What type of climate does Eswatini have?

Eswatini generally experiences a subtropical climate, which is heavily influenced by its location on the eastern side of southern Africa. This position exposes the country to moist maritime tropical air from the Indian Ocean for most of the year.12

The climate is defined by several key characteristics:

• Temperature and Precipitation Gradients: There are steep gradients from west to east due to a significant drop in altitude. Consequently, temperatures and rainfall vary considerably between the Highveld, Middleveld, and Lowveld regions.12
• Seasonal Variability: The country is part of a summer rainfall region, with approximately 80 percent of precipitation occurring between October and March, typically as thunderstorms or frontal rains.1
• Climatic Fluctuations: Winter months see a reduction in maritime airflow due to intensified continental winds, leading to high climatic variability. Furthermore, annual rainfall totals can fluctuate dramatically from year to year, often following quasi-cyclic patterns.1