Zanzibar vs Arusha: which is sunnier?
🇹🇿 Tanzania vs 🇹🇿 Tanzania · 392 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Zanzibar is the sunnier overall: about 2,836 hours of sunshine a year to Arusha's 2,565. Zanzibar has the higher Sunshine Score in 4 of 12 months, Arusha in 1 (7 within 2 points).
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Zanzibar | Arusha | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 2,836 | 2,565 |
| Sunniest month | July (93/100) | July (92/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 82/100 | 74/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 92/100 | 91/100 |
| Rain / year | 1,009 mm | 870 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 12 (extreme) | 13 (extreme) |
Zanzibar vs Arusha month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zanzibar | Arusha | Zanzibar | Arusha | Zanzibar | Arusha | |
| January | 84 | 78 | 29° | 32° | 62 | 88 |
| February | 86 | 73 | 30° | 33° | 51 | 73 |
| March | 74 | 75 | 30° | 32° | 119 | 105 |
| April | 68 | 67 | 29° | 29° | 256 | 147 |
| May | 68 | 77 | 28° | 27° | 186 | 90 |
| June | 90 | 91 | 27° | 27° | 29 | 18 |
| July | 93 | 92 | 27° | 28° | 13 | 9 |
| August | 93 | 91 | 27° | 29° | 14 | 14 |
| September | 92 | 91 | 28° | 31° | 22 | 17 |
| October | 84 | 82 | 28° | 32° | 64 | 66 |
| November | 77 | 70 | 29° | 31° | 101 | 133 |
| December | 79 | 74 | 30° | 31° | 92 | 110 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan Zanzibar · Feb Zanzibar · Mar even · Apr even · May Arusha · Jun even · Jul even · Aug even · Sep even · Oct even · Nov Zanzibar · Dec Zanzibar.
When to pick which
- November–February: Zanzibar (average score 82/100 vs 74). Arusha is the warmer, around 32°C daytime highs vs 30°C.
- March–May: Arusha (average score 73/100 vs 70). Daytime highs are similar (29°C vs 29°C).
- June–August: too close to call — Zanzibar averages 92/100, Arusha 91/100. Daytime highs are similar (27°C vs 28°C).
- September–October: too close to call — Zanzibar averages 88/100, Arusha 87/100. Arusha is the warmer, around 32°C daytime highs vs 28°C.
Full month-by-month guides: Zanzibar weather by month · Arusha weather by month · Best time to visit Tanzania.
More comparisons: Zanzibar vs Dar es Salaam · Zanzibar vs Mombasa · Zanzibar vs Moroni · Arusha vs Dar es Salaam · Arusha vs Nairobi · Arusha vs Mombasa · all head-to-heads