Dakar in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Dakar sees average daytime highs around 23°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 4 mm of rain over about 1 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs ease from about 26°C in early December to 21°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels humid.
Winter is Dakar's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. Dakar has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Dakar's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 23°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 21°C
- Rainfall
- 4 mm
- 1 wet days
- Avg wind
- 24 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.6
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Dakar in Winter
Over the season highs ease from about 26°C in early December to 21°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Dakar reaches about 23°C and drops to 21°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
How winter really feels in Dakar
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.
Dakar 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 | 22° / 21° | 2 | 0.2 | 11.2 | 8.6 |
| Feb | 22° / 20° | 1 | 0.1 | 11.5 | 8.5 |
| Mar | 21° / 20° | 0 | 0 | 11.9 | 8.7 |
| Apr | 21° / 20° | 0 | 0 | 12.3 | 8.7 |
| May | 23° / 22° | 0 | 0 | 12.7 | 9.1 |
| Jun | 25° / 24° | 1 | 0.2 | 12.9 | 9.0 |
| Jul | 27° / 26° | 27 | 4.4 | 12.8 | 7.5 |
| Aug | 28° / 26° | 124 | 11.6 | 12.5 | 6.1 |
| Sep | 28° / 27° | 82 | 9.8 | 12.1 | 6.1 |
| Oct | 28° / 27° | 22 | 2.6 | 11.7 | 7.3 |
| Nov | 27° / 26° | 0 | 0 | 11.3 | 8.1 |
| Dec | 25° / 23° | 1 | 0.2 | 11.1 | 8.6 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Dakar 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 humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 24 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 12 min in early December to 11 h 42 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 5.4 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Dakar
In winter, Dakar overlaps 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.
Is winter a good time to visit Dakar?
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 Dakar for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Dakar in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Dakar sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 21°C. Worth packing: light clothes, sun protection and a windbreaker.
Sea temperature near Dakar in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 21°C across winter — 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 21 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 24 |
| Comfort | Refreshing | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Refreshing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21 | Refreshing |
| Feb | 20 | Cool |
| Mar | 19 | Cool |
| Apr | 20 | Refreshing |
| May | 22 | Refreshing |
| Jun | 25 | Warm |
| Jul | 27 | Warm |
| Aug | 28 | Tropical |
| Sep | 28 | Tropical |
| Oct | 28 | Tropical |
| Nov | 27 | Warm |
| Dec | 24 | Refreshing |
UV index in Dakar 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 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 8 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 6 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Very high |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 11 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 10 | Very high |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 9 | Very high |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 6 | High |
Air quality in Dakar 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 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 68 | 64 | 48 | 33 | 30 | 41 | 30 | 22 | 26 | 38 | 42 | 62 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 64 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 48 | Poor |
| Apr | 33 | Moderate |
| May | 30 | Moderate |
| Jun | 41 | Poor |
| Jul | 30 | Moderate |
| Aug | 22 | Moderate |
| Sep | 26 | Moderate |
| Oct | 38 | Poor |
| Nov | 42 | Poor |
| Dec | 62 | Unhealthy |
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.
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
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.