Mindelo in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Mindelo sees average daytime highs around 21°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 15 mm of rain over about 3 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs ease from about 23°C in early December to 20°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 51% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels humid.
Winter is Mindelo's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. Mindelo 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 Mindelo's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 21°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 20°C
- Rainfall
- 15 mm
- 3 wet days
- Avg wind
- 30 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.1
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Mindelo in Winter
Over the season highs ease from about 23°C in early December to 20°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Mindelo reaches about 21°C and drops to 20°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
Mindelo 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 | 21° / 20° | 5 | 1.1 | 11.1 | 8.0 |
| Feb | 20° / 19° | 3 | 0.9 | 11.4 | 8.0 |
| Mar | 20° / 19° | 1 | 0.3 | 11.9 | 8.2 |
| Apr | 21° / 20° | 1 | 0.2 | 12.4 | 8.2 |
| May | 21° / 21° | 1 | 0.1 | 12.8 | 8.5 |
| Jun | 22° / 21° | 0 | 0.2 | 13 | 8.6 |
| Jul | 23° / 22° | 4 | 0.9 | 12.9 | 8.5 |
| Aug | 24° / 24° | 19 | 3.6 | 12.6 | 8.2 |
| Sep | 25° / 24° | 38 | 4.9 | 12.1 | 7.9 |
| Oct | 25° / 24° | 20 | 1.8 | 11.6 | 8.4 |
| Nov | 24° / 23° | 7 | 1.1 | 11.2 | 8.4 |
| Dec | 22° / 21° | 6 | 1.4 | 11 | 8.2 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 51% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Mindelo gets around 15 mm of rain over 3 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 30 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 06 min in early December to 11 h 36 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 5.0 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Mindelo
None of Mindelo's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Mindelo sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
Mindelo sees seasonal dust haze (May–October), heaviest in June.
Is winter a good time to visit Mindelo?
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 one of the better times to visit Mindelo for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Mindelo in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Mindelo sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 20°C. Pack a windbreaker. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection.
Sea temperature near Mindelo in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 23°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in September at about 27°C and coldest in February near 22°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) | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 24 |
| Comfort | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23 | Refreshing |
| Feb | 22 | Refreshing |
| Mar | 22 | Refreshing |
| Apr | 23 | Refreshing |
| May | 23 | Refreshing |
| Jun | 24 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 25 | Warm |
| Aug | 26 | Warm |
| Sep | 27 | Warm |
| Oct | 27 | Warm |
| Nov | 26 | Warm |
| Dec | 24 | Warm |
UV index in Mindelo in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mindelo peaks around May 18 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 6 (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) | 7 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Very high |
| Feb | 10 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 10 | Very high |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 10 | Very high |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 6 | High |
Air quality in Mindelo 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 Mindelo is worst in December — around 56 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.9× the cleanest month (May, 11 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) | 53 | 39 | 23 | 13 | 11 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 56 |
| Level | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53 | Poor |
| Feb | 39 | Poor |
| Mar | 23 | Moderate |
| Apr | 13 | Moderate |
| May | 11 | Good |
| Jun | 23 | Moderate |
| Jul | 26 | Moderate |
| Aug | 26 | Moderate |
| Sep | 23 | Moderate |
| Oct | 25 | Moderate |
| Nov | 25 | Moderate |
| Dec | 56 | Unhealthy |
Where is Mindelo?
Mindelo sits at 16.9°N, 25.0°W, 44 m above sea level, in Cabo Verde. The nearest listed city is Espargos, 217 km away.
Topography around Mindelo
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mindelo.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Mindelo has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 273 m around an average of 55 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 704 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,966 m.
The land around Mindelo is covered by bare terrain (47%), water (26%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 3 km, water (73%) and bare terrain (23%) within 16 km, and water (90%) within 80 km.
Cabo Verde travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type C / F
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 48% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $5,796
- 2025
- Homicide rate
- 7
- per 100k, 2020
- Road deaths
- 26.8
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- 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 Mindelo (16.8901°, -24.9804°, elevation 44 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.