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Climate - Mali


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine

Flag - Mali

Map - Mali

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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, where the rainy season is a bit longer (May and October) and more intense, and rainfall exceeds 600 mm (23.5 in).

Index


  • The north - Taoudenni, Tessalit
  • The center - Timbuktu
  • The south - Bamako

The north



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 °C and 20 °C (59 °F and 68 °F), with some cold nights in the winter months (the cold records are around freezing), while summer is 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 some cloud banks can affect this area in summer, when very few downpours can occur. Here are the average temperatures of Taoudenni.
Taoudenni - Average temperatures
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January112517.9517764.2
February132921.2568470.1
March173224.7629076.5
April203628.2689782.7
May244032.47610590.2
June274435.58111095.9
July2945378511298.5
August284335.88311096.5
September2741348010793.2
October233730739985.9
November173124628875.1
December112618.4537865.2
Year20.735.928.269.296.683

More to the south, in July and August, the temperature decreases slightly 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 and at 500 meters (1,600 feet) above sea level.
Tessalit - Average temperatures
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January122719.5548167.1
February143022578671.6
March183225649077
April223729.5729985.1
May254032.57710490.5
June284335.58210995.9
July274234.58110894.1
August2640337910491.4
September2640337910491.4
October243730.5759986.9
November193326669178.8
December142821578269.8
Year21.335.828.4570.396.483

The cloudiness and the rare showers in the summer period are caused by the extreme offshoots of the African summer monsoon, which brings humid currents from the Atlantic Ocean, but they are not felt much up here.
Here is the average precipitation in Tessalit.
Tessalit - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January100
February000
March000
April000
May20.11
June50.22
July150.63
August301.24
September150.63
October101
November000
December000
Year702.714

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. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.
Tessalit - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January10310
February10280
March10310
April11330
May10310
June9270
July10310
August9280
September9270
October10310
November9270
December9280
Year9.73530

The center



In the 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 is stretched 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 occurring from June to September, with a maximum of 75 mm (3 in) in August. Here is the average precipitation.
Timbuktu - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January100
February000
March000
April101
May50.21
June150.63
July552.27
August7538
September301.25
October50.21
November000
December000
Year1857.225

After the rainy season, which here is still characterized by very high temperatures, the heat increases slightly again between September and October, to around 39 °C (102 °F), but with peaks above 45 °C (113 °F). In the winter months, the maximum temperatures decrease, and hover around 30 °C (86 °F). Winter is the only period of the year when the heat is not scorching; the sky is usually clear, even though the wind from the north-east often blows, the Harmattan, which raises dust and sand, making the sky appear whitish.
The source of water that made it possible for a city like Timbuktu to flourish over the past centuries were certainly not the few summer rains, but it was rather the Niger River, whose headwaters are located 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.
Timbuktu - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January153022.2598572
February173324.9639176.8
March213729709984.3
April254132.77710590.9
May2842358210895
June294235.58510795.9
July273932.98110291.2
August263731.5799888.7
September263932.37910190.2
October243931.97610389.4
November193527.1679580.8
December153123.4608974.1
Year22.73729.8572.998.785.5

In Timbuktu, the sun shines all year round; however, the hours of sunshine diminish slightly in summer.
Timbuktu - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January8.5265
February9250
March8.5270
April8.5255
May9275
June8235
July8250
August8255
September8.5250
October9275
November9275
December8.5260
Year8.53105

Timbuktu

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


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

Bamako

In the capital, Bamako, 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.
Bamako - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January100
February100
March20.11
April200.83
May552.26
June1305.18
July2258.917
August29011.418
September1957.715
October652.66
November50.20
December100
Year9903974

In the southern area, the summer temperature is lower because of rainfall and cloud cover, in fact, highs hover around 31/32 °C (88/90 °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 39 °C (102 °F), while owing to the first thunderstorms, the temperature drops a bit already in May.
Bamako - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January173324.8639176.7
February203627.9689682.2
March233830.77410187.3
April253932.47810390.3
May253831.77810089.1
June233529.2749584.5
July223226.9728980.5
August223126.2718779.2
September223226.8719080.3
October213528709482.3
November183526.7659680.1
December173325629277
Year21.434.727.9570.494.582.5

In summer, the sunshine hours in Bamako diminish more than in the central areas, and August is the least sunny month.
Bamako - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January9280
February9255
March9280
April8240
May7215
June7210
July6185
August5155
September6180
October7215
November8240
December7215
Year7.32675

Further south, in Sikasso, Mali's second largest city, rainfall reaches almost 1,200 mm (47 in) per year.

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 See also (cities or regions):

 Bamako
 Bougouni
 Gao
 Hombori
 Kayes
 Kenieba
 Kita
 Koutiala
 Mopti
 Others (expand)
 Nara
 Nioro
 San
 Segou
 Sikasso
 Timbuktu

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 Algeria
 Burkina Faso
 Guinea
 Ivory Coast
 Mauritania
 Niger
 Senegal

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