Climate Ethiopia
Ethiopia's weather is largely determined by altitude and the influence of the monsoon from the Indian Ocean, which divides the country into five climatic zones. The country includes some arid and totally desert regions, such as the Danakil. The Dallol depression is even 136 meters below sea level: the hottest point on the planet! The Omo Valley and the semi-desert regions of the Harangé Plateau also experience severe drought. Most of the country, however, consists of high plateaus. Addis Ababa itself lies at an altitude of almost 2,600 meters. On the edges of the high plateaus, savannah dominates the landscape. In the alpine regions above 3,800 m, up to the peak of Ras Dashen at almost 4,550 m, a high-mountain climate prevails, and it can even snow at night if it rains.
A desert climate in low-lying areas
The Afar triangle, covered to the north by the Danakil desert, is subject to an arid climate typical of desert regions, with constant high temperatures of around 40°C and virtually no rainfall. The Dallol Depression (famous for its blue, green, ochre and yellow moonscapes of forming rock concretions) is the hottest place on earth. In summer, temperatures can sometimes exceed 50°C. The semi-desert regions to the south of the Harargé Plateau, along the Somali and Kenyan borders, have a similar type of climate, albeit with occasional rains at the beginning of the year and in July and August. The Omo Valley is currently experiencing a drought the likes of which it has not seen for almost five years.
A temperate subtropical climate in the highlands
Lastly, depending on altitude, the high plateaus are under the influence of a temperate subtropical or subalpine climate, or a harsher alpine climate. Strongly linked to the monsoon regime, this zone is subject to low-intensity rainfall between March and May, then constant and abundant rainfall from mid-June to mid-September. The dry season, from October to March, sees the highest temperatures, in excess of 20°C, except at altitude where, from October to January, temperatures barely exceed 15°C, sometimes even dropping below 0°C at night. At the edge of the high plateaus, below 1,500 m, there is a vast savannah zone with a semi-arid climate and an annual rainfall of 100 to 500 mm. Only the area bordering Sudan, at an elevation of between 500 and 1,000 m, enjoys a tropical climate marked by average temperatures of 30°C, high humidity and abundant rainfall from June to October, dependent on the Atlantic monsoon regime.
Seasonality dictated by the rains
The country is most visited during the dry season, from October to March. This is the ideal season for trekking in the Bale or Simien massifs, or visiting Tigray, the Lake Tana region and Harar in the east. Although still a little damp, October also corresponds to the flowering period on the high plateaus, where the scenery becomes even more beautiful. In Lalibela, Christmas, Timkat (in January) and Fasika (Orthodox Easter) are spectacular religious festivities in the high season, not to be missed! Bahar Dar is the center of the Timkat festival. By contrast, the Danakil region is best avoided from mid-May to November, when scorching temperatures approach 50°C. In any case, the towers are closed at this time. May to September is the rainy season in the north, particularly from June to August. Hiking becomes impossible and sightseeing is not pleasant. It rains a little less in the east, but it's more pleasant to visit southern Ethiopia (especially the Omo Valley) from June to September, when the rains are scarce.
