Kiremt: Ethiopia’s main rainy season
Ethiopia’s highlands have three seasons: Kiremt, the main rains from June to September; Bega, the dry season from October to January; and Belg, the smaller rains from February to May in parts of the country.
Conditions right now
The Kiremt rains
Kiremt brings most of the year’s rain to the central and northern highlands. In Addis Ababa, July and August are the wettest months, with rain on most afternoons and cool, cloudy days. The rains feed the Blue Nile, which rises at Lake Tana near Bahir Dar, and they are vital for the main harvest. Heavy Kiremt rains can also cause landslides and flooding in the highlands and downstream.
Belg and Bega
The Belg rains, from February to May, are smaller and less reliable, but they matter for farmers in parts of the south, east and north-east who plant a short-season crop. Bega, from October to January, is the dry season: sunny days, cold nights in the highlands, and the most comfortable time for travel. The lowlands in the east and south, such as around Dire Dawa and the Somali region, follow a different pattern closer to that of Kenya and Somalia.
Frequently asked questions
When is the rainy season in Ethiopia?
The main rains, called Kiremt, fall from June to September, peaking in July and August.
What are Belg and Bega?
Belg is the short rainy season from February to May in parts of Ethiopia. Bega is the dry season from October to January.
When is the best time to visit Addis Ababa?
October to January, during the dry Bega season, when days are sunny and mild. Nights can be cold.