Benin City in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Benin City sees average daytime highs around 33°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 119 mm of rain over about 32 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 33°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is Benin City's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Benin City's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 33°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 23°C
- Rainfall
- 119 mm
- 32 wet days
- Avg wind
- 6 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.5
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Benin City in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 33°C.
A typical winter day in Benin City reaches about 33°C and drops to 23°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
How winter really feels in Benin City
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 90 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.
Benin City 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 | 33° / 22° | 33 | 8.9 | 11.7 | 3.5 |
| Feb | 33° / 24° | 58 | 14.7 | 11.8 | 2.8 |
| Mar | 32° / 24° | 146 | 23.8 | 12 | 2.5 |
| Apr | 31° / 24° | 205 | 25.6 | 12.1 | 2.6 |
| May | 31° / 23° | 256 | 28.7 | 12.3 | 2.6 |
| Jun | 29° / 23° | 295 | 29.3 | 12.4 | 2.8 |
| Jul | 28° / 22° | 293 | 29.9 | 12.3 | 3.2 |
| Aug | 28° / 22° | 266 | 28.3 | 12.2 | 3.5 |
| Sep | 29° / 22° | 309 | 29.2 | 12 | 3.0 |
| Oct | 30° / 23° | 263 | 29.6 | 11.9 | 2.8 |
| Nov | 31° / 23° | 93 | 18.6 | 11.7 | 3.4 |
| Dec | 32° / 22° | 28 | 8.6 | 11.6 | 4.1 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Benin City gets around 119 mm of rain over 32 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 6 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min in early December to 11 h 54 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 5.1 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Benin City
In winter, Benin City overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Benin City's rainy season runs March–October, when most of the year's rain falls.
Benin City sees seasonal dust haze (December–April), heaviest in February.
Is winter a good time to visit Benin City?
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 weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Benin City. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Benin City in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Benin City sees daytime highs around 33°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 32 days see rain.
UV index in Benin City 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 Benin City peaks around March 22 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 8 (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 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 8 |
| Level | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Very high |
| Feb | 9 | Very high |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 10 | Very high |
| Dec | 8 | Very high |
Air quality in Benin City 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 Benin City is worst in January — around 166 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 4.4× the cleanest month (August, 38 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) | 166 | 147 | 85 | 82 | 65 | 53 | 42 | 38 | 47 | 64 | 76 | 148 |
| Level | Very unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 166 | Very unhealthy |
| Feb | 147 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 85 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 82 | Unhealthy |
| May | 65 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 53 | Poor |
| Jul | 42 | Poor |
| Aug | 38 | Poor |
| Sep | 47 | Poor |
| Oct | 64 | Unhealthy |
| Nov | 76 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 148 | Unhealthy |
Where is Benin City?
Benin City sits at 6.3°N, 5.6°E, 88 m above sea level, in Nigeria. The nearest listed city is Sapele, 50 km away.
Topography around Benin City
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Benin City.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Benin City has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 66 m around an average of 79 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 167 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 420 m.
The land around Benin City is covered by artificial surfaces (87%) within 3 km, trees (46%) and artificial surfaces (39%) within 16 km, and trees (76%) within 80 km.
Nigeria travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 3
- Reconsider Travel
- Power plugs
- Type D / G
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 13% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $1,224
- 2025
- Happiness
- 4.8 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 30%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 15.7
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 20.7
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- High
- EF EPI 569
- 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 Benin City (6.3381°, 5.6258°, elevation 88 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.