Zou in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Zou sees average daytime highs around 32°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 73 mm of rain over about 16 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 30°C in early December to 33°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is Zou's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Zou's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 32°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 22°C
- Rainfall
- 73 mm
- 16 wet days
- Avg wind
- 6 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.4
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Zou in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 30°C in early December to 33°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Zou reaches about 32°C and drops to 22°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
How winter really feels in Zou
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.
Zou 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° / 21° | 16 | 4 | 11.6 | 4.4 |
| Feb | 33° / 23° | 41 | 7.4 | 11.8 | 3.4 |
| Mar | 33° / 23° | 83 | 15.5 | 12 | 3.1 |
| Apr | 32° / 23° | 97 | 17.9 | 12.1 | 3.1 |
| May | 31° / 23° | 137 | 21.7 | 12.3 | 3.1 |
| Jun | 29° / 22° | 145 | 23.8 | 12.4 | 3.4 |
| Jul | 28° / 22° | 131 | 23.4 | 12.4 | 4.0 |
| Aug | 28° / 22° | 185 | 25 | 12.2 | 3.9 |
| Sep | 29° / 22° | 209 | 26.8 | 12 | 3.2 |
| Oct | 30° / 22° | 129 | 23.6 | 11.8 | 3.5 |
| Nov | 30° / 22° | 49 | 13.3 | 11.7 | 4.4 |
| Dec | 31° / 21° | 16 | 4.3 | 11.6 | 5.3 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Zou gets around 73 mm of rain over 16 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 6 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min in early December to 11 h 48 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 5.1 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Zou
In winter, Zou overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Zou's rainy season runs April–October, when most of the year's rain falls.
Zou sees seasonal dust haze (April), heaviest in April.
Is winter a good time to visit Zou?
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 Zou for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Zou in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Zou sees daytime highs around 32°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 16 days see rain.
UV index in Zou 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 Zou peaks around April 12 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 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 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 8 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Very high |
| Feb | 12 | Extreme |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 10 | Very high |
| Dec | 8 | Very high |
Air quality in Zou 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 Zou is worst in February — around 51 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 4.8× the cleanest month (September, 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) | 49 | 51 | 33 | 34 | 19 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 22 | 42 |
| Level | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Poor |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49 | Poor |
| Feb | 51 | Poor |
| Mar | 33 | Moderate |
| Apr | 34 | Moderate |
| May | 19 | Moderate |
| Jun | 16 | Moderate |
| Jul | 14 | Moderate |
| Aug | 11 | Good |
| Sep | 11 | Good |
| Oct | 15 | Moderate |
| Nov | 22 | Moderate |
| Dec | 42 | Poor |
Where is Zou?
Zou sits at 7.0°N, 7.8°W, 288 m above sea level, in Ivory Coast. The nearest listed city is Kahin, 20 km away.
Topography around Zou
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Zou.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Zou has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 91 m around an average of 284 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 484 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,158 m.
The land around Zou is covered by trees (83%) within 3 km, trees (91%) within 16 km, and trees (94%) within 80 km.
Ivory Coast travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type C / E
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 37% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $3,050
- 2025
- Happiness
- 5.1 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 36%
- of population, 2024
- Road deaths
- 24.1
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- Very low
- EF EPI 393
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 Zou (6.9765°, -7.7983°, elevation 288 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.