Dakar weather in February

In February, Dakar sees average daytime highs of 22°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 1 mm of rain across 0.1 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 22°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 59% of the time in February, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of February to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, February is Dakar's 5th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Dakar's year-round climate.

Daytime high
22°
10th warmest
Overnight low
20°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
1 mm
0.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
7:39 AM – 7:10 PM
Cloud cover
36%
5th clearest
Wind
25 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
5.94 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.5
out of 10

Dakar is capital and the largest city of Senegal.

Air quality
Very high
PM2.5 42 µg/m³ · 2018
Density
33,152/km²
people per km²
Founded
1857

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in February

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 22°C through the month.

A typical February day in Dakar reaches about 22°C in the afternoon and slips back to 20°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 24°C. Set against its neighbours, February runs about 1°C cooler than January and on par with March.

15°18°20°23°25°151015202528
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12220
22220
32220
42220
52220
62220
72220
82220
92220
102220
112220
122220
132220
142120
152120
162120
172120
182120
192120
202120
212120
222120
232120
242120
252120
262120
272120
282120

How February really feels in Dakar

Once humidity and wind are folded in, February averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

February sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Dakar weather by month

How February compares with the rest of the year at a glance. February is the 10th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan22° / 21°20.211.28.6
Feb22° / 20°10.111.58.5
Mar21° / 20°0011.98.7
Apr21° / 20°0012.38.7
May23° / 22°0012.79.1
Jun25° / 24°10.212.99.0
Jul27° / 26°274.412.87.5
Aug28° / 26°12411.612.56.1
Sep28° / 27°829.812.16.1
Oct28° / 27°222.611.77.3
Nov27° / 26°0011.38.1
Dec25° / 23°10.211.18.6

Cloud cover in February

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 59% of the time in February.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of February, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 30%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202528
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16931
26832
36832
46733
56634
66634
76733
86634
96634
106733
116733
126733
136832
146832
156931
166931
177030
187228
197327
207327
217426
227525
237525
247624
257723
267723
277723
287723

Chance of precipitation in February

Any precipitation

Dakar gets around 1 mm of rain over 0.1 wet days in February. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 0% and peaks near 1% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202528
Rain chance (%)
10
20
30
40
50
60
71
81
91
101
111
121
131
141
151
161
171
180
190
200
210
220
230
240
250
260
270
280

Humidity in February

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of February feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, February lands in the comfortable band about 43% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 6% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202528
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
11944317
21944307
31945307
41845307
51846307
61846307
71746307
81746317
91645317
101645327
111545336
121544346
131444366
141343376
151343386
161242396
171142406
181141416
191141426
201141426
211041436
221040436
231040436
241040436
251040446
261040446
271039456
281039456

Wind in February

Winds average 25 km/h in February, the windiest month of the year.

Across February, daily wind ranges from about 24 km/h on the calmest days to 25 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202528
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
124breezy
224breezy
324breezy
424breezy
524breezy
624breezy
725breezy
825breezy
925breezy
1025breezy
1125breezy
1225breezy
1325breezy
1425breezy
1525breezy
1625breezy
1725breezy
1825breezy
1925breezy
2025breezy
2125breezy
2225breezy
2325breezy
2425breezy
2525breezy
2625breezy
2725breezy
2825breezy

Sunrise & sunset in February

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min at the start of February to 11 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 18 minutes over February. Sunrise moves from 7:43 AM to 7:33 AM, and sunset from 7:04 PM to 7:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202528
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.47:437:04
211.47:437:04
311.47:427:05
411.47:427:05
511.47:427:06
611.47:427:06
711.47:427:07
811.47:417:07
911.47:417:07
1011.57:417:08
1111.57:407:08
1211.57:407:09
1311.57:407:09
1411.57:397:09
1511.57:397:10
1611.57:397:10
1711.57:387:10
1811.57:387:11
1911.67:377:11
2011.67:377:11
2111.67:367:12
2211.67:367:12
2311.67:367:12
2411.67:357:13
2511.67:347:13
2611.77:347:13
2711.77:337:13
2811.77:337:14

Solar energy in February

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in February, about 5.94 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.06 kWh/m² to a high of 7.21 kWh/m² in May across the year — February's 5.94 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202528
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.7Bright
45.7Bright
55.7Bright
65.7Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.8Bright
105.8Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.9Bright
145.9Bright
155.9Bright
166.0Bright
176.0Intense
186.0Intense
196.1Intense
206.1Intense
216.2Intense
226.2Intense
236.2Intense
246.3Intense
256.3Intense
266.3Intense
276.4Intense
286.4Intense
Planning a trip in February

Hazard calendar for Dakar

In seasonPeak

In February, Dakar sits inside its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Dakar sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Dakar sees dust haze year-round, heaviest in June.

Atlantic hurricane
Dust
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is February a good time to visit Dakar?

Our two travel scores rate February for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

8.5
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
5.5
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

February is one of the better times to visit Dakar for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Dakar in February

From February's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In February, Dakar sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 20°C. Worth packing: sun protection and a windbreaker.

sun protectiona windbreaker

Sea temperature near Dakar in February

The nearest coast averages about 20°C in February — 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 28°C and coldest in March near 19°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Apr 12 to Feb 4 — about 9.8 months when the water holds above 20°C.

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan21Refreshing
Feb20Cool
Mar19Cool
Apr20Refreshing
May22Refreshing
Jun25Warm
Jul27Warm
Aug28Tropical
Sep28Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov27Warm
Dec24Refreshing

UV index in Dakar in February

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in February peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Dakar peaks around March 17 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 7 (high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highHighMar 17UV 12Dec 17UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb11Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct9Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec6High

Air quality in Dakar in February

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where February falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Dakar is worst in January — around 68 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.1× the cleanest month (August, 22 µg/m³).

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Dakar's WHO annual average of 42 µg/m³.

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorModeratePoorModeratePoorUnhealthyJan 1867 µg/m³Aug 1923 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan68Unhealthy
Feb64Unhealthy
Mar48Poor
Apr33Moderate
May30Moderate
Jun41Poor
Jul30Moderate
Aug22Moderate
Sep26Moderate
Oct38Poor
Nov42Poor
Dec62Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Dakar?

Dakar sits at 14.7°N, 17.4°W, 12 m above sea level, in Senegal. The nearest listed city is Le Plateau, 4.0 km away.

Topography around Dakar

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Dakar.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Dakar has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 42 m around an average of 9 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 89 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 143 m.

The land around Dakar is covered by artificial surfaces (76%) and water (20%) within 3 km, water (81%) within 16 km, and water (65%) within 80 km.

3 km
42 m
16 km
89 m
80 km
143 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
February weather nearby: Le Plateau 4.0 km · Pikine 10 km · Guédiawaye 10 km · N’diareme limamoulaye 12 km · Rufisque 19 km · Rufisque est 19 km · Jaxaay Parcelle Niakoul Rap 20 km · Niakoul Rab 21 km

Senegal travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / D / E / K
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 36% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,955
2025
Happiness
4.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
27%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.3
per 100k, 2015
Road deaths
23.5
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 442
Religion
Muslim 97%Christian 3%

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 Dakar (14.6937°, -17.4441°, elevation 12 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).