Nouadhibou climate
Nouadhibou (Mauritania) has a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh). The average temperature over the year is 22 °C72 °F, and about 40 mm1.6 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Nouadhibou climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2374 | 1456 | 1865 | 20.1 |
| Feb | 2475 | 1458 | 1966 | 10.1 |
| Mar | 2678 | 1560 | 2069 | 10.0 |
| Apr | 2678 | 1661 | 2169 | 10.0 |
| May | 2780 | 1762 | 2271 | 00.0 |
| Jun | 2984 | 1864 | 2374 | 00.0 |
| Jul | 2985 | 1967 | 2476 | 10.0 |
| Aug | 3187 | 2170 | 2679 | 50.2 |
| Sep | 3289 | 2271 | 2780 | 80.3 |
| Oct | 3085 | 2068 | 2577 | 150.6 |
| Nov | 2679 | 1763 | 2271 | 30.1 |
| Dec | 2475 | 1559 | 2067 | 20.1 |
| Year | 3289 | 1456 | 2272 | 401.6 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53% | 43% | 4.8 | 10:59 |
| Feb | 60% | 41% | 5.6 | 11:26 |
| Mar | 62% | 43% | 6.6 | 11:59 |
| Apr | 68% | 51% | 7.1 | 12:36 |
| May | 67% | 51% | 7.3 | 13:07 |
| Jun | 67% | 59% | 6.9 | 13:24 |
| Jul | 71% | 61% | 6.5 | 13:17 |
| Aug | 70% | 59% | 6.3 | 12:50 |
| Sep | 64% | 61% | 5.9 | 12:14 |
| Oct | 65% | 65% | 5.4 | 11:38 |
| Nov | 62% | 61% | 4.8 | 11:07 |
| Dec | 56% | 56% | 4.3 | 10:52 |
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 Nouadhibou is like
The warmest month is September, with an average high of 32 °C89 °F and a low of 22 °C71 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average 23 °C74 °F and lows 14 °C56 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 8.4 °C15 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
It is very dry, with only 40 mm1.6 in of precipitation in an average year. The wettest three-month stretch is August–October, which brings 71% of the annual total. The wettest month is October (15 mm0.6 in), the driest is June (0 mm0.0 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 53% in January to 71% in July. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 41%) are typical of February. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 15 km/h (9 mph) in December to 22 km/h (14 mph) in June. Daylight lasts from about 10.9 hours in December to 13.4 hours in June.
Best time to visit Nouadhibou
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are October–July. Average highs then reach 23 °C74 °F to 30 °C85 °F. Precipitation is 0 mm0.0 in to 15 mm0.6 in per month.
The most challenging month is September, which is hot, with average highs of 32 °C89 °F.
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.
What to pack for Nouadhibou
- Wetter months (August–October) — highs 3085 to 32 °C89 °F, lows 2068 to 22 °C71 °F, about 10 mm0.4 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water.
- Drier months (November–July) — highs 2374 to 29 °C85 °F, lows 1456 to 19 °C67 °F, about 1 mm0.1 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses.
How Nouadhibou compares
The nearest larger place is Nouakchott, about 336 km to the south. Compared with it, Nouadhibou is on average 1.2 °C2.1 °F cooler. It receives 73% less precipitation (40 mm1.6 in vs 150 mm5.9 in). The difference is largest in October (2.3 °C4.2 °F cooler).
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall (with seasons shifted for the other hemisphere). The closest matches are Chincha Alta (Peru, BWh), Dakhla (Western Sahara, BWh) and Jamestown (Saint Helena, BWh).
Nearby places
- Climate in Dakhla 325 km · 20 °C68 °F · 40 mm1.6 in
- Climate in Nouakchott 336 km · 23 °C74 °F · 150 mm5.9 in
- Climate in Saint-Louis 551 km · 26 °C80 °F · 381 mm15 in
- Climate in Louga 598 km · 27 °C80 °F · 479 mm19 in
- Climate in Thiès 684 km · 25 °C78 °F · 535 mm21 in
- Climate in Touba 687 km · 28 °C83 °F · 553 mm22 in
- Climate in Pikine 688 km · 24 °C76 °F · 514 mm20 in
- Climate in Dakar 696 km · 24 °C76 °F · 556 mm22 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Nouadhibou?
September is the warmest month in Nouadhibou. Its average high is 32 °C (89 °F) and its average low is 22 °C (71 °F).
What is the coldest month in Nouadhibou?
January is the coldest month. Its average high is 23 °C (74 °F) and its average low is 14 °C (56 °F).
When does it rain the most in Nouadhibou?
October is the wettest month with about 15 mm (0.6 in) of precipitation. June is the driest with about 0 mm (0.0 in).
What is the best time to visit Nouadhibou?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are October–July.
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.