Dakar weather by month & the best time to visit
Senegal · major coastal city · semi-arid climate
The best time to visit Dakar is February — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 97/100), with December and January close behind. Dakar averages about 3,053 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 31°C / 88°F and roughly 3 mm of rain in February.
When is the best time to visit Dakar?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Dakar is February, then December and January. The dullest month is August (70/100, 202 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Dakar?
Dakar is one of the sunniest places on Earth: about 3,053 hours of sunshine a year. February (97/100) is noticeably better than August (70). Dakar is the sunniest of the 3 destinations tracked in Senegal. Rain is strongly seasonal here: roughly 83% of the year's 558 mm falls in the three months around August.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 96 | 30° / 86°F | 15° / 59°F | 5 mm | 8 | 23° / 73°F |
| February | 97 | 31° / 88°F | 16° / 61°F | 3 mm | 9 | 22° / 72°F |
| March | 87 | 33° / 91°F | 16° / 61°F | 5 mm | 11 | 20° / 68°F |
| April | 87 | 33° / 91°F | 17° / 63°F | 4 mm | 12 | 21° / 70°F |
| May | 87 | 33° / 91°F | 19° / 66°F | 1 mm | 11 | 24° / 75°F |
| June | 84 | 33° / 91°F | 22° / 72°F | 21 mm | 10 | 27° / 81°F |
| July | 81 | 31° / 88°F | 24° / 75°F | 90 mm | 10 | 29° / 84°F |
| August | 70 | 30° / 86°F | 24° / 75°F | 202 mm | 10 | 30° / 86°F |
| September | 70 | 30° / 86°F | 24° / 75°F | 171 mm | 10 | 29° / 84°F |
| October | 88 | 32° / 90°F | 23° / 73°F | 49 mm | 10 | 30° / 86°F |
| November | 96 | 32° / 90°F | 20° / 68°F | 4 mm | 9 | 28° / 82°F |
| December | 97 | 31° / 88°F | 17° / 63°F | 3 mm | 8 | 25° / 77°F |
Sea temperature in Dakar by month
The sea off Dakar is warmest in August at around 30°C / 86°F, and coolest in March at 20°C / 68°F. The water sits at a comfortable 21°C or warmer roughly 11 months a year. Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
Head-to-head
How Dakar compares month by month: Dakar vs Conakry · Dakar vs Nouakchott · Dakar vs Serekunda · Dakar vs Rabil · all comparisons
Dakar: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Dakar?
Dakar is a major coastal city in Senegal with a semi-arid climate — the sea reaches 30°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) about 11 months a year.
How many hours of sunshine does Dakar get a year?
Dakar gets about 3,053 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around February.
When is the best time to visit Dakar?
The sunniest time to visit Dakar is February, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 97/100 (with December and January close behind). Expect daytime highs around 31°C / 88°F.
What is the least sunny month in Dakar?
August is the least sunny month in Dakar, scoring 70/100 with about 202 mm of rain.
Is Dakar the sunniest place in Senegal?
Yes — with about 3,053 hours of sunshine a year, Dakar has the most annual sunshine of the 3 Senegal destinations tracked by Sunshine Atlas.
What is the sea temperature in Dakar?
The sea in Dakar ranges from about 20°C (March) to 30°C (August). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Dakar?
The typical midday UV index in Dakar peaks around 12 (extreme) in April, easing to about 8 (very high) in January. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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