like the rest of tropical africa, angola experiences distinct, alternating rainy and dry seasons. the coastal strip is tempered by the cool benguela current, resulting in a climate similar to coastal peru or baja california. it is semiarid in the south and along the coast to luanda. there are two rainy seasons in the steppe; the short rains from november to february, and the high rains from march and april. summers are hot and humid, while winters are mild and dry. the north has a cool, dry season. the climate is greatly influenced by the prevailing winds, which arc w., s.w. and s.s.w. two seasons are distinguished – the cool, from june to september; and the rainy, from november to april. the heaviest rainfall occurs in april, and is accompanied by violent storms.