Yaoundé climate
Yaoundé (Cameroon) has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). The average temperature over the year is 23 °C73 °F, and about 1,474 mm58 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Yaoundé climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2882 | 1865 | 2373 | 140.6 |
| Feb | 2883 | 1967 | 2475 | 401.6 |
| Mar | 2781 | 2068 | 2475 | 1174.6 |
| Apr | 2780 | 2068 | 2374 | 1646.5 |
| May | 2680 | 2068 | 2374 | 1495.9 |
| Jun | 2678 | 1967 | 2272 | 1194.7 |
| Jul | 2577 | 1865 | 2271 | 1154.5 |
| Aug | 2577 | 1865 | 2271 | 1686.6 |
| Sep | 2577 | 1966 | 2272 | 2128.4 |
| Oct | 2678 | 1967 | 2272 | 2319.1 |
| Nov | 2679 | 1967 | 2373 | 1265.0 |
| Dec | 2781 | 1965 | 2373 | 180.7 |
| Year | 2883 | 1865 | 2373 | 1,47458 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 77% | 64% | 5.0 | 11:55 |
| Feb | 81% | 74% | 4.9 | 11:00 |
| Mar | 86% | 82% | 4.9 | 12:05 |
| Apr | 88% | 83% | 4.9 | 12:12 |
| May | 88% | 82% | 4.7 | 12:18 |
| Jun | 88% | 82% | 4.0 | 12:21 |
| Jul | 88% | 83% | 3.7 | 12:19 |
| Aug | 90% | 86% | 3.7 | 12:14 |
| Sep | 90% | 87% | 4.3 | 12:08 |
| Oct | 89% | 87% | 4.5 | 12:02 |
| Nov | 86% | 77% | 4.6 | 11:56 |
| Dec | 80% | 66% | 4.8 | 11:54 |
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 Yaoundé is like
The warmest month is February, with an average high of 28 °C83 °F and a low of 19 °C67 °F. The coldest is August, when highs average 25 °C77 °F and lows 18 °C65 °F. Temperatures barely change through the year: the warmest and the coolest month differ by only 2.2 °C4 °F.
It is wet, with about 1,474 mm58 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is August–October, which brings 42% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: December and January. The wettest month is October (231 mm9.1 in), the driest is January (14 mm0.6 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 77% in January to 90% in September. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 64%) are typical of January. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 3 km/h (2 mph) in November to 5 km/h (3 mph) in August.
Best time to visit Yaoundé
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are December–February. Average highs then reach 27 °C81 °F to 28 °C83 °F. Precipitation is 14 mm0.6 in to 40 mm1.6 in per month.
The most challenging month is October, which is very wet (231 mm9.1 in) and humid (89% 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 Yaoundé
- Wetter months (April and May, August–November) — highs 2577 to 27 °C80 °F, lows 1865 to 20 °C68 °F, about 175 mm6.9 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Drier months (December–March, June and July) — highs 2577 to 28 °C83 °F, lows 1865 to 20 °C68 °F, about 70 mm2.8 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses.
How Yaoundé compares
The nearest larger place is Douala, about 202 km to the west. Compared with it, Yaoundé is on average 3.7 °C6.7 °F cooler. It receives 40% less precipitation (1,474 mm58 in vs 2,452 mm97 in). The difference is largest in December (4.1 °C7.3 °F cooler).
World Climates covers 13 places in Cameroon. By annual mean temperature, Yaoundé is the 7th warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 11th wettest. See all of them on the Cameroon climate page.
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 Sengerema (Tanzania, Aw), Isiro (DR Congo, Am) and Bukoba (Tanzania, Aw).
Nearby places
- Climate in Ébolowa 115 km · 24 °C75 °F · 1,591 mm63 in
- Climate in Edéa 154 km · 26 °C80 °F · 2,452 mm97 in
- Climate in Douala 202 km · 26 °C80 °F · 2,452 mm97 in
- Climate in Nkongsamba 213 km · 22 °C72 °F · 3,065 mm121 in
- Climate in Bafoussam 217 km · 19 °C66 °F · 1,973 mm78 in
- Climate in Kumba 245 km · 25 °C77 °F · 2,912 mm115 in
- Climate in Bertoua 253 km · 24 °C76 °F · 1,303 mm51 in
- Climate in Buea 254 km · 21 °C70 °F · 2,553 mm100 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Yaoundé?
February is the warmest month in Yaoundé. Its average high is 28 °C (83 °F) and its average low is 19 °C (67 °F).
What is the coldest month in Yaoundé?
August is the coldest month. Its average high is 25 °C (77 °F) and its average low is 18 °C (65 °F).
When does it rain the most in Yaoundé?
October is the wettest month with about 231 mm (9.1 in) of precipitation. January is the driest with about 14 mm (0.6 in).
What is the best time to visit Yaoundé?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are December–February.
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.
The grid cell’s average elevation is 589 m, while Yaoundé lies at about 726 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by −0.9 °C1.6 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.