Nouakchott in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Nouakchott sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 7 mm of rain over about 1 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the 3rd-wettest season.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Nouakchott's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Nouakchott's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 27°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 18°C
- Rainfall
- 7 mm
- 1 wet days
- Avg wind
- 21 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.3
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Nouakchott in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C.
A typical winter day in Nouakchott reaches about 27°C and drops to 18°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Nouakchott
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Nouakchott 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 | 26° / 17° | 2 | 0.3 | 11 | 8.6 |
| Feb | 27° / 18° | 1 | 0.3 | 11.4 | 8.3 |
| Mar | 29° / 19° | 0 | 0.1 | 11.9 | 7.5 |
| Apr | 29° / 20° | 0 | 0 | 12.4 | 7.1 |
| May | 30° / 21° | 0 | 0 | 12.8 | 6.5 |
| Jun | 31° / 23° | 0 | 0 | 13.1 | 6.0 |
| Jul | 30° / 24° | 2 | 0.4 | 13 | 6.9 |
| Aug | 31° / 26° | 13 | 2.4 | 12.6 | 5.9 |
| Sep | 32° / 26° | 18 | 2.8 | 12.1 | 4.7 |
| Oct | 33° / 25° | 6 | 1.1 | 11.6 | 4.5 |
| Nov | 31° / 22° | 1 | 0.2 | 11.1 | 6.0 |
| Dec | 27° / 19° | 4 | 0.3 | 10.9 | 8.1 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Nouakchott gets around 7 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 21 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 hours 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 5.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Nouakchott
In winter, Nouakchott overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Nouakchott sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
Nouakchott sees dust haze year-round, heaviest in June.
Is winter a good time to visit Nouakchott?
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 Nouakchott for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Nouakchott in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Nouakchott sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection and a windbreaker.
Sea temperature near Nouakchott in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 19°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 16 km away) is warmest in September at about 27°C and coldest in April near 18°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 2 to Dec 23 — about 6.7 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 23 | 21 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19 | Cool |
| Feb | 18 | Cool |
| Mar | 18 | Cool |
| Apr | 18 | Cool |
| May | 19 | Cool |
| Jun | 21 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 25 | Warm |
| Aug | 27 | Warm |
| Sep | 27 | Warm |
| Oct | 25 | Warm |
| Nov | 23 | Refreshing |
| Dec | 21 | Refreshing |
UV index in Nouakchott 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 Nouakchott peaks around March 16 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 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) | 8 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 6 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Very high |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 10 | Extreme |
| May | 10 | Extreme |
| Jun | 10 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 10 | Very high |
| Oct | 9 | Very high |
| Nov | 7 | Very high |
| Dec | 6 | High |
Air quality in Nouakchott 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 Nouakchott is worst in January — around 154 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 2.5× the cleanest month (August, 60 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) | 154 | 141 | 110 | 105 | 113 | 127 | 79 | 60 | 71 | 86 | 88 | 145 |
| Level | Very unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 154 | Very unhealthy |
| Feb | 141 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 110 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 105 | Unhealthy |
| May | 113 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 127 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 79 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 60 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 71 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 86 | Unhealthy |
| Nov | 88 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 145 | Unhealthy |
Where is Nouakchott?
Nouakchott sits at 18.1°N, 16.0°W, 10 m above sea level, in Mauritania. The nearest listed city is Tevragh Zeina, 2.0 km away.
Topography around Nouakchott
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Nouakchott.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Nouakchott has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 18 m around an average of 3 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 27 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 70 m.
The land around Nouakchott is covered by artificial surfaces (76%) and bare terrain (22%) within 3 km, bare terrain (60%) and water (30%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (65%) and water (29%) 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 Nouakchott (18.0858°, -15.9785°, elevation 10 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.