Climate of Benin
Where is the country of Benin located? The Republic of Benin is an African country located on the Gulf of Benin, bordering Togo, Niger, Nigeria and Burkina Faso. The independent country since 1960 was called Dahomey until 1975. Benin is a relatively poor country, where people mainly live on local trade, agriculture and, to a lesser extent, logistics activities via the port of Cotonou, the country’s main city. Benin has a tropical savanna climate according to the Köppen climate classification. In the far north, near the border with Burkina Faso and Niger, there is a warm steppe climate. This dry climate type is referred to as type BSh according to the Köppen climate system.
Tropical weather
Benin has to deal with tropical weather conditions all year round. During the day, the mercury is between 28 and 32 degrees Celsius throughout the year. In the far north it can get a few degrees warmer in the period February-April. Temperatures of 36 to more than 40 degrees can be reached there. The minimum temperature in the southern half is between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius, in the northern half it can be a few degrees cooler during the months of November, December, January and February. However, it never gets colder than 12 degrees Celsius there. Tropical weather conditions require a fairly high relative humidity, which makes it feel very warm, especially in the months of April and May.
Rainy season
The dry season in Benin is from November to February. The chance of rain is then considerably smaller and the intensity of the showers is still quite low. The chances of precipitation increase from March, after which the rainy season starts around April/May. The wet season lasts until September/October. Along the coast, the peak in precipitation is already in the month of June, after which a temporary drier period follows from mid-June to the first half of September. After that, there is another small rainy season, which lasts until the beginning of November.
Climate figures
The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).
| Maximum temperature | Minimum temperature | Hours of sunshine per day | Days of rainfall per month | |
| January | 31℃ | 23℃ | 7 | 3 |
| February | 32℃ | 24℃ | 7 | 4 |
| March | 32℃ | 25℃ | 7 | 9 |
| April | 32℃ | 25℃ | 7 | 11 |
| May | 31℃ | 24℃ | 7 | 14 |
| June | 29℃ | 23℃ | 5 | 18 |
| July | 28℃ | 23℃ | 4 | 17 |
| August | 28℃ | 23℃ | 4 | 16 |
| September | 29℃ | 23℃ | 5 | 18 |
| October | 30℃ | 24℃ | 6 | 15 |
| November | 31℃ | 24℃ | 8 | 7 |
| December | 31℃ | 24℃ | 7 | 4 |
Best time to visit Benin
Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Benin? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. The country of Benin is located in the tropical zone of the African continent. Benin is located in the south on the Gulf of Benin. This is the low-lying part of the country. Further north you are on average a few hundred meters above sea level, with Mont Sokbaro as the highest point (658 meters above sea level). You may divide Benin into two regions: the somewhat temperate coastal areas and the hotter central and northern part of Benin. The best time to travel to Benin depends on which part of the country you want to visit. If you are going for the coastal areas, it is best to travel to Benin between November and February. If you go inland, it is best to travel for the hot but dry period from October to January.
The rainy season
In April, the rainy season starts in Benin. The combination of quite a lot of precipitation, high temperatures and high relative humidity make it unpleasant to travel or stay within Benin. The temperatures are still not too bad on the coast. The maximums are then around or close to thirty degrees Celsius. Inland, the mercury can rise to forty degrees or higher in the summer. In August there is a short dip in the rainy season. If you were to travel to Benin in the summer, we would see the month of August as the best option.
Harmattan
In Benin you can have to deal with the Harmattan. This desert wind regularly blows over Benin in winter and brings quite a lot of dust with it. In the morning there can be a peculiar fog, which often disappears quickly. The Harmattan mainly occurs in the period November to March. This dry Saharan wind is often clearly visible on satellite photos.
