Timbuktu weather in September

In September, Timbuktu sees average daytime highs of 38°C and overnight lows near 27°C, with 16 mm of rain across 3.7 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 68% 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 Timbuktu's 8th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Timbuktu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
5th warmest
Overnight low
27°
9th coldest
Rainfall
16 mm
3.7 wet days
Daylight
12 h 06 min
6:04 AM – 6:09 PM
Cloud cover
34%
8th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
6.65 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.3
out of 10

Timbuktu is city in Mali.

Founded
~450 BCE

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

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 Timbuktu reaches about 38°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 1°C warmer than August and on par with October.

25°30°35°40°45°151015202530
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13727
23727
33727
43727
53727
63727
73727
83727
93827
103827
113827
123827
133827
143827
153827
163827
173827
183827
193827
203827
213827
223827
233827
243827
253927
263927
273927
283927
293927
303927

How September really feels in Timbuktu

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
20 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.

Timbuktu 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
Jan28° / 15°10.111.17.8
Feb31° / 17°0011.45.7
Mar35° / 21°00.111.93.1
Apr39° / 25°00.112.40.6
May41° / 28°20.612.80.0
Jun41° / 30°52.2130.0
Jul38° / 28°255.512.91.0
Aug37° / 27°478.812.61.9
Sep38° / 27°163.712.11.3
Oct38° / 25°30.911.61.5
Nov34° / 20°0011.23.9
Dec30° / 16°00116.7

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 68% of the time in September.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% 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 (%)
17624
27624
37723
47723
57822
67921
77921
88020
98119
108119
118119
128218
138218
148218
158317
168317
178317
188317
198416
208416
218416
228416
238515
248614
258614
268614
278614
288614
298614
308614

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Timbuktu gets around 16 mm of rain over 3.7 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 13% and peaks near 21% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
121
220
319
418
517
616
716
815
915
1014
1114
1214
1314
1413
1513
1613
1713
1813
1912
2012
2111
2211
2310
2410
259
269
278
288
297
307

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 31% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 51% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1141137443
2241237413
3251338393
4261438373
5271538343
6381639323
7391639303
84101739272
94111839252
105121939232
116132038222
126132139201
137142138191
148142237171
1510152236161
1611152335151
1712162334141
1814162432130
1916172431120
2018172429110
2120182428100
2222182426100
232418242490
242718242380
253018232170
263319222060
273619211860
283919201750
294119191640
304419181540

Wind in September

Winds average 13 km/h in September, the calmest month.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202530
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light 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
3013light 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 6:02 AM to 6:05 AM, and sunset from 6:22 PM to 5:57 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.36:026:22
212.36:026:21
312.36:026:20
412.36:026:19
512.36:026:18
612.36:026:18
712.26:036:17
812.26:036:16
912.26:036:15
1012.26:036:14
1112.26:036:13
1212.26:036:13
1312.16:036:12
1412.16:036:11
1512.16:036:10
1612.16:046:09
1712.16:046:08
1812.16:046:07
1912.06:046:07
2012.06:046:06
2112.06:046:05
2212.06:046:04
2312.06:046:03
2412.06:056:02
2511.96:056:01
2611.96:056:01
2711.96:056:00
2811.96:055:59
2911.96:055:58
3011.96:055:57

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 6.65 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.23 kWh/m² to a high of 7.35 kWh/m² in April across the year — September's 6.65 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.7Intense
26.7Intense
36.7Intense
46.7Intense
56.7Intense
66.7Intense
76.7Intense
86.7Intense
96.7Intense
106.7Intense
116.7Intense
126.7Intense
136.7Intense
146.7Intense
156.7Intense
166.6Intense
176.6Intense
186.6Intense
196.6Intense
206.6Intense
216.6Intense
226.6Intense
236.6Intense
246.6Intense
256.6Intense
266.5Intense
276.5Intense
286.5Intense
296.5Intense
306.5Intense
Planning a trip in September

Hazard calendar for Timbuktu

In seasonPeak

In September, Timbuktu sits inside 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.

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

Is September a good time to visit Timbuktu?

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

1.3
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
4.4
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

September is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Timbuktu.

What to pack for Timbuktu in September

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

In September, Timbuktu sees daytime highs around 38°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Timbuktu in September

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks around 12 (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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highMar 20UV 13Dec 18UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb10Very high
Mar13Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov8Very high
Dec7High

Air quality in Timbuktu 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 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).

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorModeratePoorUnhealthyFeb 1191 µg/m³Aug 2126 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan89Unhealthy
Feb92Unhealthy
Mar84Unhealthy
Apr65Unhealthy
May67Unhealthy
Jun57Unhealthy
Jul36Poor
Aug25Moderate
Sep27Moderate
Oct50Poor
Nov52Poor
Dec78Unhealthy
Location & terrain

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.

DouentzaBandiagaraBouremMoptiKoroI-n-Tillit

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.

3 km
19 m
16 km
21 m
80 km
294 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
September weather nearby: Diré 71 km · Goundam 81 km · Douentza 197 km · Bandiagara 277 km · Bourem 284 km · Mopti 284 km · Koro 301 km · I-n-Tillit 304 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 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. 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).