In Mali, there are three types of climate:
1- the desert climate of the Sahara in the north;
2- the semi-desert climate of the Sahel in the center, with a rainy season from June to September, and rainfall ranging from 100 to 600 millimeters (4 to 23.5 inches) per year;
3- the tropical climate of the savanna in the south, with a more intense and a bit longer rainy season (May and October), and rainfall exceeding 600 mm (23.5 in).

Index

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• The north - Taoudenni, Tessalit
• The center - Timbuktu
• The south - Bamako
• Best Time
• What to pack

The north

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The vast northern area (zone 1 on the map), virtually lacking settlements except for a few rare oases, is occupied by the desert, and has an average temperature in January between 15 and 20 °C (59 and 68 °F), with some cold nights in the winter months (the cold records are around freezing), while in summer it's scorchingly hot.

Taoudenni

In the extreme north-west, the climate is typical of the Sahara desert, and July is the hottest month. It almost never rains, although in summer some cloud banks can affect this area and very few downpours can occur. Here are the average temperatures of Taoudenni.

More to the south, the temperature decreases slightly in July and August because this area can be more often affected by a bit of cloudiness and some rare showers.

Tessalit

Here are the average temperatures of the northern city of Tessalit, located in the north-east, 500 meters (1,600 feet) above sea level.

The cloudiness and the rare showers in the summer period are caused by the extreme offshoots of the African summer monsoon, which brings damp winds inland from the Atlantic Ocean, but up here they are not felt much.
Here is the average precipitation in Tessalit.

The sun in Tessalit shines all year round, but in summer the hours of sunshine do not increase, or decrease slightly, even though the days are a bit longer.

The center

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In the intermediate central area (zone 2), the climate is tropical, since the average temperature in January is equal to or higher than 20 °C (68 °F). Here the hottest months are April, May and June, when the maximum temperature normally exceeds 40 °C (104 °F), but with peaks of 47/48 °C (117/118 °F), while later, when the monsoon comes, it is able to lower the temperature by a few degrees, and to bring some downpours, more intense and frequent than in the northern area. This area, which stretches from west to east, south of the Sahara, is called Sahel.

Timbuktu

In Timbuktu (or Tombouctou), the legendary city of the past Mali Empire, 180 mm (7 in) of rain fall per year, almost all from June to September, with a maximum of 75 mm (3 in) in August.
Here is the average precipitation.

After the rainy season, which here is still characterized by high temperatures, around 35/36 °C (95/97 °F), between September and October the heat increases slightly again, to around 37/38 °C (99/100 °F), but with peaks above 45 °C (113 °F); in the winter months, the temperatures decrease, and hover between 27 °C and 30 °C (81 °F and 86 °F). Winter is the only period of the year when the heat is not scorching; the sky is usually clear, even though a wind from the north-east often blows, the Harmattan, which raises dust and sand, making the sky appear whitish. What allowed the development of a flourishing city such as Timbuktu over the past centuries, has not been the moderate summer rainfall, but rather the big Niger River, whose headwaters are in the mountains of Guinea, and which flows in this semi-desert area, then bends and returns to the south.
Here are the average temperatures in Timbuktu.

In Timbuktu, the sun shines all year round; however, in summer the hours of sunshine diminish slightly.



Continuing south, the summer rains become more abundant. Already in Mopti, in the area of the "Inner Niger Delta", the rainfall amounts to 500 mm (20 in) per year.

The south

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In the southern area (zone 3), rainfall exceeds 600 mm (23.5 in) per year, and in the extreme south as many as 1,000 mm (40 in).

Bamako

In the capital, Bamako, the annual precipitation reaches 1,000 mm (40 in), and the rainy season is a little longer, with the first pre-monsoon showers already in May, a maximum of 300 mm (12 in) in August, and the last rains in early October. Here is the average precipitation.

In the southern area, the summer temperature is lower because of rainfall and cloud cover, in fact, highs hover around 30/32 °C (86/90 °F), while in winter the southern sun raises the daytime temperature to around 33 °C (91 °F), even though the air is dry and nights are quite cool. In Bamako, the hottest month is April, with highs around 40 °C (104 °F), while owing to the first thunderstorms, already in May the temperature drops a bit.

In Bamako, the sunshine hours in summer diminish a bit more than in the central areas, and August is the least sunny month.

Best Time

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The best time to visit Mali is winter, from December to February. In February, the heat rises and it starts to get hot in the south, while in January the sandstorms raised by the Harmattan begin to be more frequent in the north-central, so all in all the best month is December. However, in this season the nights can be cold in the north, where the temperature may drop near freezing at night, while in Bamako and in the south it can get to around 8/10 °C (46/50 °F).

What to pack

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In winter: bring light clothes for the day, long and made of natural fabric (cotton or linen), a desert turban for the wind-borne sand and dust, sunglasses (even graduated instead of contact lenses), a jacket and a sweater for the evening, desert boots or sandals, a sweatshirt or sweater for boat trips on the Niger River.

In summer: for the desert, bring lightweight clothes, of natural fabric (cotton or linen), a desert turban; a sweater for the night, a sleeping bag to sleep outdoors. For Bamako and the south, light clothes, an umbrella or a light raincoat, and possibly a sweatshirt for the rain showers.
It's better for women to avoid shorts and miniskirts.

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