Lafia in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Lafia sees average daytime highs around 36°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 4 mm of rain over about 1 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 35°C in early December to 37°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Lafia's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Lafia's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 36°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 22°C
- Rainfall
- 4 mm
- 1 wet days
- Avg wind
- 6 km/h
- Travel score
- 2.9
- 3rd-best season
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Lafia in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 35°C in early December to 37°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Lafia reaches about 36°C and drops to 22°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
How winter really feels in Lafia
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.
Lafia 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 | 35° / 21° | 1 | 0.2 | 11.6 | 3.1 |
| Feb | 37° / 24° | 3 | 0.5 | 11.7 | 2.1 |
| Mar | 37° / 26° | 12 | 2 | 11.9 | 1.6 |
| Apr | 36° / 26° | 34 | 5.7 | 12.2 | 2.3 |
| May | 33° / 25° | 95 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 3.1 |
| Jun | 31° / 24° | 140 | 19 | 12.5 | 3.5 |
| Jul | 29° / 23° | 185 | 25.9 | 12.4 | 3.3 |
| Aug | 29° / 23° | 252 | 27.3 | 12.3 | 3.2 |
| Sep | 30° / 23° | 190 | 23.2 | 12 | 3.4 |
| Oct | 31° / 23° | 79 | 14.5 | 11.8 | 3.9 |
| Nov | 34° / 22° | 4 | 1 | 11.6 | 3.8 |
| Dec | 35° / 21° | 1 | 0.1 | 11.5 | 3.4 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Lafia gets around 4 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 6 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min in early December to 11 h 48 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 6.1 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Lafia
In winter, Lafia overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Lafia's monsoon runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Lafia sees seasonal dust haze (January–May), heaviest in February.
Is winter a good time to visit Lafia?
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 Lafia. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Lafia in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Lafia sees daytime highs around 36°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.
UV index in Lafia 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 Lafia peaks around September 17 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 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) | 9 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 8 |
| Level | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Very high |
| Feb | 8 | Very high |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 11 | Extreme |
| May | 10 | Very high |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 9 | Very high |
| Dec | 8 | Very high |
Air quality in Lafia 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 Lafia is worst in January — around 113 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.4× the cleanest month (July, 26 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) | 113 | 104 | 74 | 58 | 35 | 29 | 26 | 28 | 31 | 44 | 54 | 90 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 113 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 104 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 74 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 58 | Unhealthy |
| May | 35 | Moderate |
| Jun | 29 | Moderate |
| Jul | 26 | Moderate |
| Aug | 28 | Moderate |
| Sep | 31 | Moderate |
| Oct | 44 | Poor |
| Nov | 54 | Poor |
| Dec | 90 | Unhealthy |
Where is Lafia?
Lafia sits at 8.5°N, 8.5°E, 179 m above sea level, in Nigeria. The nearest listed city is Doma, 21 km away.
Topography around Lafia
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Lafia.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Lafia has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 82 m around an average of 178 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 166 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,323 m.
The land around Lafia is covered by artificial surfaces (66%) within 3 km, cropland (78%) within 16 km, and cropland (54%) and shrubs (23%) 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 Lafia (8.4939°, 8.5153°, 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.