Timbuktu in Spring
In spring (March, April and May), Timbuktu sees average daytime highs around 38°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 2 mm of rain over about 1 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs climb from about 33°C in early March to 41°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 66% of the time across spring, and the air most often feels dry.
Spring is Timbuktu's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Timbuktu's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 38°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 25°C
- Rainfall
- 2 mm
- 1 wet days
- Avg wind
- 15 km/h
- Travel score
- 1.2
- 3rd-best season
- Months
- Mar · Apr · May
Temperature in Timbuktu in Spring
Over the season highs climb from about 33°C in early March to 41°C by late May.
A typical spring day in Timbuktu reaches about 38°C and drops to 25°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is May, the coolest March.
How spring really feels in Timbuktu
Once humidity and wind are folded in, spring brings about 92 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in spring is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Timbuktu weather by month
How the three spring months (March, April and May) 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 Spring
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 66% of the time across spring.
Chance of precipitation in Spring
Timbuktu gets around 2 mm of rain over 1 wet days across spring. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Spring
Most of spring feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Spring
Winds average 15 km/h across spring.
Sunrise & sunset in Spring
Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min in early March to 12 h 54 min by late May. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Spring
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across spring, about 7.2 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Timbuktu
In spring, 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 spring a good time to visit Timbuktu?
Our two travel scores rate spring for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
spring is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Timbuktu.
What to pack for Timbuktu in Spring
From spring's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In spring, Timbuktu sees daytime highs around 38°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.
UV index in Timbuktu in Spring
Clear-sky midday UV across spring averages 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.
| 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 Spring
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where spring 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.