Josephine Christopher is a senior business journalist for The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers
Mwananchi Communications Limitted
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania is experiencing unusually high temperatures this month, with several parts of the country recording heat levels up to four degrees above the long-term average, according to new data from the Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA).
The spike has been most severe in Moshi, Kilimanjaro, where temperatures reached 35.7°C on November 21, the highest reported so far and 4.2°C above the normal November average. Morogoro, Shinyanga, and Dar es Salaam have also recorded temperatures significantly above seasonal norms.
TMA attributes the heatwave to a combination of the Sun’s Zenith position, a period where the sun passes directly overhead, and below-normal rainfall in the affected regions.
The Zenith Sun phenomenon peaks in Tanzania at the end of November as the sun moves south toward the Tropic of Capricorn and returns in February as it shifts north.
“This period is naturally associated with high temperatures because the Earth’s surface is closer to the sun than at other times of the year,” TMA said in the advisory issued Thursday. Morogoro reached 35.5°C on November 20, which was 2.7°C above normal.
Dar es Salaam recorded 33.2°C on November 19 and 21, which was 1.6°C above normal, with humidity making the conditions feel hotter than the measured temperature.
Coastal humidity, fuelled by warm ocean moisture, has pushed “feels-like” temperatures several degrees higher. In Shinyanga, the Ibadakuli station logged 33.6°C on November 14, which was 2.2°C above normal, continuing a trend of abnormal heat across the Lake Zone and central regions.
When asked by The Citizen, Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA)’s Manager of Forecasting Services, Dr Kantamla Mafuru, about the cause, he responded that the rainfall deficit this season is due to the presence of La Niña conditions, which we predicted before the start of the season and which are expected to weaken towards January.
“This is compounded by sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the western Indian Ocean (along our coast) being average to below-average, compared to slightly above-average SSTs in the eastern Indian Ocean,” he said.
Dr Mafuru added, “This configuration significantly reduces the amount of moist air moving from the sea inland to many parts of the country, thereby suppressing rainfall across a large number of areas nationwide, as was previously forecasted.”
Climate scientists warn that while the Zenith Sun is a natural phenomenon, the intensity and duration of heat spikes appear to be increasing, aligning with broader warming trends observed across East Africa.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) had also predicted that during November to December 2025, the entire East African region would experience warmer-than-usual conditions, expected over most parts of the region.
IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre provides climate services to East African countries, including seasonal forecasts, climate monitoring, and early warning systems.
However, according to the TMA notice, relief may be coming soon. The statement read, rainfall is expected to spread across most parts of the country in December, which should help moderate temperatures
Register to begin your journey to our premium contentSubscribe for full access to premium content
