Timbuktu in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Timbuktu sees average daytime highs around 30°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 1 mm of rain over about 0 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 58% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Timbuktu's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Timbuktu's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 30°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 16°C
- Rainfall
- 1 mm
- 0 wet days
- Avg wind
- 17 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.7
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Timbuktu in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C.
A typical winter day in Timbuktu reaches about 30°C and drops to 16°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Timbuktu
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 9 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Timbuktu weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) 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 Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 58% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Timbuktu gets around 1 mm of rain over 0 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 17 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 06 min in early December to 11 h 36 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 5.6 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Timbuktu
In winter, 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 winter a good time to visit Timbuktu?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a reasonable time to visit Timbuktu for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Timbuktu in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Timbuktu sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 16°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.
UV index in Timbuktu in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 8 (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 Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter 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.