Bissau in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Bissau sees average daytime highs around 34°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 3 mm of rain over about 1 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 34°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Bissau's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Bissau's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 34°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 21°C
- Rainfall
- 3 mm
- 1 wet days
- Avg wind
- 10 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.1
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Bissau in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 34°C.
A typical winter day in Bissau reaches about 34°C and drops to 21°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Bissau
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.
Bissau 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 | 33° / 21° | 0 | 0.1 | 11.4 | 4.4 |
| Feb | 34° / 22° | 1 | 0.1 | 11.6 | 3.6 |
| Mar | 35° / 23° | 0 | 0 | 11.9 | 3.3 |
| Apr | 35° / 24° | 0 | 0 | 12.3 | 3.6 |
| May | 33° / 25° | 6 | 1.3 | 12.5 | 4.1 |
| Jun | 32° / 26° | 87 | 12 | 12.7 | 3.8 |
| Jul | 30° / 25° | 352 | 27.8 | 12.6 | 3.0 |
| Aug | 29° / 25° | 452 | 29.3 | 12.4 | 2.9 |
| Sep | 30° / 25° | 307 | 27.7 | 12.1 | 2.8 |
| Oct | 31° / 25° | 142 | 22 | 11.7 | 3.2 |
| Nov | 33° / 24° | 23 | 4.6 | 11.5 | 4.2 |
| Dec | 33° / 22° | 2 | 0.3 | 11.3 | 4.4 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Bissau gets around 3 mm of rain over 1 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 24 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 5.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Bissau
In winter, Bissau overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Bissau sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
Bissau's monsoon runs July–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Bissau sees seasonal dust haze (February–June), heaviest in June.
Is winter a good time to visit Bissau?
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 Bissau for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Bissau in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Bissau sees daytime highs around 34°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.
Sea temperature near Bissau in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 26°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 27 km away) is warmest in November at about 29°C and coldest in February 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) | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 27 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25 | Warm |
| Feb | 25 | Warm |
| Mar | 26 | Warm |
| Apr | 27 | Warm |
| May | 28 | Warm |
| Jun | 28 | Tropical |
| Jul | 28 | Tropical |
| Aug | 28 | Warm |
| Sep | 28 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 27 | Warm |
UV index in Bissau 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 Bissau peaks around August 18 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 7 (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 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 7 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Very high |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 11 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 9 | Very high |
| Dec | 7 | Very high |
Air quality in Bissau 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 Bissau is worst in February — around 86 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 5.5× 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) | 63 | 86 | 76 | 51 | 53 | 50 | 24 | 16 | 18 | 35 | 45 | 58 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 86 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 76 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 51 | Poor |
| May | 53 | Poor |
| Jun | 50 | Poor |
| Jul | 24 | Moderate |
| Aug | 16 | Moderate |
| Sep | 18 | Moderate |
| Oct | 35 | Moderate |
| Nov | 45 | Poor |
| Dec | 58 | Unhealthy |
Where is Bissau?
Bissau sits at 11.9°N, 15.6°W, 13 m above sea level, in Guinea-Bissau. The nearest listed city is Sintra-Nema, 0.0 km away.
Topography around Bissau
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Bissau.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Bissau has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 43 m around an average of 14 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 48 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 61 m.
The land around Bissau is covered by artificial surfaces (63%) within 3 km, water (43%) within 16 km, and trees (41%) and water (32%) within 80 km.
Guinea-Bissau travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 3
- Reconsider Travel
- Power plugs
- Type C / E / F
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 34% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $1,124
- 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 24%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 1.1
- per 100k, 2017
- Road deaths
- 32.2
- 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 Bissau (11.8636°, -15.5977°, elevation 13 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.