Cotonou weather in July
In July, Cotonou sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 132 mm of rain across 18.9 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in July, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Daylight stretches from about 12 h 24 min at the start of July to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, July is Cotonou's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cotonou's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 26°
- 11th warmest
- Overnight low
- 25°
- 3rd coldest
- Rainfall
- 132 mm
- 18.9 wet days
- Daylight
- 12 h 18 min
- 6:46 AM – 7:06 PM
- Cloud cover
- 76%
- 11th clearest
- Wind
- 22 km/h
- 2nd windiest
- Solar energy
- 4.35 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 5.2
- 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 July
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month.
A typical July day in Cotonou reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 26°C. Set against its neighbours, July runs about 1°C cooler than June and on par with August.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Avg low (°C) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 | 25 |
| 2 | 26 | 25 |
| 3 | 26 | 25 |
| 4 | 26 | 25 |
| 5 | 26 | 25 |
| 6 | 26 | 25 |
| 7 | 26 | 25 |
| 8 | 26 | 25 |
| 9 | 26 | 25 |
| 10 | 26 | 25 |
| 11 | 26 | 25 |
| 12 | 26 | 25 |
| 13 | 26 | 25 |
| 14 | 26 | 25 |
| 15 | 26 | 25 |
| 16 | 26 | 25 |
| 17 | 26 | 25 |
| 18 | 26 | 25 |
| 19 | 25 | 25 |
| 20 | 25 | 25 |
| 21 | 25 | 25 |
| 22 | 25 | 25 |
| 23 | 25 | 25 |
| 24 | 25 | 25 |
| 25 | 25 | 25 |
| 26 | 25 | 24 |
| 27 | 25 | 24 |
| 28 | 25 | 24 |
| 29 | 25 | 24 |
| 30 | 25 | 24 |
| 31 | 25 | 24 |
How July really feels in Cotonou
Once humidity and wind are folded in, July averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.
July sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Cotonou weather by month
How July compares with the rest of the year at a glance. July is the 11th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| 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 July
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in July.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of July, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 76%.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
| Cloudier (%) | 79 | 79 | 78 | 78 | 77 | 78 | 78 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 74 | 73 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 | 79 |
| 2 | 21 | 79 |
| 3 | 22 | 78 |
| 4 | 22 | 78 |
| 5 | 23 | 77 |
| 6 | 22 | 78 |
| 7 | 22 | 78 |
| 8 | 23 | 77 |
| 9 | 23 | 77 |
| 10 | 23 | 77 |
| 11 | 23 | 77 |
| 12 | 23 | 77 |
| 13 | 23 | 77 |
| 14 | 23 | 77 |
| 15 | 23 | 77 |
| 16 | 24 | 76 |
| 17 | 24 | 76 |
| 18 | 24 | 76 |
| 19 | 23 | 77 |
| 20 | 23 | 77 |
| 21 | 23 | 77 |
| 22 | 25 | 75 |
| 23 | 25 | 75 |
| 24 | 25 | 75 |
| 25 | 25 | 75 |
| 26 | 26 | 74 |
| 27 | 27 | 73 |
| 28 | 28 | 72 |
| 29 | 28 | 72 |
| 30 | 28 | 72 |
| 31 | 28 | 72 |
Chance of precipitation in July
Cotonou gets around 132 mm of rain over 18.9 wet days in July. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 61% and peaks near 79% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 79 | 78 | 77 | 75 | 74 | 73 | 72 | 71 | 70 | 69 | 68 | 67 | 66 | 65 | 64 | 63 | 61 | 60 | 58 | 56 | 55 | 53 | 52 | 51 | 50 | 49 | 48 | 47 | 46 | 45 | 44 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 79 |
| 2 | 78 |
| 3 | 77 |
| 4 | 75 |
| 5 | 74 |
| 6 | 73 |
| 7 | 72 |
| 8 | 71 |
| 9 | 70 |
| 10 | 69 |
| 11 | 68 |
| 12 | 67 |
| 13 | 66 |
| 14 | 65 |
| 15 | 64 |
| 16 | 63 |
| 17 | 61 |
| 18 | 60 |
| 19 | 58 |
| 20 | 56 |
| 21 | 55 |
| 22 | 53 |
| 23 | 52 |
| 24 | 51 |
| 25 | 50 |
| 26 | 49 |
| 27 | 48 |
| 28 | 47 |
| 29 | 46 |
| 30 | 45 |
| 31 | 44 |
Humidity in July
Most of July feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, July lands in the oppressive band about 99% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muggy (%) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Oppressive (%) | 98 | 99 | 98 | 98 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
| Miserable (%) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | Miserable (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 98 | 2 |
| 2 | 0 | 99 | 1 |
| 3 | 1 | 98 | 1 |
| 4 | 1 | 98 | 1 |
| 5 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 6 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 7 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 8 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 9 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 10 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 11 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 12 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 13 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 14 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 15 | 0 | 100 | 0 |
| 16 | 0 | 100 | 0 |
| 17 | 0 | 100 | 0 |
| 18 | 0 | 100 | 0 |
| 19 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 20 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 21 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 22 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 23 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 24 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 25 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 26 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 27 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 28 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 29 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 30 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
| 31 | 1 | 99 | 0 |
Wind in July
Winds average 22 km/h in July.
Across July, daily wind ranges from about 20 km/h on the calmest days to 23 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Feels | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | breezy |
| 2 | 20 | breezy |
| 3 | 20 | breezy |
| 4 | 20 | breezy |
| 5 | 21 | breezy |
| 6 | 21 | breezy |
| 7 | 21 | breezy |
| 8 | 21 | breezy |
| 9 | 21 | breezy |
| 10 | 21 | breezy |
| 11 | 21 | breezy |
| 12 | 22 | breezy |
| 13 | 22 | breezy |
| 14 | 22 | breezy |
| 15 | 22 | breezy |
| 16 | 22 | breezy |
| 17 | 22 | breezy |
| 18 | 22 | breezy |
| 19 | 22 | breezy |
| 20 | 23 | breezy |
| 21 | 23 | breezy |
| 22 | 23 | breezy |
| 23 | 23 | breezy |
| 24 | 23 | breezy |
| 25 | 23 | breezy |
| 26 | 23 | breezy |
| 27 | 23 | breezy |
| 28 | 23 | breezy |
| 29 | 23 | breezy |
| 30 | 23 | breezy |
| 31 | 23 | breezy |
Sunrise & sunset in July
Daylight runs from about 12 h 24 min at the start of July to 12 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days shrink by about 6 minutes over July. Sunrise moves from 6:43 AM to 6:48 AM, and sunset from 7:05 PM to 7:05 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:43 | 6:43 | 6:43 | 6:43 | 6:44 | 6:44 | 6:44 | 6:44 | 6:44 | 6:45 | 6:45 | 6:45 | 6:45 | 6:45 | 6:46 | 6:46 | 6:46 | 6:46 | 6:46 | 6:47 | 6:47 | 6:47 | 6:47 | 6:47 | 6:47 | 6:47 | 6:47 | 6:48 | 6:48 | 6:48 | 6:48 |
| Sunset (PM) | 7:05 | 7:05 | 7:05 | 7:05 | 7:05 | 7:05 | 7:05 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:05 | 7:05 | 7:05 | 7:05 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12.4 | 6:43 | 7:05 |
| 2 | 12.4 | 6:43 | 7:05 |
| 3 | 12.4 | 6:43 | 7:05 |
| 4 | 12.4 | 6:43 | 7:05 |
| 5 | 12.4 | 6:44 | 7:05 |
| 6 | 12.4 | 6:44 | 7:05 |
| 7 | 12.4 | 6:44 | 7:05 |
| 8 | 12.4 | 6:44 | 7:06 |
| 9 | 12.4 | 6:44 | 7:06 |
| 10 | 12.4 | 6:45 | 7:06 |
| 11 | 12.3 | 6:45 | 7:06 |
| 12 | 12.3 | 6:45 | 7:06 |
| 13 | 12.3 | 6:45 | 7:06 |
| 14 | 12.3 | 6:45 | 7:06 |
| 15 | 12.3 | 6:46 | 7:06 |
| 16 | 12.3 | 6:46 | 7:06 |
| 17 | 12.3 | 6:46 | 7:06 |
| 18 | 12.3 | 6:46 | 7:06 |
| 19 | 12.3 | 6:46 | 7:06 |
| 20 | 12.3 | 6:47 | 7:06 |
| 21 | 12.3 | 6:47 | 7:06 |
| 22 | 12.3 | 6:47 | 7:06 |
| 23 | 12.3 | 6:47 | 7:06 |
| 24 | 12.3 | 6:47 | 7:06 |
| 25 | 12.3 | 6:47 | 7:06 |
| 26 | 12.3 | 6:47 | 7:06 |
| 27 | 12.3 | 6:47 | 7:06 |
| 28 | 12.3 | 6:48 | 7:05 |
| 29 | 12.3 | 6:48 | 7:05 |
| 30 | 12.3 | 6:48 | 7:05 |
| 31 | 12.3 | 6:48 | 7:05 |
Solar energy in July
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in July, about 4.35 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 — July's 4.35 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4.2 | Bright |
| 2 | 4.2 | Bright |
| 3 | 4.2 | Bright |
| 4 | 4.2 | Bright |
| 5 | 4.2 | Bright |
| 6 | 4.2 | Bright |
| 7 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 8 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 9 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 10 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 11 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 12 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 13 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 14 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 15 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 16 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 17 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 18 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 19 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 20 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 21 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 22 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 23 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 24 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 25 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 26 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 27 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 28 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 29 | 4.5 | Bright |
| 30 | 4.5 | Bright |
| 31 | 4.5 | Bright |
Hazard calendar for Cotonou
In July, Cotonou sits inside its rainy season 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.
Is July a good time to visit Cotonou?
Our two travel scores rate July for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
July is a reasonable time to visit Cotonou for sightseeing.
What to pack for Cotonou in July
From July's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In July, Cotonou sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 25°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and a windbreaker. About 19 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Cotonou in July
The nearest coast averages about 26°C in July — 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 July
Clear-sky midday UV in July 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.
| 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 July
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where July 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. 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).