The Climate of
Guinea-Bissau
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Climate Map
Climate map of Guinea-Bissau
What is the climate of Guinea-Bissau like?
Guinea-Bissau is situated on the west coast of Africa at about 12°N. In area it is a little larger that Israel. Guinea-Bissau is bordered on the north by Senegal, on the east and southeast by Guinea, and on the southwest by the Atlantic Ocean.
Guinea-Bissau has a hot, humid, typically tropical climate. The average temperature does not vary significantly throughout the year. April and May are the hottest months (about 28°C / 82°F), and December and January the coldest (about 24°C / 76°F). The climate has two seasons: a rainy season from June to November and a dry season for the rest of the year. During the dry season from December to May the northerly harmattan (a dust-laden wind) blows from the Sahara Desert.
The rainy season lasts from June to mid-November, with rainfall exceeding 2,000 millimeters (78 inches). Because of monsoon winds blowing off the ocean, the bulk of the rain falls during July, August, and September. The harmattan season reverses the wind direction, blowing dry, dusty air from the Sahel across the country from mid-December to mid-April. This wind brings slightly cooler temperatures and almost no rain. Droughts occur from time to time.
| Climate data for Bissau (1974-1994) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 31.1 (88.0) | 32.8 (91.0) | 33.9 (93.0) | 33.3 (91.9) | 32.8 (91.0) | 31.1 (88.0) | 29.4 (84.9) | 30.0 (86.0) | 30.0 (86.0) | 31.1 (88.0) | 31.7 (89.1) | 30.6 (87.1) | 31.5 (88.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 24.4 (75.9) | 25.6 (78.1) | 26.6 (79.9) | 27.0 (80.6) | 27.5 (81.5) | 26.9 (80.4) | 26.1 (79.0) | 26.4 (79.5) | 26.4 (79.5) | 27.0 (80.6) | 26.9 (80.4) | 24.8 (76.6) | 26.3 (79.3) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 17.8 (64.0) | 18.3 (64.9) | 19.4 (66.9) | 20.6 (69.1) | 22.2 (72.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 22.2 (72.0) | 18.9 (66.0) | 21.1 (70.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 0.5 (0.02) | 0.8 (0.03) | 0.5 (0.02) | 0.8 (0.03) | 17.3 (0.68) | 174.8 (6.88) | 472.5 (18.60) | 682.5 (26.87) | 434.9 (17.12) | 194.8 (7.67) | 41.4 (1.63) | 2.0 (0.08) | 2,022.8 (79.63) |
| Source: Sistema de Clasificación Bioclimática Mundial | |||||||||||||
References
- E. A. Pearce, Charles Gordon Smith, (1990) The Hutchinson World Weather Guide, John Murray Press. ISBN 1859863426
- Timothy L. Gall, (ed.), (2003), Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, Eleventh Edition, Thomson Gale
- Hugh Chisholm, (ed.), (1911), Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh edition, Cambridge University Press
The Climate of
Guinea-Bissau
In summary:
Guinea-Bissau has a hot, humid, typically tropical climate, with a rainy season that lasts from mid-May to mid-November and a cooler dry season occupying the rest of the year. The average temperature in the rainy season ranges from 26°C to 28°C (79–82°F).
Rainfall generally exceeds 2000 mm (78 in). The rainiest months are July, August, and September.