Nouadhibou in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Nouadhibou sees average daytime highs around 21°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 5 mm of rain over about 1 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the 2nd-wettest season.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 21°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 67% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Nouadhibou's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Nouadhibou's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 21°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 17°C
- Rainfall
- 5 mm
- 1 wet days
- Avg wind
- 22 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.5
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Nouadhibou in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 21°C.
A typical winter day in Nouadhibou reaches about 21°C and drops to 17°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
Nouadhibou 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 | 21° / 16° | 3 | 0.5 | 10.9 | 8.5 |
| Feb | 21° / 17° | 1 | 0.3 | 11.3 | 8.6 |
| Mar | 22° / 17° | 2 | 0.2 | 11.9 | 8.9 |
| Apr | 22° / 18° | 0 | 0.1 | 12.5 | 8.8 |
| May | 22° / 18° | 0 | 0.1 | 13 | 9.1 |
| Jun | 24° / 19° | 0 | 0 | 13.2 | 9.6 |
| Jul | 24° / 21° | 0 | 0 | 13.1 | 9.7 |
| Aug | 26° / 22° | 2 | 0.2 | 12.7 | 9.2 |
| Sep | 27° / 23° | 2 | 0.5 | 12.1 | 8.8 |
| Oct | 25° / 21° | 4 | 0.5 | 11.5 | 8.9 |
| Nov | 23° / 19° | 1 | 0.2 | 11 | 8.9 |
| Dec | 22° / 17° | 1 | 0.2 | 10.8 | 8.5 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 67% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Nouadhibou gets around 5 mm of rain over 1 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 22 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 48 min in early December to 11 h 30 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 5.0 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Nouadhibou
In winter, Nouadhibou overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Nouadhibou sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
Nouadhibou sees seasonal dust haze (May–October), heaviest in July.
Is winter a good time to visit Nouadhibou?
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 one of the better times to visit Nouadhibou for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Nouadhibou in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Nouadhibou sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 17°C. Worth packing: sun protection and a windbreaker.
Sea temperature near Nouadhibou in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 18°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in September at about 23°C and coldest in January near 18°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 6 to Nov 9 — about 4.2 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 19 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Cool | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18 | Cool |
| Feb | 18 | Cool |
| Mar | 18 | Cool |
| Apr | 18 | Cool |
| May | 18 | Cool |
| Jun | 19 | Cool |
| Jul | 21 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 23 | Refreshing |
| Sep | 23 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 21 | Refreshing |
| Nov | 20 | Cool |
| Dec | 19 | Cool |
UV index in Nouadhibou 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 Nouadhibou peaks around March 21 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 6 (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) | 6 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 5 |
| Level | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | High |
| Feb | 9 | Very high |
| Mar | 10 | Very high |
| Apr | 10 | Very high |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 10 | Very high |
| Jul | 7 | Very high |
| Aug | 8 | Very high |
| Sep | 10 | Very high |
| Oct | 9 | Very high |
| Nov | 7 | High |
| Dec | 5 | High |
Air quality in Nouadhibou 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 Nouadhibou is worst in January — around 68 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.0× the cleanest month (May, 22 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) | 68 | 57 | 43 | 23 | 22 | 34 | 32 | 35 | 40 | 34 | 35 | 64 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 57 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 43 | Poor |
| Apr | 23 | Moderate |
| May | 22 | Moderate |
| Jun | 34 | Moderate |
| Jul | 32 | Moderate |
| Aug | 35 | Moderate |
| Sep | 40 | Poor |
| Oct | 34 | Moderate |
| Nov | 35 | Poor |
| Dec | 64 | Unhealthy |
Where is Nouadhibou?
Nouadhibou sits at 20.9°N, 17.0°W, 16 m above sea level, in Mauritania. The nearest listed city is Akjoujt, 307 km away.
Topography around Nouadhibou
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Nouadhibou.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Nouadhibou has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 21 m around an average of 7 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 29 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 71 m.
The land around Nouadhibou is covered by bare terrain (62%) and artificial surfaces (25%) within 3 km, water (77%) and bare terrain (21%) within 16 km, and water (53%) and bare terrain (47%) 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 Nouadhibou (20.9419°, -17.0384°, elevation 16 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.