Port Loko in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Port Loko sees average daytime highs around 32°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 44 mm of rain over about 11 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 30°C in early December to 34°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is Port Loko's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Port Loko's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 32°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 23°C
- Rainfall
- 44 mm
- 11 wet days
- Avg wind
- 6 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.6
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Port Loko in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 30°C in early December to 34°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Port Loko reaches about 32°C and drops to 23°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Port Loko
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.
Port Loko 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 | 32° / 22° | 11 | 2.7 | 11.5 | 4.7 |
| Feb | 34° / 23° | 7 | 1.7 | 11.7 | 4.1 |
| Mar | 34° / 24° | 21 | 5 | 11.9 | 3.6 |
| Apr | 33° / 25° | 56 | 8.9 | 12.2 | 3.5 |
| May | 31° / 24° | 246 | 24.9 | 12.4 | 2.9 |
| Jun | 29° / 23° | 394 | 29.5 | 12.5 | 2.8 |
| Jul | 28° / 23° | 539 | 30.2 | 12.5 | 3.1 |
| Aug | 28° / 23° | 610 | 30.1 | 12.3 | 3.3 |
| Sep | 29° / 23° | 494 | 29.6 | 12.1 | 2.9 |
| Oct | 30° / 23° | 302 | 29.9 | 11.8 | 2.8 |
| Nov | 30° / 23° | 129 | 21.7 | 11.6 | 3.6 |
| Dec | 31° / 23° | 27 | 6.7 | 11.5 | 5.0 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Port Loko gets around 44 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 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 5.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Port Loko
In winter, Port Loko overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Port Loko's monsoon runs June–October, when most of the year's rain falls.
Port Loko sees seasonal dust haze (February–April), heaviest in February.
Is winter a good time to visit Port Loko?
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 reasonable time to visit Port Loko for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Port Loko in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Port Loko sees daytime highs around 32°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 11 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Port Loko 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 66 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 | 28 | 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 | 28 | Warm |
| Aug | 27 | Warm |
| Sep | 27 | Warm |
| Oct | 28 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 29 | Tropical |
UV index in Port Loko 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 Port Loko 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 | 13 | 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 | 13 | 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 Port Loko 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 Port Loko is worst in April — around 267 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 19.2× the cleanest month (August, 14 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) | 96 | 97 | 93 | 267 | 55 | 25 | 16 | 14 | 17 | 24 | 35 | 67 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 96 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 97 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 93 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 267 | Very unhealthy |
| May | 55 | Poor |
| Jun | 25 | Moderate |
| Jul | 16 | Moderate |
| Aug | 14 | Moderate |
| Sep | 17 | Moderate |
| Oct | 24 | Moderate |
| Nov | 35 | Poor |
| Dec | 67 | Unhealthy |
Where is Port Loko?
Port Loko sits at 8.8°N, 12.8°W, 51 m above sea level, in Sierra Leone. The nearest listed city is Lunsar, 29 km away.
Topography around Port Loko
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Port Loko.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Port Loko has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 65 m around an average of 31 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 120 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 885 m.
The land around Port Loko is covered by trees (60%) and grassland (22%) within 3 km, trees (59%) and grassland (27%) within 16 km, and trees (44%) and grassland (21%) 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 Port Loko (8.7661°, -12.787°, elevation 51 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.