Yaoundé in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Yaoundé sees average daytime highs around 29°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 147 mm of rain over about 30 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 28°C in early December to 31°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels muggy.
Winter is Yaoundé's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Yaoundé's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 29°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 20°C
- Rainfall
- 147 mm
- 30 wet days
- Avg wind
- 7 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.1
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Yaoundé in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 28°C in early December to 31°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Yaoundé reaches about 29°C and drops to 20°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
How winter really feels in Yaoundé
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 25 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.
Yaoundé 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° / 20° | 40 | 8.5 | 11.8 | 5.3 |
| Feb | 31° / 21° | 54 | 10.3 | 11.9 | 4.4 |
| Mar | 30° / 21° | 128 | 20.2 | 12 | 3.6 |
| Apr | 29° / 21° | 170 | 23.8 | 12.1 | 3.4 |
| May | 29° / 21° | 172 | 25.6 | 12.2 | 3.6 |
| Jun | 27° / 20° | 151 | 24.1 | 12.2 | 4.1 |
| Jul | 26° / 20° | 120 | 22.3 | 12.2 | 4.5 |
| Aug | 26° / 20° | 121 | 22.7 | 12.1 | 4.4 |
| Sep | 27° / 20° | 184 | 26.6 | 12 | 3.7 |
| Oct | 27° / 20° | 244 | 29.1 | 11.9 | 3.5 |
| Nov | 28° / 20° | 173 | 22.4 | 11.8 | 4.3 |
| Dec | 28° / 20° | 54 | 11 | 11.8 | 5.5 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Yaoundé gets around 147 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 muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 7 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 48 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 4.9 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Yaoundé
In winter, Yaoundé overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Yaoundé sees seasonal dust haze (February–March), heaviest in March.
Is winter a good time to visit Yaoundé?
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 Yaoundé for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Yaoundé in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Yaoundé sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 20°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 30 days see rain.
UV index in Yaoundé 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 Yaoundé peaks around March 22 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 10 (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 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 10 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Extreme |
| Feb | 12 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 10 | Very high |
Air quality in Yaoundé 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 Yaoundé is worst in February — around 63 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 5.3× the cleanest month (September, 12 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) | 50 | 63 | 39 | 30 | 21 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 17 | 24 | 40 |
| Level | Poor | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Poor |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50 | Poor |
| Feb | 63 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 39 | Poor |
| Apr | 30 | Moderate |
| May | 21 | Moderate |
| Jun | 18 | Moderate |
| Jul | 16 | Moderate |
| Aug | 14 | Moderate |
| Sep | 12 | Good |
| Oct | 17 | Moderate |
| Nov | 24 | Moderate |
| Dec | 40 | Poor |
Where is Yaoundé?
Yaoundé sits at 3.9°N, 11.5°E, 726 m above sea level, in Cameroon. The nearest listed city is Okoa, 16 km away.
Topography around Yaoundé
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Yaoundé.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Yaoundé has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 113 m around an average of 734 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 594 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,054 m.
The land around Yaoundé is covered by artificial surfaces (88%) within 3 km, trees (57%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 16 km, and trees (89%) within 80 km.
Cameroon 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
- $1,972
- 2025
- Happiness
- 5.1 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Homicide rate
- 6.8
- per 100k, 2022
- Road deaths
- 30.2
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- Very low
- EF EPI 445
- 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 Yaoundé (3.8667°, 11.5167°, elevation 726 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.