Climate

Lesotho goes through all of the colourful and dramatic transitions of the four seasons. Due to the wide range of altitude in which it lies, the weather conditions fluctuate greatly depending on where you are. The summer days are the hottest especially in January and February. The rainy season starts from October until April with exceptionally heavy rain between March to May and October to November.

Days are usually sunny, only interrupted briefly by afternoon showers. Temperatures can range from around 30°C (86°F) in the lowlands and as the altitude increases so the temperature drops, averaging about 18°C (64°F) in the mountains.

Bone chilling gusts of wind signal the beginning of winter and the otherwise green mountain is turned to white by the snow. Interestingly enough, the mountains can be covered by snow at any time of the year, regardless of season. The winter grips Lesotho from May until July with the bitter cold sweeping across the country, predominantly in the highlands though days are usually clear and sunny. Temperatures can dip to -7°C (20°F) in the populated lowlands and -18°C (0°F) in the highlands. Spring marks the end of winter in September with the return of the birds and the sprouting of luscious greenery.