Ouagadougou in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Ouagadougou sees average daytime highs around 33°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 1 mm of rain over about 0 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 34°C in early December to 36°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 67% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Ouagadougou's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Ouagadougou's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 33°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 19°C
- Rainfall
- 1 mm
- 0 wet days
- Avg wind
- 10 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.5
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Ouagadougou in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 34°C in early December to 36°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Ouagadougou reaches about 33°C and drops to 19°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Ouagadougou
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 64 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.
Ouagadougou 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° / 18° | 0 | 0.1 | 11.4 | 5.4 |
| Feb | 35° / 21° | 1 | 0.2 | 11.6 | 3.4 |
| Mar | 38° / 25° | 2 | 0.7 | 11.9 | 1.4 |
| Apr | 38° / 27° | 12 | 3 | 12.3 | 0.9 |
| May | 37° / 27° | 26 | 6.4 | 12.6 | 1.6 |
| Jun | 34° / 25° | 52 | 10 | 12.7 | 3.0 |
| Jul | 31° / 24° | 122 | 17.7 | 12.7 | 3.5 |
| Aug | 30° / 23° | 199 | 22.3 | 12.4 | 3.4 |
| Sep | 31° / 23° | 108 | 14.8 | 12.1 | 3.7 |
| Oct | 34° / 24° | 33 | 6.1 | 11.7 | 3.3 |
| Nov | 35° / 21° | 1 | 0.3 | 11.4 | 3.2 |
| Dec | 33° / 18° | 0 | 0 | 11.3 | 4.8 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 67% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Ouagadougou gets around 1 mm of rain over 0 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 10 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 18 min in early December to 11 h 42 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 6.0 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Ouagadougou
In winter, Ouagadougou overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Ouagadougou's monsoon runs July–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Ouagadougou sees seasonal dust haze (February–June), heaviest in March.
Is winter a good time to visit Ouagadougou?
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 Ouagadougou for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Ouagadougou in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Ouagadougou sees daytime highs around 33°C and nights near 19°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.
UV index in Ouagadougou in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages 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 Ouagadougou peaks around March 16 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 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) | 10 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 8 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Very high |
| Feb | 12 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 11 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 9 | Very high |
| Dec | 8 | Very high |
Air quality in Ouagadougou 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 Ouagadougou is worst in February — around 78 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 5.0× the cleanest month (August, 16 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) | 66 | 78 | 74 | 54 | 29 | 23 | 17 | 16 | 22 | 35 | 52 | 59 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 66 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 78 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 74 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 54 | Poor |
| May | 29 | Moderate |
| Jun | 23 | Moderate |
| Jul | 17 | Moderate |
| Aug | 16 | Moderate |
| Sep | 22 | Moderate |
| Oct | 35 | Moderate |
| Nov | 52 | Poor |
| Dec | 59 | Unhealthy |
Where is Ouagadougou?
Ouagadougou sits at 12.4°N, 1.5°W, 299 m above sea level, in Burkina Faso. The nearest listed city is Nioko I, 11 km away.
Topography around Ouagadougou
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Ouagadougou.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Ouagadougou has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 33 m around an average of 300 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 88 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 250 m.
The land around Ouagadougou is covered by artificial surfaces (78%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (44%) and grassland (22%) within 16 km, and cropland (40%), grassland (33%) and shrubs (23%) within 80 km.
Burkina Faso travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 4
- Do Not Travel
- Power plugs
- Type C / E
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 37% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $1,148
- 2025
- Happiness
- 4.5 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Homicide rate
- 1.3
- per 100k, 2017
- Road deaths
- 31
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Low
- World Bank
- 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 Ouagadougou (12.3657°, -1.5339°, elevation 299 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.