Cotonou weather in February

In February, Cotonou sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 27°C, with 27 mm of rain across 7.8 wet days and about 11.8 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time in February, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 42 min at the start of February to 11 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, February is Cotonou's 4th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cotonou's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
4th warmest
Overnight low
27°
10th coldest
Rainfall
27 mm
7.8 wet days
Daylight
11 h 48 min
7:11 AM – 6:59 PM
Cloud cover
52%
4th clearest
Wind
19 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.56 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.4
out of 10

Cotonou is city in Benin, seat of the government.

Density
8,595/km²
people per km²

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in February

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical February day in Cotonou reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 27°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, February runs on par with January and on par with March.

24°26°28°30°32°151015202528
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12827
22827
32827
42827
52827
62827
72827
82827
92827
102827
112827
122827
132827
142827
152827
162827
172827
182827
192827
202827
212827
222827
232827
242827
252827
262827
272827
282827

How February really feels in Cotonou

Once humidity and wind are folded in, February averages 28 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
28
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in February is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Cotonou weather by month

How February compares with the rest of the year at a glance. February is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 26°216.611.77.1
Feb28° / 27°277.811.86.4
Mar29° / 27°4812.5125.3
Apr29° / 27°7315.712.14.8
May28° / 27°16423.412.34.0
Jun27° / 26°25926.112.43.9
Jul26° / 25°13218.912.35.2
Aug25° / 24°7313.312.26.1
Sep26° / 25°10518125.2
Oct27° / 26°11020.211.95.0
Nov28° / 27°4913.811.75.7
Dec28° / 27°277.611.66.9

Cloud cover in February

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time in February.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of February, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 41%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202528
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16733
26733
36733
46733
56733
66733
76634
86634
96535
106436
116337
126238
136139
146040
155842
165743
175545
185545
195347
205248
215248
225149
235149
245050
254951
265050
275050
285050

Chance of precipitation in February

Any precipitation

Cotonou gets around 27 mm of rain over 7.8 wet days in February. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 28% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202528
Rain chance (%)
124
225
325
425
525
626
726
826
926
1026
1126
1226
1326
1427
1527
1627
1728
1828
1929
2029
2130
2230
2331
2432
2532
2633
2734
2835

Humidity in February

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of February feels miserable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, February lands in the miserable band about 89% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202528
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1231382
2231382
3131383
4121384
5121483
6121483
7121483
8121483
9111385
10111385
11111385
12111286
13111187
14001189
15001090
1600991
1700991
1800892
1900793
2000694
2100694
2200595
2300496
2400496
2500496
2600397
2700397
2800397

Wind in February

Winds average 19 km/h in February.

Across February, daily wind ranges from about 18 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202528
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
118light breeze
218light breeze
318light breeze
418light breeze
518light breeze
618light breeze
718light breeze
818light breeze
918light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1519light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1819light breeze
1919light breeze
2019light breeze
2120light breeze
2220light breeze
2320light breeze
2420light breeze
2520light breeze
2620light breeze
2720breezy
2820breezy

Sunrise & sunset in February

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min at the start of February to 11 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over February. Sunrise moves from 7:12 AM to 7:08 AM, and sunset from 6:56 PM to 7:00 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202528
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.77:126:56
211.77:126:56
311.77:126:56
411.77:126:56
511.77:126:57
611.77:126:57
711.87:126:57
811.87:126:57
911.87:126:58
1011.87:126:58
1111.87:126:58
1211.87:126:58
1311.87:116:58
1411.87:116:59
1511.87:116:59
1611.87:116:59
1711.87:116:59
1811.87:116:59
1911.87:106:59
2011.87:106:59
2111.87:106:59
2211.87:106:59
2311.87:096:59
2411.87:097:00
2511.87:097:00
2611.97:087:00
2711.97:087:00
2811.97:087:00

Solar energy in February

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in February, about 5.56 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.22 kWh/m² to a high of 5.6 kWh/m² in March across the year — February's 5.56 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202528
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.6Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.6Bright
185.6Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
Planning a trip in February

Hazard calendar for Cotonou

In seasonPeak

In February, Cotonou sits inside its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

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.

Rainy season
Dust
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is February a good time to visit Cotonou?

Our two travel scores rate February for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.4
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
7.1
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

February is a reasonable time to visit Cotonou for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Cotonou in February

From February's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In February, Cotonou sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 8 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Cotonou in February

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in February — 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.

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun28Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug25Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Cotonou in February

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in February peaks around 10 (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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeExtremeVery highApr 10UV 13Dec 17UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb10Very high
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Cotonou in February

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where February 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).

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyModerateGoodModerateJan 1676 µg/m³Sep 1810 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan78Unhealthy
Feb61Unhealthy
Mar28Moderate
Apr24Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct12Good
Nov19Moderate
Dec61Unhealthy
Location & terrain

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.

3 km
13 m
16 km
33 m
80 km
171 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
February weather nearby: Godomè 8.0 km · Ganvié 11 km · Abomey-Calavi 12 km · Ekpé 13 km · Semi 22 km · Porto-Novo 25 km · Missérété 29 km · Zinvié 29 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
Muslim 28%Roman Catholic 26%Protestant 14%Vodoun 12%

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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).