Porto-Novo in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Porto-Novo sees average daytime highs around 30°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 106 mm of rain over about 30 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels miserable.
Winter is Porto-Novo's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. Porto-Novo 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 Porto-Novo's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 30°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 25°C
- Rainfall
- 106 mm
- 30 wet days
- Avg wind
- 11 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.1
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Porto-Novo in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C.
A typical winter day in Porto-Novo reaches about 30°C and drops to 25°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Porto-Novo
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 90 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Porto-Novo weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) 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 | 30° / 25° | 29 | 8.4 | 11.7 | 5.5 |
| Feb | 30° / 26° | 40 | 11.1 | 11.8 | 4.6 |
| Mar | 31° / 26° | 73 | 17.5 | 12 | 3.9 |
| Apr | 30° / 26° | 98 | 19 | 12.1 | 3.7 |
| May | 30° / 25° | 171 | 24.9 | 12.3 | 3.3 |
| Jun | 28° / 25° | 229 | 26.2 | 12.4 | 3.5 |
| Jul | 27° / 24° | 140 | 21.4 | 12.3 | 4.5 |
| Aug | 27° / 24° | 98 | 16.3 | 12.2 | 5.3 |
| Sep | 28° / 24° | 144 | 22.3 | 12 | 4.3 |
| Oct | 29° / 24° | 155 | 25.4 | 11.9 | 3.6 |
| Nov | 30° / 25° | 75 | 18.7 | 11.7 | 4.1 |
| Dec | 30° / 25° | 37 | 10.5 | 11.6 | 5.3 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Porto-Novo gets around 106 mm of rain over 30 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels miserable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 11 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min in early December to 11 h 54 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 5.2 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Porto-Novo
In winter, Porto-Novo overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Porto-Novo sees seasonal dust haze (January–April), heaviest in February.
Is winter a good time to visit Porto-Novo?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a reasonable time to visit Porto-Novo for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Porto-Novo in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Porto-Novo sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 30 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Porto-Novo in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 28°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 14 km away) 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 Porto-Novo in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Porto-Novo peaks around April 10 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 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) | 8 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 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 | 8 | Very high |
| Feb | 10 | Very high |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 9 | Very high |
| Dec | 8 | Very high |
Air quality in Porto-Novo in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Porto-Novo is worst in January — around 102 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.2× the cleanest month (August, 25 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) | 102 | 86 | 47 | 44 | 33 | 30 | 27 | 25 | 29 | 39 | 46 | 89 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 102 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 86 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 47 | Poor |
| Apr | 44 | Poor |
| May | 33 | Moderate |
| Jun | 30 | Moderate |
| Jul | 27 | Moderate |
| Aug | 25 | Moderate |
| Sep | 29 | Moderate |
| Oct | 39 | Poor |
| Nov | 46 | Poor |
| Dec | 89 | Unhealthy |
Where is Porto-Novo?
Porto-Novo sits at 6.5°N, 2.6°E, 20 m above sea level, in Benin. The nearest listed city is Missérété, 7.0 km away.
Topography around Porto-Novo
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Porto-Novo.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Porto-Novo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 31 m around an average of 17 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 65 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 171 m.
The land around Porto-Novo is covered by artificial surfaces (73%) within 3 km, trees (36%) and wetland (21%) within 16 km, and trees (36%) and water (31%) 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 Porto-Novo (6.4965°, 2.6036°, elevation 20 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.