Annual precipitation in Lesotho
Lesotho: Annual precipitation was 1,329 millimeters in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
1,329 millimeters
Change on year
up 68.2%
World rank
63rd
of 192 countries
All-time high
1,484 millimeters
in 1988
All-time low
563.9 millimeters
in 1954
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Annual precipitation in Lesotho, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in millimeters.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual precipitation in Lesotho is 1,329 millimeters, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 68.2% on the previous year and up 77.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual precipitation in Lesotho peaked at 1,484 millimeters in 1988 and was at its lowest, 563.9 millimeters, in 1954.
That places Lesotho 63rd out of 192 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Annual precipitation in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | millimeters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 972.74 millimeters | — |
| 1941 | 742.49 millimeters | -23.7% |
| 1942 | 1,201 millimeters | +61.8% |
| 1943 | 1,121 millimeters | -6.7% |
| 1944 | 1,187 millimeters | +5.9% |
| 1945 | 1,025 millimeters | -13.6% |
| 1946 | 1,050 millimeters | +2.4% |
| 1947 | 1,012 millimeters | -3.6% |
| 1948 | 1,062 millimeters | +4.9% |
| 1949 | 599.33 millimeters | -43.5% |
| 1950 | 1,246 millimeters | +107.8% |
| 1951 | 955.42 millimeters | -23.3% |
| 1952 | 1,003 millimeters | +5.0% |
| 1953 | 1,013 millimeters | +1.0% |
| 1954 | 563.9 millimeters | -44.4% |
| 1955 | 911.45 millimeters | +61.6% |
| 1956 | 1,230 millimeters | +35.0% |
| 1957 | 1,222 millimeters | -0.7% |
| 1958 | 1,195 millimeters | -2.2% |
| 1959 | 1,198 millimeters | +0.3% |
| 1960 | 1,298 millimeters | +8.3% |
| 1961 | 1,193 millimeters | -8.1% |
| 1962 | 1,064 millimeters | -10.8% |
| 1963 | 1,292 millimeters | +21.4% |
| 1964 | 1,104 millimeters | -14.5% |
| 1965 | 776.68 millimeters | -29.7% |
| 1966 | 978.08 millimeters | +25.9% |
| 1967 | 1,146 millimeters | +17.1% |
| 1968 | 973.99 millimeters | -15.0% |
| 1969 | 957.99 millimeters | -1.6% |
| 1970 | 1,073 millimeters | +12.0% |
| 1971 | 1,174 millimeters | +9.4% |
| 1972 | 1,079 millimeters | -8.1% |
| 1973 | 1,080 millimeters | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 1,269 millimeters | +17.4% |
| 1975 | 1,188 millimeters | -6.4% |
| 1976 | 1,290 millimeters | +8.6% |
| 1977 | 1,170 millimeters | -9.3% |
| 1978 | 1,108 millimeters | -5.3% |
| 1979 | 1,094 millimeters | -1.3% |
| 1980 | 860.49 millimeters | -21.4% |
| 1981 | 1,009 millimeters | +17.3% |
| 1982 | 943 millimeters | -6.5% |
| 1983 | 1,030 millimeters | +9.2% |
| 1984 | 923.87 millimeters | -10.3% |
| 1985 | 1,138 millimeters | +23.2% |
| 1986 | 1,234 millimeters | +8.4% |
| 1987 | 1,443 millimeters | +17.0% |
| 1988 | 1,484 millimeters | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 1,319 millimeters | -11.1% |
| 1990 | 995.67 millimeters | -24.5% |
| 1991 | 1,281 millimeters | +28.6% |
| 1992 | 744.13 millimeters | -41.9% |
| 1993 | 1,175 millimeters | +57.8% |
| 1994 | 951.22 millimeters | -19.0% |
| 1995 | 1,093 millimeters | +14.9% |
| 1996 | 1,319 millimeters | +20.7% |
| 1997 | 1,186 millimeters | -10.1% |
| 1998 | 1,113 millimeters | -6.2% |
| 1999 | 988.76 millimeters | -11.1% |
| 2000 | 1,263 millimeters | +27.7% |
| 2001 | 1,222 millimeters | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 1,141 millimeters | -6.6% |
| 2003 | 931.24 millimeters | -18.4% |
| 2004 | 1,113 millimeters | +19.5% |
| 2005 | 1,052 millimeters | -5.4% |
| 2006 | 1,300 millimeters | +23.5% |
| 2007 | 913.85 millimeters | -29.7% |
| 2008 | 944.42 millimeters | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 986.55 millimeters | +4.5% |
| 2010 | 1,083 millimeters | +9.8% |
| 2011 | 1,068 millimeters | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 1,014 millimeters | -5.1% |
| 2013 | 871.39 millimeters | -14.0% |
| 2014 | 1,015 millimeters | +16.4% |
| 2015 | 750.69 millimeters | -26.0% |
| 2016 | 1,020 millimeters | +35.9% |
| 2017 | 926.58 millimeters | -9.2% |
| 2018 | 885.66 millimeters | -4.4% |
| 2019 | 787.5 millimeters | -11.1% |
| 2020 | 1,180 millimeters | +49.8% |
| 2021 | 1,227 millimeters | +4.0% |
| 2022 | 1,315 millimeters | +7.2% |
| 2023 | 1,134 millimeters | -13.8% |
| 2024 | 789.98 millimeters | -30.4% |
| 2025 | 1,329 millimeters | +68.2% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 1,329 millimeters is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,013 millimeters, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 1,329 millimeters is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 970.56 millimeters, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual precipitation in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | +107.8% | 599.33 millimeters | 1,246 millimeters |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 997.21 millimeters | 599.33 millimeters | 1,201 millimeters | 10 |
| 1950s | 1,054 millimeters | 563.9 millimeters | 1,246 millimeters | 10 |
| 1960s | 1,078 millimeters | 776.68 millimeters | 1,298 millimeters | 10 |
| 1970s | 1,152 millimeters | 1,073 millimeters | 1,290 millimeters | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,138 millimeters | 860.49 millimeters | 1,484 millimeters | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,085 millimeters | 744.13 millimeters | 1,319 millimeters | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,087 millimeters | 913.85 millimeters | 1,300 millimeters | 10 |
| 2010s | 942.17 millimeters | 750.69 millimeters | 1,083 millimeters | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,162 millimeters | 789.98 millimeters | 1,329 millimeters | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 60 Democratic Republic of Congo 1,383 millimeters compare
- 61 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 1,377 millimeters compare
- 62 El Salvador 1,358 millimeters compare
- 64 Uganda 1,308 millimeters compare
- 65 Norway 1,296 millimeters compare
- 66 Albania 1,289 millimeters compare
More climate change data for Lesotho
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 6.55 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,116 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 715.74 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,401 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.7 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 50.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 61.29 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 51.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 9.3 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.1962 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual precipitation in Lesotho?
- Annual precipitation in Lesotho was 1,329 millimeters in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual precipitation recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 1,484 millimeters in 1988.
- What is the lowest annual precipitation recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 563.9 millimeters in 1954.
- How does Lesotho rank for annual precipitation?
- Lesotho ranks 63rd out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual precipitation rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 77.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual precipitation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total annual precipitation—rain and snow—calculated as the sum of daily averages, reported as the depth of water falling to Earth's surface, excluding fog and dew.