Bamako climate
Bamako (Mali) has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). The average temperature over the year is 28 °C82 °F, and about 1,015 mm40 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Bamako climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3391 | 1560 | 2475 | 10.0 |
| Feb | 3697 | 1865 | 2781 | 00.0 |
| Mar | 39102 | 2272 | 3187 | 70.3 |
| Apr | 40104 | 2678 | 3391 | 230.9 |
| May | 39102 | 2679 | 3290 | 612.4 |
| Jun | 3595 | 2475 | 2985 | 1455.7 |
| Jul | 3188 | 2373 | 2780 | 2299.0 |
| Aug | 2984 | 2272 | 2678 | 29612 |
| Sep | 3086 | 2271 | 2679 | 1917.5 |
| Oct | 3392 | 2271 | 2781 | 602.4 |
| Nov | 3594 | 1967 | 2780 | 30.1 |
| Dec | 3391 | 1661 | 2576 | 00.0 |
| Year | 40104 | 1560 | 2882 | 1,01540 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22% | 34% | 5.6 | 11:27 |
| Feb | 18% | 30% | 6.1 | 11:43 |
| Mar | 19% | 39% | 6.5 | 12:02 |
| Apr | 29% | 56% | 6.5 | 12:24 |
| May | 45% | 65% | 6.2 | 12:42 |
| Jun | 62% | 59% | 6.0 | 12:52 |
| Jul | 77% | 65% | 5.6 | 12:48 |
| Aug | 84% | 69% | 5.3 | 12:32 |
| Sep | 81% | 60% | 5.7 | 12:11 |
| Oct | 67% | 49% | 5.9 | 11:50 |
| Nov | 40% | 33% | 5.7 | 11:32 |
| Dec | 28% | 29% | 5.5 | 11:23 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Bamako is like
The warmest month is April, with an average high of 40 °C104 °F and a low of 26 °C78 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average 33 °C91 °F and lows 15 °C60 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 8.7 °C15.7 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
It is wet, with about 1,015 mm40 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is July–September, which brings 70% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: November–March. The wettest month is August (296 mm12 in), the driest is December (0 mm0.0 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 18% in February to 84% in August. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 29%) are typical of December. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 5 km/h (3 mph) in September to 11 km/h (7 mph) in February. Daylight lasts from about 11.4 hours in December to 12.9 hours in June.
Best time to visit Bamako
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are December and January and October. Average highs then reach 33 °C91 °F to 33 °C92 °F. Precipitation is 0 mm0.0 in to 60 mm2.4 in per month.
The most challenging month is August, which is very wet (296 mm12 in) and humid (84% relative humidity).
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
Bamako weather by month
- January33 °C91 °F / 15 °C60 °F
- February36 °C97 °F / 18 °C65 °F
- March39 °C102 °F / 22 °C72 °F
- April40 °C104 °F / 26 °C78 °F
- May39 °C102 °F / 26 °C79 °F
- June35 °C95 °F / 24 °C75 °F
- July31 °C88 °F / 23 °C73 °F
- August29 °C84 °F / 22 °C72 °F
- September30 °C86 °F / 22 °C71 °F
- October33 °C92 °F / 22 °C71 °F
- November35 °C94 °F / 19 °C67 °F
- December33 °C91 °F / 16 °C61 °F
What to pack for Bamako
- Wetter months (June–September) — highs 2984 to 35 °C95 °F, lows 2271 to 24 °C75 °F, about 215 mm8.5 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water and a good rain jacket or umbrella and quick-drying shoes.
- Drier months (October–May) — highs 3391 to 40 °C104 °F, lows 1560 to 26 °C79 °F, about 19 mm0.8 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water.
How Bamako compares
World Climates covers 9 places in Mali. By annual mean temperature, Bamako is the 7th warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 2nd wettest. See all of them on the Mali climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Koudougou (Burkina Faso, Aw), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso, BSh) and Siguiri (Guinea, Aw).
Nearby places
- Climate in Kalaban Koro 7 km · 28 °C83 °F · 1,015 mm40 in
- Climate in Siguiri 185 km · 27 °C81 °F · 1,218 mm48 in
- Climate in Ségou 208 km · 28 °C82 °F · 718 mm28 in
- Climate in Koutiala 274 km · 27 °C81 °F · 928 mm37 in
- Climate in Kankan 287 km · 27 °C80 °F · 1,401 mm55 in
- Climate in Sikasso 289 km · 27 °C81 °F · 1,046 mm41 in
- Climate in San 342 km · 28 °C82 °F · 759 mm30 in
- Climate in Banfora 414 km · 27 °C81 °F · 1,213 mm48 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Bamako?
April is the warmest month in Bamako. Its average high is 40 °C (104 °F) and its average low is 26 °C (78 °F).
What is the coldest month in Bamako?
January is the coldest month. Its average high is 33 °C (91 °F) and its average low is 15 °C (60 °F).
When does it rain the most in Bamako?
August is the wettest month with about 296 mm (11.7 in) of precipitation. December is the driest with about 0 mm (0.0 in).
What is the best time to visit Bamako?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are December and January and October.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.