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Climate - Cape Verde


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine

Flag - Cape Verde

Map - Cape Verde

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Index


  • Introduction
  • Barlavento Islands - Mindelo
  • Sotavento Islands - Praia
  • Hurricanes

Introduction



In the Cape Verde Archipelago, the climate is very unusual, in fact, it is tropical arid, with temperatures generally not too high despite the latitude. This happens both because of a cool sea current and because of the trade winds, which steadily blow from the northeast, especially from November to May.
The islands are divided into two groups: in the north, the Barlavento or Windward Islands (Santo Antão, São Vicente, Santa Luzia, São Nicolau, Ilha do Sal, Boa Vista), which have a more arid climate, and in the south, the Sotavento or Leeward Islands (Maio, Santiago, Fogo, Brava), which are a bit more rainy. The Barlavento Islands to the north are definitely desert, since they receive less than 100 millimeters (4 inches) of rain per year, while the southern islands receive between 200 and 300 mm (8 and 12 in) of rain, so their climate is semi-desert.
In both groups of islands, in lowland areas and along the coasts, there are rare rains concentrated in the period from August to October (and sometimes also in July), which is also the warmest time of the year. The rains are quite irregular, which means that during certain years, the rains are very scarce or absent, while during other years, there may be heavy rainfall, usually concentrated in a few days (or even just one), which may result in landslides and flooding, also because of the scarcity of vegetation, as occurred for example in September 2012 in Sal and Boa Vista.
As for the temperature in Cape Verde, there is a hot and muggy period from July to November, and a more temperate and dry period from December to June, during which the north-east trade winds constantly blow. During the coolest season, from January to March, daytime temperatures are around 23/24 °C (73/75 °F) on the Barlavento islands and around 26/27 °C (79/81 °F) on the Sotavento islands, while night minima are a few degrees lower, around 19/20 °C (66/68 °F).
In Cape Verde, the weather is rarely very hot, however, the temperature can sometimes reach 35/37 °C (95/99 °F) from May to October, when the wind blows from the African continent.
The north-east trade winds begin to blow in November and gradually lower the temperature; the wind attracts fans of windsurfing and kitesurfing especially on the eastern islands (Santa Maria, Boa Vista), from November to May. Sometimes, weather conditions change and the trade winds are replaced by the Harmattan, a dry wind that blows from the Saharan desert, and can bring dust and sand storms, reducing visibility and hampering human activities.
Even during the dry period, from December to June, on the northern slopes of hills and mountains, a bit of cloudiness can form, and a bit of rain or drizzle can fall. In fact, Cape Verde is a volcanic archipelago, and in some of them, we find mountains, the highest of which is Pico de Fogo, 2,829 meters (9,282 feet) high, on the island of Fogo: on the northern slopes of the island, there is even a bit of greenery. On the island of Santiago, where Praia is located, we find Pico da Antónia, 1,394 meters (4,573 feet), while in Santo Antao, we find Topo da Coroa, 1,979 meters (6,493 feet), and Pico da Cruz, 1,585 meters (5,200 feet), and finally, in São Nicolau, we find Monte Gordo, 1,312 meters (4,304 feet).

Barlavento Islands


As we mentioned, the northern islands (Santo Antão, São Vicente, Santa Luzia, São Nicolau, Ilha do Sal, Boa Vista) are a little cooler and more arid than the southern ones.

Mindelo

In Mindelo, on the northern (Barlavento) island of São Vicente, only 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain fall per year, with a maximum of 35 mm (1.4 in) in September. Here is the average precipitation.
Mindelo - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January50.21
February000
March000
April001
May000
June000
July50.21
August150.64
September351.45
October150.62
November50.22
December002
Year853.318

Here are the average temperatures of Mindelo.
Mindelo - Average temperatures (1981-2010)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January202321.6687471
February202321.4677470.5
March202422687571.7
April202421.8677571.3
May212522.9707773.2
June222523.6717874.6
July232725738177
August242826.2758379.2
September252926.8778480.2
October242826.1768279
November232725748077
December222523.4717774.2
Year21.925.823.871.578.475

On the northern islands, the sea is warm in summer, while it becomes a bit cool in the winter months, when it drops to 22.5 °C (72.5 °F).
Mindelo - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January2374
February2272
March2272
April2373
May2374
June2475
July2577
August2679
September2780
October2780
November2679
December2476
Year24.576

Cape Verde, Mindelo

Sotavento Islands


Praia

The southern islands (Maio, Santiago, Fogo, Brava) are slightly warmer, as we can see from the temperatures of the capital, Praia, located on the island of Santiago.
Praia - Average temperatures (1981-2010)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January192622.9678073.2
February202723.2678173.8
March202824688375.2
April192823.7678374.7
May212924.8698476.6
June223025.6718578.1
July233026.2738579.1
August243027.2758780.9
September243127.6768881.6
October243127.3748881.1
November223026.1728579
December212824.2698275.6
Year21.52925.270.784.277.5

In Praia, located on the Sotavento Islands, ie the rainiest ones, 175 mm (7 in) of rain fall per year, of which 60 mm (2.4 in) fall in August and in September. Here is the average precipitation.
Praia - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January50.21
February000
March000
April000
May000
June000
July100.42
August602.47
September602.47
October301.24
November50.22
December50.21
Year1756.924

The amount of sunshine in Cape Verde is high all year round, but it's slightly better between March and June. Between July and early October, ie the warmest and relatively rainy period, the sky may be cloudy for longer or shorter periods. In Praia, between July and September, the amount of sunshine drops to 6/7 hours per day, while on the northern islands, less affected by cloud banks, it remains a little higher (7/8 hours). Here are the average sunshine hours per day in Praia.
Praia - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January7225
February8.5235
March9280
April9.5285
May10305
June9.5280
July7215
August6.5200
September7215
October8245
November8235
December6.5205
Year82930

The temperature of the sea in Praia is high in summer, while it becomes a bit cool in winter, but still acceptable for swimming, as can be seen in the following table.
Praia - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January2475
February2373
March2373
April2374
May2474
June2476
July2678
August2781
September2882
October2882
November2780
December2577
Year25.177.1

Hurricanes



In the ocean to the south of Cape Verde, we find the area where hurricanes, the tropical cyclones of the Atlantic, start to form; after they are formed, they move towards the west or the northwest and head to the Caribbean. Some of them can brush the islands of Cape Verde, or they can directly hit them, especially the southern ones, although when they hit them, they are usually still in the stage of tropical depression, and typically reach hurricane intensity when they are in the open ocean. However, the period when Cape Verde has been affected by tropical depressions and cyclones in the past goes from early August to September 20 (once, it also occurred in early October), with a maximum from August 25 to September 15.

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