Zé in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Zé sees average daytime highs around 33°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 93 mm of rain over about 25 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 33°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is Zé's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Zé's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 33°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 24°C
- Rainfall
- 93 mm
- 25 wet days
- Avg wind
- 8 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.9
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Zé in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 33°C.
A typical winter day in Zé reaches about 33°C and drops to 24°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
How winter really feels in Zé
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.
Zé 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 | 32° / 24° | 24 | 7.4 | 11.6 | 4.1 |
| Feb | 33° / 25° | 40 | 9.8 | 11.8 | 3.3 |
| Mar | 33° / 25° | 75 | 17.5 | 12 | 2.9 |
| Apr | 32° / 25° | 103 | 19 | 12.1 | 3.0 |
| May | 31° / 24° | 164 | 25.4 | 12.3 | 2.8 |
| Jun | 29° / 24° | 188 | 26.5 | 12.4 | 3.1 |
| Jul | 29° / 23° | 136 | 24 | 12.4 | 3.7 |
| Aug | 28° / 23° | 120 | 21.2 | 12.2 | 4.1 |
| Sep | 29° / 23° | 158 | 24.9 | 12 | 3.3 |
| Oct | 30° / 24° | 160 | 26.2 | 11.8 | 3.0 |
| Nov | 32° / 24° | 71 | 17.5 | 11.7 | 3.5 |
| Dec | 32° / 24° | 29 | 8.1 | 11.6 | 4.3 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Zé gets around 93 mm of rain over 25 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 8 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 5.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Zé
In winter, Zé overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Zé sees seasonal dust haze (January–April), heaviest in February.
Is winter a good time to visit Zé?
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 weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Zé. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Zé in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Zé sees daytime highs around 33°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 25 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Zé 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 46 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 Zé in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Zé peaks around March 24 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 | 9 | 13 | 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 | 9 | Very high |
| Feb | 9 | Very high |
| Mar | 13 | 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 Zé 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 Zé 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 Zé?
Zé sits at 6.8°N, 2.3°E, 39 m above sea level, in Benin. The nearest listed city is Zinvié, 20 km away.
Topography around Zé
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Zé.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Zé has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 98 m around an average of 74 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 174 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 268 m.
The land around Zé is covered by trees (91%) within 3 km, trees (69%) within 16 km, and trees (41%) 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 Zé (6.7833°, 2.3°, elevation 39 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.