Senegal Weather

Senegal climate

Senegal has a tropical climate with a distinct dry season from November to May and a wet season from June to October driven by the West African Monsoon. Dakar, perched on the Cap-Vert peninsula, benefits from cooling Atlantic breezes that keep temperatures between 18-31°C, making it one of the more temperate West African capitals. The coastal location also brings higher humidity and occasional sea fog during the cooler months.

Rainfall increases dramatically from north to south across Senegal. The northern Sahel region around Saint-Louis receives less than 350mm annually and is prone to desertification, while the lush Casamance region in the south receives over 1,200mm. The interior Ferlo region experiences some of the country's most extreme temperatures, with dry-season readings frequently exceeding 40°C before the monsoon arrives.

Senegal's position on Africa's westernmost point makes it the first landfall for weather systems crossing the Atlantic, including African Easterly Waves that can develop into tropical cyclones over the ocean. Flooding has become an increasingly serious problem in Dakar's rapidly expanding suburbs during intense monsoon rains. Weather Scope helps Senegalese users monitor monsoon progression, severe storms, and temperature extremes across this climatically varied West African nation.