Cotonou in Fall
In fall (September, October and November), Cotonou sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 263 mm of rain over about 52 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs climb from about 25°C in early September to 28°C by late November. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time across fall, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Fall is Cotonou's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. Cotonou has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Cotonou's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 27°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 26°C
- Rainfall
- 263 mm
- 52 wet days
- Avg wind
- 17 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.3
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Sep · Oct · Nov
Temperature in Cotonou in Fall
Over the season highs climb from about 25°C in early September to 28°C by late November.
A typical fall day in Cotonou reaches about 27°C and drops to 26°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is November, the coolest September.
How fall really feels in Cotonou
Once humidity and wind are folded in, fall brings about 21 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in fall is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Cotonou weather by month
How the three fall months (September, October and November) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28° / 26° | 21 | 6.6 | 11.7 | 7.1 |
| Feb | 28° / 27° | 27 | 7.8 | 11.8 | 6.4 |
| Mar | 29° / 27° | 48 | 12.5 | 12 | 5.3 |
| Apr | 29° / 27° | 73 | 15.7 | 12.1 | 4.8 |
| May | 28° / 27° | 164 | 23.4 | 12.3 | 4.0 |
| Jun | 27° / 26° | 259 | 26.1 | 12.4 | 3.9 |
| Jul | 26° / 25° | 132 | 18.9 | 12.3 | 5.2 |
| Aug | 25° / 24° | 73 | 13.3 | 12.2 | 6.1 |
| Sep | 26° / 25° | 105 | 18 | 12 | 5.2 |
| Oct | 27° / 26° | 110 | 20.2 | 11.9 | 5.0 |
| Nov | 28° / 27° | 49 | 13.8 | 11.7 | 5.7 |
| Dec | 28° / 27° | 27 | 7.6 | 11.6 | 6.9 |
Cloud cover in Fall
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time across fall.
Chance of precipitation in Fall
Cotonou gets around 263 mm of rain over 52 wet days across fall. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Fall
Most of fall feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Fall
Winds average 17 km/h across fall.
Sunrise & sunset in Fall
Daylight runs from about 12 h 06 min in early September to 11 h 42 min by late November. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Fall
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across fall, about 4.9 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Cotonou
None of Cotonou's seasonal hazards peak in fall. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Cotonou's rainy season runs May–July, when most of the year's rain falls.
Cotonou sees seasonal dust haze (January–April), heaviest in February.
Is fall a good time to visit Cotonou?
Our two travel scores rate fall for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
fall is a reasonable time to visit Cotonou for sightseeing.
What to pack for Cotonou in Fall
From fall's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In fall, Cotonou sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 52 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Cotonou in Fall
The nearest coast averages about 27°C across fall — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in May at about 29°C and coldest in August near 25°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 29 | 28 |
| Comfort | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | Warm |
| Feb | 28 | Tropical |
| Mar | 29 | Tropical |
| Apr | 29 | Tropical |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 28 | Warm |
| Jul | 26 | Warm |
| Aug | 25 | Warm |
| Sep | 26 | Warm |
| Oct | 27 | Warm |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 28 | Tropical |
UV index in Cotonou in Fall
Clear-sky midday UV across fall averages around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Cotonou peaks around April 10 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 8 (very high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 9 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 8 |
| Level | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Very high |
| Feb | 10 | Very high |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 10 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 9 | Very high |
| Dec | 8 | Very high |
Air quality in Cotonou in Fall
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where fall falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Cotonou is worst in January — around 78 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 7.7× the cleanest month (September, 10 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 78 | 61 | 28 | 24 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 19 | 61 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 61 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 28 | Moderate |
| Apr | 24 | Moderate |
| May | 15 | Moderate |
| Jun | 15 | Moderate |
| Jul | 16 | Moderate |
| Aug | 13 | Moderate |
| Sep | 10 | Good |
| Oct | 12 | Good |
| Nov | 19 | Moderate |
| Dec | 61 | Unhealthy |
Where is Cotonou?
Cotonou sits at 6.4°N, 2.4°E, 7 m above sea level, in Benin. The nearest listed city is Godomè, 8.0 km away.
Topography around Cotonou
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Cotonou.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Cotonou has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 13 m around an average of 5 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 33 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 171 m.
The land around Cotonou is covered by artificial surfaces (76%) within 3 km, water (66%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 16 km, and trees (37%) and water (36%) within 80 km.
Benin travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type C / E
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 34% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $1,658
- 2025
- Happiness
- 4.4 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 18%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 1.1
- per 100k, 2017
- Road deaths
- 26.8
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- Very low
- EF EPI 406
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Cotonou (6.3654°, 2.4183°, elevation 7 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.