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Climate - Nigeria


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine

Flag - Nigeria

Map - Nigeria

You are here: Home --> Africa --> Nigeria



Index


  • Introduction
  • North - Kano
  • The center - Abuja, Jos
  • The coast - Lagos

Introduction



In Nigeria, the climate is tropical, semi-arid in the far north, and progressively rainier as you move southward.
In fact, there is a rainy season due to the African monsoon, which is progressively longer and more intense from north to south. In the north (see Sokoto, Kano, Maiduguri), the rainy season lasts only four months, from June to September; in the center (see Abuja), it goes from April to October; while in the south (see Lagos, Benin City, Port Harcourt), it goes from March to October; and finally, in the south-east, which is the wettest area (see Calabar), it goes from March to November.
Annual precipitation is below 500 millimeters (20 inches) in the extreme north-east, on the shores of Lake Chad, it ranges from 1,000 to 1,500 mm (40 to 60 in) in the central region, it exceeds 2,000 mm (80 in) in the south, and it even exceeds 3,000 mm (120 in) in the far south-east (the map below shows the average rainfall, in millimeters on the left and in inches on the right). It follows that the vegetation varies considerably, in fact, in the north, we find the semi-arid Sahelian landscape, the savannah in the center, the forests in the south, and the mangroves in the Niger Delta and the coastal areas. In the north, but especially in the far north-east, in the area of Lake Chad, where the rains are not very heavy even in summer, there is an alternation of rainy and sunny periods, during which the heat returns to be intense, even in the rainy season.
The rains cease in mid-September in the far north, and during the month of October in the center, while they linger until November in the far south. Along with sunny weather, hot and dry conditions return in the center-north, while in the south, the humidity remains higher because of the influence of the sea.

Rainfall in Nigeria

The temperatures also vary in a remarkable way depending on the climatic zones. In the north, winter is warm and dry; it can get uncomfortably hot during the day, up to 40 °C (104 °F), but it's usually cool at night, and it can even get cold in the northern hilly areas, where cold records are around freezing (0 °C or 32 °F). By February, the heat increases in all the inland areas, and it becomes scorching in the center-north from March to May, when temperatures can easily reach 40 °C (104 °F). On the contrary, in the south, the increase in temperature is limited, both because of the proximity to the ocean and because the rain showers begin earlier. The rains increase in intensity and frequency and gradually move to the north, until they affect all the country in June. In the area where the wet front advances, clashing with the existing hot and dry air mass, small tornadoes may form. From June to September, the air is humid and the sky is usually cloudy throughout the country; temperatures are uniform, and are everywhere around 28/30 °C (82/86 °F); the daytime temperatures are lower than in winter, but relative humidity is higher.

The north



In the north, winter nights are cool, and sometimes even cold. From March to May, the temperatures increase rapidly, and the heat becomes scorching; in summer, when the monsoon arrives, the temperature decreases, but at the same time, the humidity increases.

Kano

Here are the average temperatures of Kano, located at 500 meters (1,600 feet) above sea level, in the north.
Kano - Average temperatures
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January123021548669.8
February143323.5579174.3
March183727.5649981.5
April223930.57210286.9
May233830.57310086.9
June223428729382.4
July213126708878.8
August202924.5688476.1
September213126708878.8
October193426.5669379.7
November153424.5599376.1
December123121.5548870.7
Year18.333.425.864.992.178.5

In Kano, precipitation doesn't reach 900 mm (35.5 in) per year. Here is the average precipitation.
Kano - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January000
February000
March20.10
April100.41
May702.86
June1154.57
July2058.112
August31012.217
September1405.510
October130.51
November000
December000
Year86534.154

In Kano, the sun shines all year round, but in summer, the sunshine hours decrease a little because of the monsoon. July and August, in addition to being the wettest months, are also the least sunny.
Kano - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January8245
February8230
March7.5240
April8235
May8.5265
June8.5260
July7.5230
August7220
September8240
October8.5265
November9265
December8.5260
Year8.12955

The center



In the center, winter is hot, with highs around 33/35 °C (91/95 °F) in December and January. In this period, the Harmattan often blows, a wind able to bring dust from the desert and to reduce visibility. But then, the monsoon arrives earlier, so much so that the temperature begins to decrease already during the month of April.

Abuja

Here are the average temperatures in Abuja, the capital, located in the center of the country, at 500 meters (1,600 feet) above sea level.
Abuja - Average temperatures
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January203527.5689581.5
February263731.5799988.7
March243730.5759986.9
April253630.5779786.9
May203326.5689179.7
June183124.5648876.1
July222925.5728477.9
August182923.5648474.3
September183024648675.2
October213226.5709079.7
November163425619377
December163525.5619577.9
Year20.333.126.6568.591.780

In Abuja, rainfall amounts to 1,200 mm (47 in) per year, including more than 100 mm (4 in) per month from May to October. Here is the average rainfall.
Abuja - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January20.10
February50.20
March100.41
April652.64
May1355.39
June1656.512
July2208.714
August26510.416
September2551016
October1054.18
November50.20
December100
Year12204882

In the central area, where the rainy season is longer, the sunshine hours decrease for a longer period.
Abuja - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January8250
February8.5235
March7.5230
April7215
May7.5225
June6.5200
July5160
August5150
September6180
October8245
November9.5280
December9285
Year7.32650

Zuma Rock

Jos

In the Jos Plateau, in the center of the country, the temperature is fairly mild: in Jos, the capital of the Plateau State, located at 1,200 meters (3,900 feet), daytime temperatures range from 28 °C (82 °F) in January to 31/32 °C (88/90 °F) in March and April, while they drop to around 24/25 °C (75/77 °F) in July and August.
Jos - Average temperatures
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January142821578269.8
February163023618673.4
March183225649077
April193125668877
May182923.5648474.3
June182722.5648172.5
July172521637769.8
August172420.5637568.9
September172722638171.6
October172923638473.4
November162922.5618472.5
December142821578269.8
Year16.728.222.4562.182.872.5

The altitude enhances atmospheric instability in the rainy months, so the rains are more abundant than in surrounding areas, and they range from 1,300 mm (51 in) per year in the state capital to more than 1,500 mm (60 in) in the rest of the plateau.

On the border with Cameroon, there is a mountainous area, where the Gashaka Gumti National Park is located, and the highest peak is Chappal Waddi, 2,419 meters (7,936 feet) high. Here, it's cool above 1,500 meters (5,000 feet).

The coast



In the south, in cities located in the coastal area (Lagos, Benin City, Port Harcourt, Calabar), winter is hot, with highs around 30/32 °C (86/90 °F), but it's also more humid, though tempered by afternoon breezes; here, cloudy skies are frequent, at least in the morning, while in the north and center, as mentioned, the winter is sunny. Sometimes, however, the Harmattan can arrive also on the coast. In this area, the temperature in spring does not increase almost at all, both because of the presence of the sea and because the rains begin early.

Harmattan in Lagos

Lagos

In Lagos, a large metropolis, where the urban heat island effect is noticeable, in addition to moisture coming from the sea and the lagoon, the heat is particularly unpleasant, but at least, being on the coast, it receives the breeze from the sea as well. Here are the average temperatures of Lagos.
Lagos - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January233428.3739282.9
February253429.3779384.7
March263429.7789385.5
April253329.2779284.6
May243228.1769082.7
June243026.8748680.2
July232926.1748479
August232926748478.8
September232926.4748579.5
October233127748780.6
November243328.4759183
December243428.6749283.4
Year23.931.727.7575.18982

In the western part of the coast, between mid-July and late August, the rains diminish a bit: in Lagos, June is the wettest month with 310 mm (12 in), then the rainfall decreases to 255 mm (10 in) in July and to 110 mm (4.3 in) in August, but the sky remains cloudy and moisture high. Here is the average precipitation in Lagos.
Lagos - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January150.62
February401.63
March7536
April1405.59
May2058.112
June31012.216
July2551013
August1104.312
September1656.513
October1355.311
November552.25
December200.81
Year154060.6103

In Lagos, and in general in the south of Nigeria, the sun does not shine very often, even in the dry period, while in the rainy season, the sky is often cloudy.
Lagos - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January5.5165
February6170
March5.5175
April6180
May5.5175
June4115
July3100
August3.5110
September4115
October5.5165
November6185
December6190
Year5.11845

The sea in Nigeria is warm enough to swim in all year round, although care must be taken with regard to the currents. However, as mentioned, the sun does not shine very often on the coast, even in the dry months. Here are the average sea temperatures near Lagos.
Lagos - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January2882
February2883
March2984
April2984
May2985
June2882
July2679
August2678
September2679
October2882
November2984
December2883
Year27.982.2

In the southeast, the rainiest region, the decrease in rainfall in July and August doesn't occur: in Calabar, where 3,000 mm (120 in) of rain fall per year, rainfall remains around 400 mm (16 in) per month from June to September. In the south-east of Nigeria, the Cross River National Park is a hilly area, wet and covered with forests.

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