Timbuktu in Fall
In fall (September, October and November), Timbuktu sees average daytime highs around 37°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 19 mm of rain over about 5 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 2nd-wettest season.
Over the season highs ease from about 37°C in early September to 32°C by late November. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 65% of the time across fall, and the air most often feels dry.
Fall is Timbuktu's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Timbuktu's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 37°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 24°C
- Rainfall
- 19 mm
- 5 wet days
- Avg wind
- 14 km/h
- Travel score
- 2.2
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Sep · Oct · Nov
Temperature in Timbuktu in Fall
Over the season highs ease from about 37°C in early September to 32°C by late November.
A typical fall day in Timbuktu reaches about 37°C and drops to 24°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is September, the coolest November.
How fall really feels in Timbuktu
Once humidity and wind are folded in, fall brings about 89 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in fall is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Timbuktu weather by month
How the three fall months (September, October and November) 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 | 28° / 15° | 1 | 0.1 | 11.1 | 7.8 |
| Feb | 31° / 17° | 0 | 0 | 11.4 | 5.7 |
| Mar | 35° / 21° | 0 | 0.1 | 11.9 | 3.1 |
| Apr | 39° / 25° | 0 | 0.1 | 12.4 | 0.6 |
| May | 41° / 28° | 2 | 0.6 | 12.8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 41° / 30° | 5 | 2.2 | 13 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 38° / 28° | 25 | 5.5 | 12.9 | 1.0 |
| Aug | 37° / 27° | 47 | 8.8 | 12.6 | 1.9 |
| Sep | 38° / 27° | 16 | 3.7 | 12.1 | 1.3 |
| Oct | 38° / 25° | 3 | 0.9 | 11.6 | 1.5 |
| Nov | 34° / 20° | 0 | 0 | 11.2 | 3.9 |
| Dec | 30° / 16° | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6.7 |
Cloud cover in Fall
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 65% of the time across fall.
Chance of precipitation in Fall
Timbuktu gets around 19 mm of rain over 5 wet days across fall. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Fall
Most of fall feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Fall
Winds average 14 km/h across fall.
Sunrise & sunset in Fall
Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min in early September to 11 h 06 min by late November. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Fall
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across fall, about 6.2 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Timbuktu
In fall, Timbuktu overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Timbuktu sees dust haze year-round, heaviest in June.
Is fall a good time to visit Timbuktu?
Our two travel scores rate fall for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
fall is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Timbuktu.
What to pack for Timbuktu in Fall
From fall's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In fall, Timbuktu sees daytime highs around 37°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 5 days see rain.
UV index in Timbuktu in Fall
Clear-sky midday UV across fall 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 Timbuktu peaks around March 20 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 8 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 7 |
| Level | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Very high |
| Feb | 10 | Very high |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 10 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 7 | High |
Air quality in Timbuktu in Fall
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where fall falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Timbuktu is worst in February — around 92 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.6× the cleanest month (August, 25 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) | 89 | 92 | 84 | 65 | 67 | 57 | 36 | 25 | 27 | 50 | 52 | 78 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 89 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 92 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 84 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 65 | Unhealthy |
| May | 67 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 57 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 36 | Poor |
| Aug | 25 | Moderate |
| Sep | 27 | Moderate |
| Oct | 50 | Poor |
| Nov | 52 | Poor |
| Dec | 78 | Unhealthy |
Where is Timbuktu?
Timbuktu sits at 16.8°N, 3.0°W, 274 m above sea level, in Mali. The nearest listed city is Diré, 71 km away.
Topography around Timbuktu
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Timbuktu.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Timbuktu has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 19 m around an average of 263 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 21 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 294 m.
The land around Timbuktu is covered by bare terrain (78%) within 3 km, bare terrain (45%) and grassland (42%) within 16 km, and grassland (52%) and bare terrain (42%) within 80 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
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 Timbuktu (16.7735°, -3.0074°, elevation 274 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.