Gao weather in September

In September, Gao sees average daytime highs of 39°C and overnight lows near 27°C, with 16 mm of rain across 4.3 wet days and about 12.1 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 37°C in the first days to 39°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 64% of the time in September, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 18 min at the start of September to 11 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Gao's 10th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gao's year-round climate.

Daytime high
39°
5th warmest
Overnight low
27°
9th coldest
Rainfall
16 mm
4.3 wet days
Daylight
12 h 06 min
5:52 AM – 5:57 PM
Cloud cover
37%
10th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
6.54 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.9
out of 10

Temperature in September

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 37°C in the first days to 39°C by the end.

A typical September day in Gao reaches about 39°C in the afternoon and slips back to 27°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 35°C and 41°C. Set against its neighbours, September runs about 2°C warmer than August and on par with October.

20°25°30°35°40°45°151015202530
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13727
23727
33727
43827
53827
63827
73827
83827
93827
103827
113827
123827
133827
143927
153927
163927
173928
183928
193928
203928
213928
223928
233928
243928
253928
263928
273928
283928
293928
303928

How September really feels in Gao

Once humidity and wind are folded in, September averages 30 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
30
30 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

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

Gao weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-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 September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 64% of the time in September.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 18%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17327
27327
37426
47426
57624
67624
77624
87822
97822
107921
118119
128119
138218
148218
158317
168317
178515
188515
198515
208515
218614
228614
238614
248614
258713
268713
278713
288713
298713
308713

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Gao gets around 16 mm of rain over 4.3 wet days in September. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 15% and peaks near 26% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
126
225
325
424
523
622
721
820
919
1019
1118
1218
1317
1417
1516
1615
1715
1814
1913
2012
2111
2211
2310
249
258
268
277
286
296
305

Humidity in September

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, September lands in the muggy band about 29% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 46% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1241441363
2251541352
3261640332
4361840312
5371940302
6482039282
7492139261
8592239241
95102338221
106112438201
116122537191
127132636181
137142635161
148152734151
159162733151
1610172731141
1711182830131
1813192828121
1914202827110
2016212825100
211822282390
222023282280
232223272070
242424271870
252724261760
262925261550
273225251450
283425241240
293725241140
304024231030

Wind in September

Winds average 13 km/h in September.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202530
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3012light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min at the start of September to 11 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 24 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 5:50 AM to 5:53 AM, and sunset from 6:10 PM to 5:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.35:506:10
212.35:506:09
312.35:506:08
412.35:516:07
512.35:516:06
612.25:516:06
712.25:516:05
812.25:516:04
912.25:516:03
1012.25:516:02
1112.25:516:01
1212.25:516:01
1312.15:526:00
1412.15:525:59
1512.15:525:58
1612.15:525:57
1712.15:525:56
1812.15:525:56
1912.05:525:55
2012.05:525:54
2112.05:525:53
2212.05:525:52
2312.05:535:51
2412.05:535:51
2511.95:535:50
2611.95:535:49
2711.95:535:48
2811.95:535:47
2911.95:535:46
3011.95:535:46

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 6.54 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 — September's 6.54 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.6Intense
26.6Intense
36.6Intense
46.6Intense
56.6Intense
66.6Intense
76.6Intense
86.6Intense
96.6Intense
106.6Intense
116.6Intense
126.6Intense
136.6Intense
146.5Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.5Intense
226.5Intense
236.5Intense
246.5Intense
256.5Intense
266.5Intense
276.5Intense
286.4Intense
296.4Intense
306.4Intense
Planning a trip in September

Hazard calendar for Gao

In seasonPeak

In September, 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 September a good time to visit Gao?

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

0.9
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
3.9
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

September is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Gao.

What to pack for Gao in September

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

In September, Gao sees daytime highs around 39°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Gao in September

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks around 11 (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 September

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where September 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
September 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).