Climate Senegal
With more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, Senegal is a pleasant year-round destination, with a humid tropical climate in the south and a Sahelian desert climate in the north. However, whether one is in the interior of the country or on the coast, there are some differences in temperature, influenced among other things by sea currents. For example, when it is 26°C in Dakar in January, Tambacounda records 34°C. In addition to its different climates, Senegal is also subject to two distinct seasons due to its location in the intertropical zone. From October to May, the dry season is characterized by warm temperatures, radiant sunshine and rare rainfall. Then, from June to September, the rainy season, known as the winter season, when the climate becomes more humid, especially in Casamance, the wettest region of the country. A look back at these seasons which mark the cycle of Senegal.
The dry season, an ideal period
From October to May, Senegal enjoys a hot and dry climate. During this period, temperatures oscillate around 26°C, even 40°C in the interior of the country. It is therefore the ideal time to sunbathe on the beaches of Casamance, travel the bolongs in a dugout canoe, observe migratory birds or visit the animal reserves. However, swept by the trade winds, the Grande Côte, which stretches from Dakar to Saint-Louis, offers cooler temperatures, especially in January and February when they sometimes drop below 15°C at night. On the other hand, the cities in the interior of the country are real furnaces, such as Matam and Tambacounda, where the barometer can reach 40°C in the afternoon. This season is also the period when the harmattan blows, this hot and dry wind from the Sahara. Temperatures during the day are stifling, colder at night, the air is full of dust and visibility is reduced for several days. Although the season is said to be "dry", it is sometimes punctuated by unexpected rainy episodes, called the "mango rain". Born from a northern depression, it usually does not rain much in the country during this period.
Wintering, the African monsoon
With the arrival of the monsoon, the rainy season begins in the southeast of Senegal in May and gradually settles in throughout the country. It is characterized by high temperatures, a humid climate, and more or less frequent rainfall depending on the region, accompanied by storms, sometimes violent. In addition to watering the soil, the rain purifies the air of the harmattan dust. It is for some the most beautiful season in Senegal, with its beautiful lights, a reborn nature and a sea with pleasant temperatures. Casamance, along with the Bédik and Bassari countries, are the most rainy regions, with a significant rainfall peak in August and cloudy skies all day long. Many roads are impassable, such as those in Niokolo Koba Park, which are best visited during the dry season. The north and center of the country are relatively spared from rain, with rain falling in quick spurts. When it rains nearly 500 mm in Ziguinchor in August, Saint-Louis records barely 100 mm of rain. With its humid climate and stagnant water, this season is also the season of mosquitoes, vector of malaria. It is therefore advisable to bring an effective anti-mosquito product and an anti-malaria treatment during your stay.
