Gao weather in August

In August, Gao sees average daytime highs of 37°C and overnight lows near 27°C, with 56 mm of rain across 11.3 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 37°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 50% of the time in August, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 42 min at the start of August to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is Gao's 12th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gao's year-round climate.

Daytime high
37°
8th warmest
Overnight low
27°
8th coldest
Rainfall
56 mm
11.3 wet days
Daylight
12 h 36 min
5:48 AM – 6:21 PM
Cloud cover
46%
12th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.6 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.7
out of 10

Temperature in August

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 37°C through the month.

A typical August day in Gao reaches about 37°C in the afternoon and slips back to 27°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 33°C and 40°C. Set against its neighbours, August runs about 2°C cooler than July and about 2°C cooler than September.

20°25°30°35°40°45°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13727
23727
33727
43727
53727
63727
73727
83727
93727
103727
113727
123727
133727
143727
153727
163726
173726
183726
193726
203726
213726
223726
233727
243727
253727
263727
273727
283727
293727
303727
313727

How August really feels in Gao

Once humidity and wind are folded in, August averages 31 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
31
31 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in August is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Gao weather by month

How August compares with the rest of the year at a glance. August is the 8th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 16°00.111.16.3
Feb33° / 18°0011.54.3
Mar37° / 22°0011.91.8
Apr41° / 26°10.212.40.0
May42° / 29°20.812.70.0
Jun41° / 30°82.812.90.0
Jul39° / 28°31812.90.8
Aug37° / 27°5611.312.51.7
Sep39° / 27°164.312.10.9
Oct39° / 26°30.811.60.7
Nov36° / 21°0011.22.7
Dec32° / 17°00115.3

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 50% of the time in August, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 26%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27624
37624
47525
57426
67426
77327
87426
97426
107327
117327
127327
137327
147327
157327
167327
177426
187327
197327
207327
217426
227327
237327
247327
257327
267327
277327
287228
297327
307327
317327

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

Gao gets around 56 mm of rain over 11.3 wet days in August, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 35% and peaks near 38% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
136
236
336
436
537
637
737
838
938
1038
1138
1238
1338
1438
1538
1638
1737
1837
1936
2036
2135
2235
2334
2433
2532
2631
2731
2830
2929
3028
3127

Humidity in August

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of August feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, August lands in the oppressive band about 46% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 89% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
101941462
201841473
301841473
402740483
502740483
602740483
702640483
802640484
902640494
1002639484
1102639484
1212639484
1312639484
1412639484
1512639474
1612640474
1712740474
1812740464
1912740464
2012741464
2112841454
2212841454
2312840454
2412940453
2512940443
26121041443
27121041433
28131141423
29131241413
30131341393
31141341383

Wind in August

Winds average 15 km/h in August.

Across August, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 16 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
316light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in August

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 42 min at the start of August to 12 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 24 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 5:44 AM to 5:50 AM, and sunset from 6:28 PM to 6:10 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.75:446:28
212.75:446:28
312.75:456:27
412.75:456:27
512.75:456:27
612.75:456:26
712.75:466:26
812.75:466:25
912.65:466:25
1012.65:466:24
1112.65:476:24
1212.65:476:23
1312.65:476:23
1412.65:476:22
1512.65:486:21
1612.65:486:21
1712.55:486:20
1812.55:486:20
1912.55:486:19
2012.55:496:18
2112.55:496:18
2212.55:496:17
2312.55:496:16
2412.45:496:16
2512.45:496:15
2612.45:496:14
2712.45:506:13
2812.45:506:13
2912.45:506:12
3012.45:506:11
3112.35:506:10

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 6.6 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.33 kWh/m² to a high of 7.3 kWh/m² in April across the year — August's 6.6 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.7Intense
26.7Intense
36.7Intense
46.7Intense
56.7Intense
66.7Intense
76.7Intense
86.7Intense
96.6Intense
106.6Intense
116.6Intense
126.6Intense
136.6Intense
146.6Intense
156.6Intense
166.6Intense
176.6Intense
186.6Intense
196.6Intense
206.6Intense
216.6Intense
226.6Intense
236.6Intense
246.6Intense
256.6Intense
266.6Intense
276.6Intense
286.6Intense
296.6Intense
306.6Intense
316.6Intense
Planning a trip in August

Hazard calendar for Gao

In seasonPeak

In August, Gao sits inside its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Gao sees dust haze year-round, heaviest in June.

Dust
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is August a good time to visit Gao?

Our two travel scores rate August for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

1.7
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
4.4
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

August is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Gao.

What to pack for Gao in August

From August's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In August, Gao sees daytime highs around 37°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

UV index in Gao in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Gao peaks around August 19 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 7 (very high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highExtremeVery highAug 19UV 13Dec 18UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb10Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug13Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov8Very high
Dec7Very high

Air quality in Gao in August

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where August falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Gao is worst in February — around 101 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.7× the cleanest month (September, 37 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorUnhealthyFeb 12101 µg/m³Sep 1238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan98Unhealthy
Feb101Unhealthy
Mar94Unhealthy
Apr74Unhealthy
May77Unhealthy
Jun77Unhealthy
Jul60Unhealthy
Aug41Poor
Sep37Poor
Oct48Poor
Nov58Unhealthy
Dec88Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Gao?

Gao sits at 16.3°N, 0.0°W, 257 m above sea level, in Mali. The nearest listed city is Bourem, 83 km away.

AyorouAribindaMéhanaDoriTéraTillabéri

Topography around Gao

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Gao.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Gao has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 13 m around an average of 251 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 65 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 149 m.

The land around Gao is covered by artificial surfaces (38%) within 3 km, grassland (65%) within 16 km, and grassland (60%) and bare terrain (36%) within 80 km.

3 km
13 m
16 km
65 m
80 km
149 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
August weather nearby: Bourem 83 km · I-n-Tillit 92 km · Ayorou 200 km · Aribinda 244 km · Méhana 244 km · Dori 249 km · Téra 266 km · Tillabéri 280 km

Mali travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type C / E
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 34% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,193
2025
Happiness
4.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Road deaths
22.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 408
Religion
Muslim 94%Christian 3%none 3%animist 1%

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 Gao (16.2717°, -0.0447°, elevation 257 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. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).