Dakar weather in January

In January, Dakar sees average daytime highs of 22°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 2 mm of rain across 0.2 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 23°C in the first days to 22°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 53% of the time in January, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 06 min at the start of January to 11 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Dakar's 7th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Dakar's year-round climate.

Daytime high
22°
9th warmest
Overnight low
21°
4th coldest
Rainfall
2 mm
0.2 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
7:43 AM – 6:56 PM
Cloud cover
42%
7th clearest
Wind
24 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.34 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.6
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 January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 23°C in the first days to 22°C by the end.

A typical January day in Dakar reaches about 22°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 20°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 2°C cooler than December and about 1°C warmer than February.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12422
22322
32322
42322
52322
62321
72321
82321
92321
102321
112321
122321
132221
142221
152221
162221
172221
182221
192221
202221
212221
222221
232220
242220
252220
262220
272220
282220
292220
302220
312220

How January really feels in Dakar

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January 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

January 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 January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 9th-warmest and 5th-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 January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 53% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 36%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15842
25941
35941
45941
55941
65941
76139
86139
96238
106238
116337
126337
136337
146436
156436
166436
176535
186535
196634
206634
216733
226832
236832
246832
256832
266832
276832
286931
296931
306931
316931

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Dakar gets around 2 mm of rain over 0.2 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

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

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
11
21
31
41
51
61
71
81
91
101
111
121
131
141
151
161
171
180
190
200
210
220
230
240
250
260
270
280
290
300
310

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the comfortable band about 41% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 6% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1163734122
2163734112
3173834101
417393491
517403481
617403471
718413471
818423460
918423460
1018433460
1118433360
1218433350
1318433350
1418433350
1518433450
1619433440
1719433440
1819433440
1920423440
2020423440
2120413540
2220413540
2321413540
2420413540
2520413540
2620413450
2720413450
2819423350
2919423360
3019433260
3119433260

Wind in January

Winds average 24 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 23 km/h on the calmest days to 24 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
123breezy
223breezy
323breezy
423breezy
523breezy
623breezy
724breezy
824breezy
924breezy
1024breezy
1124breezy
1224breezy
1324breezy
1424breezy
1524breezy
1624breezy
1724breezy
1824breezy
1924breezy
2024breezy
2124breezy
2224breezy
2324breezy
2424breezy
2524breezy
2624breezy
2724breezy
2824breezy
2924breezy
3024breezy
3124breezy

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 06 min at the start of January to 11 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:39 AM to 7:43 AM, and sunset from 6:47 PM to 7:03 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.17:396:47
211.17:396:48
311.27:396:48
411.27:406:49
511.27:406:49
611.27:406:50
711.27:416:51
811.27:416:51
911.27:416:52
1011.27:416:52
1111.27:426:53
1211.27:426:53
1311.27:426:54
1411.27:426:54
1511.27:426:55
1611.27:436:56
1711.27:436:56
1811.27:436:57
1911.27:436:57
2011.27:436:58
2111.37:436:58
2211.37:436:59
2311.37:436:59
2411.37:437:00
2511.37:437:00
2611.37:437:01
2711.37:437:01
2811.37:437:02
2911.37:437:02
3011.37:437:03
3111.37:437:03

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.34 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 — January's 5.34 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.1Bright
25.1Bright
35.1Bright
45.1Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.2Bright
115.2Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.4Bright
185.4Bright
195.4Bright
205.4Bright
215.4Bright
225.5Bright
235.5Bright
245.5Bright
255.5Bright
265.5Bright
275.5Bright
285.6Bright
295.6Bright
305.6Bright
315.6Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Dakar

In seasonPeak

In January, 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 January a good time to visit Dakar?

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

8.6
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
6.2
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

January is one of the better times to visit Dakar for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Dakar in January

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

In January, Dakar sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 21°C. Worth packing: light clothes, sun protection and a windbreaker.

light clothessun protectiona windbreaker

Sea temperature near Dakar in January

The nearest coast averages about 21°C in January — 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 January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks 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 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 January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January 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
January 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).