Dakar, Senegal Climate & Monthly Averages
Dakar has a tropical wet-and-dry climate. October is the hottest month, averaging 87° by day; March is the coldest at 77°.
Dakar's climate runs on sunshine and sparse rain
Dakar averages 77°F (25°C) across the year, with 10.5 hours of sunshine a day and 12.9 inches (328 mm) of precipitation. The spread runs from March, at 77°F (25°C), to October, at 87°F (30°C).
What the dry climate changes
April is the brightest month at 11.7 hours of sun a day, against an annual average of 10.5 - sunnier than roughly 82% of the cities we track. October is the warm end of the year, averaging 87°F (30°C) by day and 79°F (26°C) overnight. March bottoms out at 77°F (25°C) in daylight, 67°F (19°C) after dark. 9 months average under 20 mm of rain, the longest unbroken stretch running October through June.
The wettest month is August (5.7 inches (146 mm) across 15 days) and the driest April. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 102°F (39°C) and bottoms at 60°F (16°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
More climate facts for Dakar
- Hottest month: October - highs near 87°F (30°C)
- Coldest month: March - highs near 77°F (25°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 102°F (39°C) high · 60°F (16°C) low
- Wettest month: August (15 rainy days) · Sunniest: April (11.7 h sun/day)
- Climate type: tropical wet-and-dry
- Annual swing: 6°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 5°C
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 2
- Average humidity: 70%
Heat, cold and scarce precipitation in the dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.
When the dry weather is easiest to use
Avoiding the hardest heat or cold
January to June is the sweet spot for Dakar - warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up. Expect 79°F (26°C) in the afternoon and around 0 days of rain in a typical month of it. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in January.
Prepare for sun and cooler nights
Pack for Dakar with light clothing for the warm months and rain gear if you travel around August. Even in October, lows of 79°F (26°C) make an extra layer worth the space.
Monthly heat and rainfall table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 81° | 69° | 0 | 0.1 in | 10.2 h/day | 11.3 h | 1% | 53% |
| February | 79° | 67° | 0 | 0.0 in | 10.6 h/day | 11.6 h | 0% | 58% |
| March | 77° | 67° | 0 | 0.0 in | 11.0 h/day | 12.0 h | 0% | 67% |
| April | 77° | 68° | 0 | 0.0 in | 11.7 h/day | 12.4 h | 0% | 72% |
| May | 78° | 70° | 0 | 0.0 in | 11.5 h/day | 12.8 h | 0% | 77% |
| June | 82° | 74° | 1 | 0.2 in | 11.3 h/day | 13.0 h | 3% | 79% |
| July | 84° | 77° | 7 | 1.5 in | 10.2 h/day | 12.9 h | 22% | 78% |
| August | 84° | 78° | 15 | 5.7 in | 9.5 h/day | 12.6 h | 47% | 81% |
| September | 85° | 79° | 12 | 4.6 in | 9.9 h/day | 12.2 h | 41% | 83% |
| October | 87° | 79° | 3 | 0.7 in | 10.4 h/day | 11.8 h | 9% | 78% |
| November | 87° | 76° | 0 | 0.0 in | 10.0 h/day | 11.4 h | 1% | 65% |
| December | 84° | 72° | 0 | 0.0 in | 9.7 h/day | 11.3 h | 1% | 55% |
How daytime heat and cool nights change by month
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Dakar's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 10.2 h
- Daylight
- 11.3 h
February
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 10.6 h
- Daylight
- 11.6 h
March
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 11.0 h
- Daylight
- 12.0 h
April
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 11.7 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
May
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 11.5 h
- Daylight
- 12.8 h
June
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 13.0 h
July
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 10.2 h
- Daylight
- 12.9 h
August
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 12.6 h
September
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 9.9 h
- Daylight
- 12.2 h
October
- Rain
- 3 days
- Sunshine
- 10.4 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
November
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 10.0 h
- Daylight
- 11.4 h
December
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 9.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.3 h
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Dakar's coolest part of the year: March, April, May.
Heat and cold across the Dakar year
March through May
March through May in Dakar is mild and warm, with daytime highs averaging 77°F (25°C) and nights around 68°F (20°C); precipitation is essentially absent. Daylight is generous - around 11.4 hours of sun a day.
June through August
June through August in Dakar sits firmly in the heat, with daytime highs averaging 83°F (28°C) and nights around 76°F (25°C); expect showers on roughly 22 days across the season. Daylight is generous - around 10.3 hours of sun a day. With the moisture factored in, afternoons feel hotter than the reading suggests - the humidity and dew point converter shows why.
September through November
September through November runs hot here - highs near 86°F (30°C), nights near 78°F (26°C), and rain comes on about 15 days over the three months. Daylight is generous - around 10.1 hours of sun a day.
December through February
December through February in Dakar brings hot afternoons, with daytime highs averaging 81°F (27°C) and nights around 69°F (21°C); precipitation is essentially absent. Daylight is generous - around 10.2 hours of sun a day.
How unusual is Dakar?
- 92% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more seasonal than any other city in our 3496-city dataset.
- Afternoons run 5°C above the following night - a flatter daily curve than all but 3% of the 3496 cities we track.
- Rain or snow reaches the ground on 38 days a year - fewer wet days than all but 6% of the 3496 cities we track.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.