Climatology
This page presents Congo, Dem. Rep.'s climate context for the current climatology, 1991-2020, derived from observed, historical data. Information should be used to build a strong understanding of current climate conditions in order to appreciate future climate scenarios and projected change. You can visualize data for the current climatology through spatial variation, the seasonal cycle, or as a time series. Analysis is available for both annual and seasonal data. Data presentation defaults to national-scale aggregation, however sub-national data aggregations can be accessed by clicking within a country, on a sub-national unit. Other historical climatologies can be selected from the Time Period dropdown list.
Observed, historical data is produced by the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) of University of East Anglia. Data is presented at a 0.5º x 0.5º (50km x 50km) resolution.
The seasonal migration across the equator of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) drives the country’s climate. In the equatorial climate zone, located near the Equator, temperatures are high (annual average for Yangambi 24.6°C), humidity is high and rains fall throughout the year averaging between 1,600 mm and 2,000 mm annually. The country’s tropical climate zones in the north and south of the equatorial zone experience more seasonal variability, with distinct dry (April to October) and rainy (November to March) seasons that are driven by the annual cycle of the ITCZ. Along the west coast is a small zone characterized by an oceanic climate due to the cold Benguela Current. Here, precipitation is approximately 800 mm per year, which, along with temperatures, are significantly lower than in the rest of the country. The highlands in the east of the country lie outside the path of the ITCZ and are subject to the influence of the southeastern trade winds, snow commonly occurs in the highest altitudes. Climate variability and change are likely to exacerbate existing vulnerabilities, political instability and conflict, food insecurity and the existing high poverty rates. Food security is of primary concern as the majority of the country’s agriculture is primarily rainfed and conducted by small-holder farmers.