Climate of Equatorial Guinea

Climate of Equatorial Guinea

Where is the country of Equatorial Guinea located? Equatorial Guinea is a country in Africa, which consists of a continental part (Mbini) and the islands of Bioko and Annobón. The Republic of Equatorial Guinea owes its name to its location near the equator (‘equator’ in English). The country, which has been a Spanish colony for almost two centuries, has a mainly tropical monsoon climate, with locally a tropical rainforest climate or a tropical savanna climate. The exact climate determination depends on the amount of precipitation on an annual basis and the course of precipitation within a calendar year.

Lots of precipitation

Equatorial Guinea is one of the wettest countries in Africa. Locally, more than three thousand millimeters of precipitation can fall on an annual basis. The two most important areas, the continental Mbini and the island of Bioko, each have their own rainy season, which does not coincide with each other. On the mainland there are two rainy seasons: one from March to early June and a second from September to November. At Bioko, the precipitation sum suddenly rises sharply from March, with a clear peak in the months of July, August, September and October. From November, the amount of rain decreases significantly.

Tropical heat

The whole of Equatorial Guinea has tropical temperatures all year round, which are close to or around thirty degrees during the day. In the evening it cools down quite gradually, after which a minimum temperature of around 20 to 22 degrees Celsius is reached by morning. During prolonged rain the mercury can drop a few degrees, but as soon as the sun breaks through it quickly becomes a few degrees warmer. In combination with a high relative humidity, it can quickly feel very stuffy.

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 Water temperature
January 31℃ 22℃ 5 6 28℃
February 31℃ 22℃ 6 8 29℃
March 31℃ 22℃ 5 14 29℃
April 30℃ 22℃ 5 18 29℃
May 30℃ 22℃ 5 19 29℃
June 28℃ 22℃ 4 19 28℃
July 27℃ 21℃ 2 20 27℃
August 27℃ 21℃ 2 22 26℃
September 28℃ 21℃ 3 24 27℃
October 28℃ 22℃ 4 23 27℃
November 29℃ 22℃ 5 12 28℃
December 30℃ 22℃ 5 6 28℃

Best time to visit Equatorial Guinea

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Equatorial Guinea? 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 Republic of Equatorial Guinea is a small country in the central-western part of Africa. it consists of a continental part bordering Gabon and Cameroon and of two islands: Bioko and Annobón. The country is located within the tropical part of Africa. Within the Köppen-Geiger climate classification you see that the northwest has a tropical rainforest climate, the southeast has a tropical savanna climate and most of Equatorial Guinea has a tropical monsoon climate. The higher elevations of the island of Bioko have a more temperate climate. For the best travel time, it really depends on whether you travel to Bioko or to the mainland. This is because the dry periods are completely different.

Bioco

If you travel to the island of Bioko, where the capital Malabo is located, the best time to travel is from December to mid-March. This is the drier period for Bioko. From the second half of March, the amount of rain increases considerably with May, June, September and October as the wettest months. Maximum temperatures are fairly constant: in winter it is warmest at 30 to 33 degrees and in the wet season it is slightly cooler during the day with an average of 28 to 30 degrees.

Mainland and Annobon

On the mainland of Equatorial Guinea and the island of Annobón, the season is exactly the other way around. Here the drier season falls from July to mid-September, making our summer vacation an ideal time to travel to this part of Equatorial Guinea. During the winter it is wet to very wet. The months of April, October and November are by far the wettest. In some places, 400 to 500 millimeters of rain can fall per month. The temperatures are quite constant. In the lower areas it is continuously tropical with maximums around 28 to 32 degrees Celsius. In the hills inland it is slightly cooler: about 25-27 degrees in the cooler months and around 30 degrees in the hottest months.

Equatorial Guinea