Tambacounda climate
Tambacounda (Senegal) has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh). The average temperature over the year is 29 °C85 °F, and about 654 mm26 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Tambacounda climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3494 | 1763 | 2678 | 10.0 |
| Feb | 3799 | 2067 | 2883 | 00.0 |
| Mar | 40105 | 2272 | 3188 | 10.0 |
| Apr | 42108 | 2577 | 3493 | 00.0 |
| May | 42108 | 2780 | 3594 | 60.2 |
| Jun | 39102 | 2780 | 3391 | 632.5 |
| Jul | 3493 | 2576 | 2985 | 1305.1 |
| Aug | 3188 | 2475 | 2882 | 2238.8 |
| Sep | 3188 | 2474 | 2781 | 1777.0 |
| Oct | 3391 | 2373 | 2882 | 522.0 |
| Nov | 3494 | 2067 | 2781 | 20.1 |
| Dec | 3493 | 1763 | 2678 | 00.0 |
| Year | 42108 | 1763 | 2985 | 65426 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18% | 38% | 5.3 | 11:24 |
| Feb | 15% | 33% | 6.0 | 11:41 |
| Mar | 15% | 31% | 6.7 | 12:01 |
| Apr | 18% | 38% | 7.0 | 12:26 |
| May | 26% | 51% | 6.7 | 12:46 |
| Jun | 47% | 64% | 6.1 | 12:56 |
| Jul | 69% | 73% | 5.6 | 12:52 |
| Aug | 81% | 78% | 5.3 | 12:35 |
| Sep | 84% | 67% | 5.4 | 12:11 |
| Oct | 75% | 50% | 5.6 | 11:48 |
| Nov | 50% | 38% | 5.4 | 11:28 |
| Dec | 31% | 39% | 5.1 | 11:19 |
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 Tambacounda is like
The warmest month is May, with an average high of 42 °C108 °F and a low of 27 °C80 °F. The coldest is December, when highs average 34 °C93 °F and lows 17 °C63 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 9.1 °C16.4 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
Annual precipitation is moderate at about 654 mm26 in. The wettest three-month stretch is July–September, which brings 81% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: November–May. The wettest month is August (223 mm8.8 in), the driest is December (0 mm0.0 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 15% in March to 84% in September. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 31%) are typical of March. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 5 km/h (3 mph) in October to 13 km/h (8 mph) in February. Daylight lasts from about 11.3 hours in December to 12.9 hours in June.
Best time to visit Tambacounda
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are October and December: average highs of 33 °C91 °F to 34 °C93 °F with 0 mm0.0 in to 52 mm2.0 in of precipitation per month.
The most challenging month is April, which is hot, with average highs of 42 °C108 °F.
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to 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 Tambacounda
- Wetter months (June–September) — highs 3188 to 39 °C102 °F, lows 2474 to 27 °C80 °F, about 148 mm5.8 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 (October–May) — highs 3391 to 42 °C108 °F, lows 1763 to 27 °C80 °F, about 8 mm0.3 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water.
How Tambacounda compares
Compared with Kayes, about 251 km to the east, Tambacounda has practically the same average temperature and receives 7% less precipitation (654 mm26 in vs 707 mm28 in). The difference is largest in May (1.3 °C2.3 °F cooler).
Of the 12 places in Senegal covered by World Climates, Tambacounda is the warmest by annual mean temperature and the 4th wettest by annual precipitation. See all of them on the Senegal climate page.
Places in other countries with the most similar temperature and rainfall pattern: Kayes (Mali, BSh), Gereida (Sudan, BSh) and El Daein (Sudan, BSh).
Nearby places
- Kolda 169 km · 28 °C82 °F · 1,093 mm43 in
- Kayes 251 km · 29 °C85 °F · 707 mm28 in
- Kaolack 263 km · 27 °C81 °F · 725 mm29 in
- Touba 267 km · 28 °C83 °F · 553 mm22 in
- Diourbel 294 km · 28 °C82 °F · 636 mm25 in
- Bissau 298 km · 27 °C80 °F · 1,556 mm61 in
- Labé 311 km · 23 °C73 °F · 1,727 mm68 in
- Ziguinchor 312 km · 27 °C80 °F · 1,340 mm53 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Tambacounda?
May is the warmest month in Tambacounda, with an average high of 42 °C (108 °F) and an average low of 27 °C (80 °F).
What is the coldest month in Tambacounda?
December is the coldest month, with an average high of 34 °C (93 °F) and an average low of 17 °C (63 °F).
When does it rain the most in Tambacounda?
August is the wettest month with about 223 mm (8.8 in) of precipitation; December is the driest with about 0 mm (0.0 in).
What is the best time to visit Tambacounda?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are October and December.
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 — most of all 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.