In Togo the climate is tropical, with a winter dry season, and a rainy season, due to the African monsoon, which runs from April to October in the centre and from May to October in the north, while along the coast there is a marked decrease in the rainfall from July to September.
The rainfall amount ranges from 900 millimetres (35.5 inches) per year on the coast, to 1,000 mm (40 in) in the far north (Savanes Region), to 1,300/1,400 mm (51/55 in) in the central and northern inland areas, and reaches about 2,000 mm (80 in) in the western part of the Plateaux Region.

In the centre and north, winter is hot and dry, with maximum temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F). The prevailing wind, the Harmattan, blows from the desert, bringing sand and dust. Sometimes the temperature can approach 40 °C (104 °F), while in other situations it can get cool at night, so that lows can drop to 10 °C (50 °F) or even a little below.
Here are the average temperatures of Sokodé, located in the north-central, at 340 metres (1,100 feet) above sea level.

Starting from February, the temperature increases, reaching easily 37/38 °C (99/100 °F); in March and April the first showers begin to break out, which come from the south, and prevent the temperature from rising further, sometimes, however, it exceeds 40 °C (104 °F), especially in the north where the rains arrive later. Rainfall exceeds 100 mm (4 in) per month starting from April in the centre and from May in the north. The rains continue to increase in intensity and frequency, peaking between July and September, when they typically exceed 200 mm (8 in) per month.
Here is the average precipitation in Sokodé.

Consequently, the amount of sunshine touches its minimum from July to September, as can be seen in the following table.

In summer the humidity is highest, but the temperature is lowest, so that highs in July and August range around 30 °C (86 °F) in the extreme north (see Dapaong), and drop below this value in the centre. Therefore, summer is the least hot season (in Togo and in French-speaking tropical countries, the rainy season is called "hivernage", which means "wintering"), even though it's the muggiest.
In the center-south, in the Plateaux Region, there are hilly areas, which culminate with Mount Agou (or Baumann), 986 meters (3,235 feet) high. Above the 500 meters (1,600 feet), during the summer rains, which here are also more abundant, it can be quite cool.
The rains withdraw during the month of October, starting from the north. The humid wind from the south is replaced by the drier, but hotter, north-east wind.

Along the coast the climate is slightly different. The temperature is more stable, so that in the capital Lomé, highs in winter are around 32 °C (90 °F); the warming in spring is less intense than in the north, then the temperatures drop to 28/29 °C (82/84 °F) from June to September. Winter is moist because of the breeze, but sometimes the Harmattan can arrive here as well. In summer the heat is tempered by sea breezes.
Here are the average temperatures in Lomé.

The rains from March to June increase rapidly, so that June is the rainiest month, with about 200 mm (8 in), but then rainfall declines, reaching a minimum in August, while it rises again from mid-September to late October, when in any case it does not exceed 100/120 mm (4/4.7 in) per month. However, the sky remains often cloudy and the humidity is high even in August. In Lomé, 900 mm (35.5 in) of rain fall in a year, so the amount of rain that falls on the coast is the lowest of the entire country, because of the summer break. In the eastern part of the coast, the rains are a bit more abundant: in Grand Popo, rainfall amounts to 1,150 mm (45 in) per year. Here is the average precipitation in Lomé.

Along the coast the sun shines quite often in the dry season, however, a bit of cloudiness can form even in this season. From July to September, the sky is often cloudy, even though in this part of the country the rains decrease.



For swimming, the sea in Togo is warm all year round. Near shallows, sea currents can be dangerous.

When to go

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The best time to visit Togo is from November to January: the air is dry and the weather is usually good. It is true that it's hot during the day, especially in the north, but less than in the following period, from February to May.
The worst period, being the rainiest, goes from May to June on the coast, and July to September in the interior.

What to pack

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In winter: in Lomé and the coast, light clothes for the day, a light sweatshirt for the evening, light scarf for the wind full of dust. In the north, light clothing, a sweatshirt and a light jacket for the evening, light scarf or turban for the desert wind.

In summer: light clothing, made of natural fibres, a light sweatshirt and a light raincoat for the rain showers; for women it's better to avoid shorts and miniskirts.