El ’Ayoûn in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), El ’Ayoûn sees average daytime highs around 33°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 2 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.
Over the season highs climb from about 34°C in early December to 36°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 53% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is El ’Ayoûn's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see El ’Ayoûn's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 33°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 20°C
- Rainfall
- 2 mm
- 0 wet days
- Avg wind
- 17 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.3
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in El ’Ayoûn in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 34°C in early December to 36°C by late February.
A typical winter day in El ’Ayoûn reaches about 33°C and drops to 20°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in El ’Ayoûn
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 70 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.
El ’Ayoûn 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 | 32° / 19° | 1 | 0.2 | 11.2 | 5.1 |
| Feb | 35° / 22° | 0 | 0.1 | 11.5 | 3.3 |
| Mar | 38° / 25° | 0 | 0.1 | 11.9 | 1.2 |
| Apr | 41° / 28° | 0 | 0.1 | 12.3 | 0.0 |
| May | 42° / 30° | 4 | 1.1 | 12.7 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 40° / 30° | 15 | 3.1 | 12.9 | 0.3 |
| Jul | 36° / 27° | 77 | 9.1 | 12.8 | 2.3 |
| Aug | 33° / 25° | 124 | 12.9 | 12.5 | 3.2 |
| Sep | 34° / 26° | 93 | 9.6 | 12.1 | 3.0 |
| Oct | 37° / 26° | 24 | 4.6 | 11.6 | 1.8 |
| Nov | 36° / 23° | 1 | 0.3 | 11.3 | 2.4 |
| Dec | 33° / 20° | 1 | 0.1 | 11.1 | 4.4 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 53% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
El ’Ayoûn gets around 2 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 42 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 5.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for El ’Ayoûn
In winter, El ’Ayoûn overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
El ’Ayoûn sees dust haze year-round, heaviest in June.
Is winter a good time to visit El ’Ayoûn?
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 El ’Ayoûn for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for El ’Ayoûn in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, El ’Ayoûn sees daytime highs around 33°C and nights near 20°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.
UV index in El ’Ayoûn in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in El ’Ayoûn peaks around March 22 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 5 (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) | 7 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Level | High | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | High |
| Feb | 10 | Very high |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 10 | Very high |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 10 | Very high |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 5 | High |
Air quality in El ’Ayoûn 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 El ’Ayoûn is worst in January — around 95 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.8× the cleanest month (August, 20 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) | 95 | 94 | 76 | 62 | 62 | 65 | 34 | 20 | 24 | 42 | 49 | 87 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 95 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 94 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 76 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 62 | Unhealthy |
| May | 62 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 65 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 34 | Moderate |
| Aug | 20 | Moderate |
| Sep | 24 | Moderate |
| Oct | 42 | Poor |
| Nov | 49 | Poor |
| Dec | 87 | Unhealthy |
Where is El ’Ayoûn?
El ’Ayoûn sits at 15.6°N, 11.2°W, 179 m above sea level, in Mauritania. The nearest listed city is Sélibaby, 116 km away.
Topography around El ’Ayoûn
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of El ’Ayoûn.
Within 3 km, the terrain around El ’Ayoûn has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 154 m around an average of 195 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 204 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 361 m.
The land around El ’Ayoûn is covered by grassland (91%) within 3 km, grassland (91%) within 16 km, and grassland (91%) within 80 km.
Mauritania travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 3
- Reconsider Travel
- Power plugs
- Type C / E / F
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 31% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $2,198
- 2025
- Happiness
- 4.5 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Homicide rate
- 1
- per 100k, 2020
- Road deaths
- 25.6
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- 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 El ’Ayoûn (15.5579°, -11.18°, elevation 179 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.