Tamale climate
Tamale (Ghana) has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). The average temperature over the year is 27 °C81 °F, and about 1,075 mm42 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Tamale climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3493 | 1661 | 2577 | 30.1 |
| Feb | 3697 | 2169 | 2883 | 140.5 |
| Mar | 3798 | 2475 | 3086 | 411.6 |
| Apr | 3595 | 2576 | 3085 | 813.2 |
| May | 3392 | 2475 | 2983 | 1144.5 |
| Jun | 3188 | 2373 | 2781 | 1335.3 |
| Jul | 3085 | 2272 | 2679 | 1706.7 |
| Aug | 2985 | 2272 | 2678 | 1766.9 |
| Sep | 2985 | 2272 | 2679 | 2007.9 |
| Oct | 3187 | 2272 | 2780 | 1224.8 |
| Nov | 3391 | 2169 | 2780 | 200.8 |
| Dec | 3392 | 1762 | 2577 | 20.1 |
| Year | 3798 | 1661 | 2781 | 1,07542 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39% | 23% | 5.2 | 11:38 |
| Feb | 40% | 34% | 5.4 | 11:49 |
| Mar | 53% | 64% | 5.7 | 12:03 |
| Apr | 65% | 72% | 5.9 | 12:19 |
| May | 72% | 74% | 5.7 | 12:33 |
| Jun | 78% | 65% | 5.2 | 12:40 |
| Jul | 82% | 72% | 4.7 | 12:37 |
| Aug | 83% | 76% | 4.5 | 12:26 |
| Sep | 84% | 73% | 4.7 | 12:10 |
| Oct | 80% | 54% | 5.5 | 11:54 |
| Nov | 66% | 31% | 5.5 | 11:41 |
| Dec | 50% | 18% | 5.2 | 11:35 |
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 Tamale is like
The warmest month is March, with an average high of 37 °C98 °F and a low of 24 °C75 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average 34 °C93 °F and lows 16 °C61 °F. Seasonal differences are small — just 5.2 °C9.5 °F between the warmest and the coolest month.
It is wet, with about 1,075 mm42 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is July–September, which brings 51% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: November–February. The wettest month is September (200 mm7.9 in), the driest is December (2 mm0.1 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 39% in January to 84% in September. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 18%) are typical of December. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 5 km/h (3 mph) in September to 9 km/h (6 mph) in January. Daylight lasts from about 11.6 hours in December to 12.7 hours in June.
Best time to visit Tamale
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are November–January. Average highs then reach 33 °C91 °F to 34 °C93 °F. Precipitation is 2 mm0.1 in to 20 mm0.8 in per month.
The most challenging month is September, which is very wet (200 mm7.9 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.
What to pack for Tamale
- Wetter months (May–October) — highs 2985 to 33 °C92 °F, lows 2272 to 24 °C75 °F, about 152 mm6.0 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Drier months (November–April) — highs 3391 to 37 °C98 °F, lows 1661 to 25 °C76 °F, about 27 mm1.1 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water.
How Tamale compares
The nearest larger place is Kumasi, about 314 km to the south. Compared with it, Tamale is on average 1.6 °C2.9 °F warmer. It receives 25% less precipitation (1,075 mm42 in vs 1,442 mm57 in). The difference is largest in March (3.2 °C5.8 °F warmer).
World Climates covers 10 places in Ghana. By annual mean temperature, Tamale is the warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 10th wettest. See all of them on the Ghana climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Korhogo (Ivory Coast, Aw), Kara (Togo, Aw) and Parakou (Benin, Aw).
Nearby places
- Climate in Sokodé 221 km · 26 °C78 °F · 1,265 mm50 in
- Climate in Kara 223 km · 27 °C80 °F · 1,157 mm46 in
- Climate in Bondoukou 263 km · 26 °C79 °F · 1,191 mm47 in
- Climate in Kumasi 314 km · 25 °C78 °F · 1,442 mm57 in
- Climate in Ouagadougou 338 km · 28 °C82 °F · 818 mm32 in
- Climate in Ho 343 km · 26 °C79 °F · 1,140 mm45 in
- Climate in Koudougou 358 km · 28 °C82 °F · 900 mm35 in
- Climate in Obuase 367 km · 25 °C78 °F · 1,557 mm61 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Tamale?
March is the warmest month in Tamale. Its average high is 37 °C (98 °F) and its average low is 24 °C (75 °F).
What is the coldest month in Tamale?
January is the coldest month. Its average high is 34 °C (93 °F) and its average low is 16 °C (61 °F).
When does it rain the most in Tamale?
September is the wettest month with about 200 mm (7.9 in) of precipitation. December is the driest with about 2 mm (0.1 in).
What is the best time to visit Tamale?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are November–January.
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.