Freetown in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Freetown sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 43 mm of rain over about 11 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 27°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is Freetown's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. Freetown 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 Freetown's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 27°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 26°C
- Rainfall
- 43 mm
- 11 wet days
- Avg wind
- 13 km/h
- Travel score
- 7.8
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Freetown in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C.
A typical winter day in Freetown reaches about 27°C and drops to 26°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
Freetown 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 | 27° / 26° | 10 | 2.3 | 11.6 | 8.1 |
| Feb | 27° / 26° | 6 | 1.4 | 11.7 | 8.2 |
| Mar | 27° / 26° | 9 | 2.4 | 11.9 | 8.0 |
| Apr | 27° / 26° | 21 | 5.2 | 12.2 | 7.2 |
| May | 28° / 26° | 159 | 21.4 | 12.4 | 4.6 |
| Jun | 27° / 25° | 397 | 29.1 | 12.5 | 3.5 |
| Jul | 26° / 25° | 683 | 30.2 | 12.4 | 3.5 |
| Aug | 26° / 25° | 751 | 29.9 | 12.3 | 3.5 |
| Sep | 26° / 25° | 480 | 28.6 | 12 | 3.6 |
| Oct | 27° / 25° | 232 | 28.1 | 11.8 | 3.8 |
| Nov | 28° / 26° | 98 | 20.6 | 11.6 | 4.9 |
| Dec | 28° / 26° | 27 | 7.4 | 11.5 | 7.0 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Freetown gets around 43 mm of rain over 11 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 13 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 5.6 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Freetown
In winter, Freetown overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Freetown's monsoon runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Freetown sees seasonal dust haze (February–April), heaviest in February.
Is winter a good time to visit Freetown?
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 Freetown for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Freetown in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Freetown sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 11 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Freetown in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 28°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 20 km away) is warmest in November at about 29°C and coldest in August near 27°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 28 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | Warm |
| Feb | 27 | Warm |
| Mar | 27 | Warm |
| Apr | 28 | Warm |
| May | 28 | Tropical |
| Jun | 28 | Tropical |
| Jul | 27 | Warm |
| Aug | 27 | Warm |
| Sep | 27 | Warm |
| Oct | 28 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 29 | Tropical |
UV index in Freetown in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Freetown peaks around August 20 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 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 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 8 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Very high |
| Feb | 12 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 11 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 9 | Very high |
| Dec | 8 | Very high |
Air quality in Freetown 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 Freetown is worst in February — around 78 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 7.8× the cleanest month (September, 10 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) | 69 | 78 | 64 | 43 | 31 | 20 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 26 | 54 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Poor |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 69 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 78 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 64 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 43 | Poor |
| May | 31 | Moderate |
| Jun | 20 | Moderate |
| Jul | 13 | Moderate |
| Aug | 11 | Good |
| Sep | 10 | Good |
| Oct | 16 | Moderate |
| Nov | 26 | Moderate |
| Dec | 54 | Poor |
Where is Freetown?
Freetown sits at 8.5°N, 13.2°W, 38 m above sea level, in Sierra Leone. The nearest listed city is Goderich, 9.0 km away.
Topography around Freetown
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Freetown.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Freetown has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 368 m around an average of 65 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 778 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 885 m.
The land around Freetown is covered by artificial surfaces (48%) and water (41%) within 3 km, water (63%) within 16 km, and water (46%) and trees (34%) within 80 km.
Sierra Leone travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type D / G
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 24% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $846
- 2025
- Happiness
- 3.3 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 11%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 2.2
- per 100k, 2020
- Road deaths
- 33
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Low
- World Bank
- 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 Freetown (8.4871°, -13.2356°, elevation 38 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.