Cotonou is rarely comfortable to be outside at midday. It comes closest in early August, and even then it is too hot. For sun, aim for July to early September.
When to go five ratings · thirty-six ten-day sections · click a cell to read it
The sun season here runs from July to early September. It peaks in early August, at 61. The weakest stretch is from mid February to early May, when it drops to 13, mostly because it is too hot. The clearest skies come in December, when the sky is typically 79% covered at midday (often cloudy).
Being outside is not what Cotonou is for: the Easy outdoors rating tops out at 26, mostly because it is too hot.
Walking is not what Cotonou is for: the Active outdoors rating tops out at 2, mostly because it is too warm.
The year, measured
The average temperature in Cotonou over the whole year is 28°C. February is the hottest month, with highs of about 32°C; August is the coldest, with lows of about 25°C. The rainy (wet) season in Cotonou runs from September to November, peaking in October with a 46% chance of rain on a given day. The dry season is December to February; December is the driest month, at 10%. Winds in Cotonou are highest in July, averaging 4.3 m/s (15 km/h), and lightest in December, at 2.5 m/s (9 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the SW. The clearest skies in Cotonou come in December, when the sky is typically 76% covered; August is the cloudiest month, at 87%.
Month by month Cotonou climate by month: average temperatures year round · click a month to read it
| Month | High | Low | Feels like | Chance of rain | Cloud | Wind | Being outside | Sun | Walking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32°C | 25°C | 34°C | 11% | 76% | 2.8 m/s | 7 | 28 | 1 |
| February | 32°C | 27°C | 35°C | 20% | 80% | 3.3 m/s | 1 | 17 | 0 |
| March | 32°C | 28°C | 35°C | 29% | 84% | 3.8 m/s | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| April | 32°C | 27°C | 35°C | 35% | 85% | 3.5 m/s | 1 | 14 | 0 |
| May | 31°C | 27°C | 34°C | 42% | 85% | 2.9 m/s | 2 | 21 | 0 |
| June | 29°C | 25°C | 32°C | 45% | 86% | 3.3 m/s | 4 | 43 | 0 |
| July | 28°C | 25°C | 30°C | 27% | 87% | 4.3 m/s | 16 | 57 | 0 |
| August | 28°C | 25°C | 29°C | 22% | 87% | 4.2 m/s | 23 | 59 | 1 |
| September | 28°C | 25°C | 31°C | 43% | 86% | 3.7 m/s | 10 | 52 | 0 |
| October | 29°C | 25°C | 33°C | 46% | 86% | 2.8 m/s | 3 | 38 | 0 |
| November | 31°C | 26°C | 35°C | 33% | 83% | 2.6 m/s | 1 | 17 | 0 |
| December | 32°C | 25°C | 35°C | 10% | 76% | 2.5 m/s | 2 | 23 | 0 |
High and low are the warmest and coolest of four readings a day — midnight, 6am, noon and 6pm — so a true overnight low can sit a degree or two under them. Chance of rain, cloud and wind are the day’s average; feels-like and the three ratings (each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80) are read at midday.
Seasons, and the year in short Cotonou weather by season
Year round, Cotonou has days of about 28°C at their warmest in August, its coolest month, and 32°C in February, its warmest; the coolest hours of the day run from 25°C to 28°C through the year, and the average temperature over the year is 28°C around the clock. Rain is most likely around October and least likely around December. Every figure here is a decade of observations blended into one representative year, so it reads as what this date is usually like, not a forecast for one particular day.
Cotonou weather in winterDecember to February
Winter in Cotonou has typical daily highs of about 32°C and lows of about 26°C, with a 14% chance of rain on a given day.
Cotonou weather in springMarch to May
Spring in Cotonou has typical daily highs of about 31°C and lows of about 27°C, with a 35% chance of rain on a given day.
Cotonou weather in summerJune to August
Summer in Cotonou has typical daily highs of about 28°C and lows of about 25°C, with a 31% chance of rain on a given day.
Cotonou weather in autumnSeptember to November
Autumn in Cotonou has typical daily highs of about 30°C and lows of about 25°C, with a 41% chance of rain on a given day.
When is the rainy season in Cotonou?
The rainy (wet) season in Cotonou runs from September to November, peaking in October with a 46% chance of rain on a given day. The dry season is December to February; December is the driest month, at 10%.
What time of year is Cotonou windiest?
Winds in Cotonou are highest in July, averaging 4.3 m/s (15 km/h), and lightest in December, at 2.5 m/s (9 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the SW.
What is the average temperature in Cotonou year round?
The average temperature in Cotonou over the whole year is 28°C. February is the hottest month, with highs of about 32°C; August is the coldest, with lows of about 25°C.
Where to go instead in early March, the weakest time here for being outside
How this is worked out
Every figure is a decade of weather-station observations blended into one typical year, in ten-day sections. The ratings, the chart and the feels-like column are read at midday local solar time. Being outside is the Easy outdoors rating, Sun is Sunbathing and Walking is Active outdoors, each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80. They describe what a time of year is usually like here, not a forecast. The dotted links open the map at that time of year; set its time of day to midday to see these numbers.