It produces glaciers, snow, and ice and receives frequent rainfall. Also, the climate on the mountain is similarly alpine.
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Why Doesn’t it Snow in Africa?
Based on all that’s been said, you might wonder what makes Africa
different from other continents in that most of its countries do not experience snow.
Well, before a country can experience snow, the weather needs to be 0°C or less, since this is the temperature of freezing water, for those who paid attention in science class. Whereas, the average temperature for the coldest countries in Africa is 16-18°C.
Africa’s weather is as complex as understanding the continent itself. Each country and region has its factor that influences the weather. Most of the continent, stretching from 35°S to 37°N latitude, is located in the tropics. And due to the intense and frequent heat
along the Cancer tropics, Africa has a hot climate in most regions.
However, in the north and some parts of Southern Africa, the snow lets them experience cooler weather.
Wrapping Up African Countries Where It Snows
In most African countries, the main seasons are the dry season, categorized as windy or harmattan, and the rainy season. The rainy season is sometimes conjoined with the heat season because the former occurs before the latter or during.
Nevertheless, certain African countries still have winter in their climate seasons.
To wrap it all up, here are the African countries where it snows:
- Algeria
- Ethiopia (Simien Mountains)
- Kenya (Mount Kenya)
- Lesotho
- Morocco
- Namibia
- South Africa
- Tanzania (Mount Kilimanjaro)
- Tunisia
- Uganda (Rwenzori mountains)
Winter occurs in South nations in Africa from around June through August. The night and morning temperatures in Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe can also drop very low and result in snow.
In northern Africa also, some countries, such as Morocco and Algeria, experience snow towards the end of the year.
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