Climate and Weather of the Gambia
Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa and it has a tropical Savannah climate. This means Gambia has tropical temperatures, which during the day fall between 29°C and 34°C throughout the year. During the hottest months you can even expect temperatures reaching up to 38°C.Close to the coast, the temperature can be slightly cooler, but no more than 4°C or 5°C difference with the interior. However, the feeling temperature can be slightly nicer due to the presence of a light breeze. In winter it is slightly cooler at night; minimum temperatures are between 18°C and 20°C.
Gambia has two distinct seasons: a very dry period and a real rainy season. From late October to early June it is very dry in Gambia. It rarely rains and once it rains, the quantities are generally very low. From the 2nd or 3rd week of June you will see a clear change in the weather. Humidity increases and the chance of rain increases enormously from the second half of June to the second half of October. This is the rainy season. The precipitation almost always falls in the form of (sometimes heavy) showers, which occur mainly at the end of the afternoon or after sunset.
The dry period November to January is the best travel time for Gambia. It is still tropically warm, but there is hardly any precipitation. From February it starts to get seriously hot, even unpleasantly warm. Maximum temperatures in March and April rise to about 40°C. In June, when the rainy season begins, temperatures drop slightly. However increasing humidity makes it even feel even hotter. If you want to just enjoy the beach of Gambia you can also schedule your holiday from November to May.
Are you interested in more detailed information for various cities in the Gambia?
Please select the city you plan to visit, or one closest to your destination. For each selected city, you will see the following graphs:
1. Yearly average minimum and maximum temperatures
2. Monthly averages of precipitation throughout the year (rainfall, snow etc)
3. Monthly average hours of sunshine throughout the year
Additionally, some pages provide historical weather data such as humidity, wind speed, and water temperature.