Climate and Temperature
The Gambia has a
sub-tropical climate with two
variations of distinct dry and rainy seasons. The
dry season,
known locally as "Harmattan",
generally starts around mid-October and ends around mid-June each
year. Fanned by the north-east trade winds the average daytime
temperature along the Atlantic beach coastal resorts is 24 Centigrade / 75.2
Fahrenheit. The average daytime temperature for the whole country is
32°C / 91°F. In the evenings the temperature drops to around 16°C /
60°F. There are about 9 hours of sunshine everyday.
Between
January
to May the humidity level  is at 50-60%. This period of weather is
characterised by several phases. The first half of this period is
generally cool and dry and the early
stages can sometimes be marked by
cloudy days but no rain and there is considerable cooling off in the
evening. The second half is
marked by very cool, dry winds in the evenings and warm sunny days on
the coast. Up-country, between February and May, the climate is
characterised by the so called
Harmattan is characterised by very dry, dusty winds which adds a haze
to the atmosphere making visibility difficult (50m.) and puts a blanket of
fine dust particles (from the Sahara and Sahel) over the land.
 The other
distinct climatic season is the rainy
season,
known locally as "Nawet", which
is caused by the summer heat causing the air in the Sahara to rise
thus creating an area of low pressure which encourages monsoons as it
meets with the north east trade winds coming of the Atlantic Ocean in
an inter-tropical front. This rainy period starts around the
middle of
June and ends around the middle of October with August being the
wettest month of the year. Relative humidity levels can rise to 95%
and temperatures can reach a skin tingling 43°C / 109.4 °F. The annual
precipitation in most parts of the country is around 51 inches (1,296 Millimetres) and sunny periods occur on most days.
The storms are very often short and spectacular as huge volumes of
rain descend on the land transforming from brown parched patches to a
to a rich green landscape of foliage. Normally the cloudbursts occur
during the night time and when they occur during the day they are
short-lived leaving clear blue skies. For birdwatchers and anglers
this is the best time to come and visit Gambia as the land and
wildlife burst into life.
Be Prepared
Because of the rainy weather at this time of the year it also becomes the malaria season as mosquito
populations run rampant and it is advisable to rub some insect
repellent particularly during the hours of dusk. The high humidity in
August and September causes the atmosphere to feel unbearably sticky
so when venturing outdoors drink plenty of water.
See also
Advice
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Today's Current Weather Conditions |
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Average Mean Conditions: |
| Temperature average |
24°C / 75°F |
| Day Temperatures |
32°C / 89°F |
| Night Temperatures |
16°C / 61°F |
| Sunlight Hours |
8.41 |
| Daytime humidity |
84% |
| Rainfall |
1,296 millimetres |
| Wind speed |
5.77 mph |
| Barometer air pressure |
29.8 |
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Banjul station geographical
coordinates: |
Longitude: -16.63 W
Latitude: 13.20 N |
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What to wear
 The best clothes to bring along
to Gambia are casual and loose fitting,
preferably cotton shorts and T-shirts for more comfort. A hat is also
recommended as protection against the sun. During the winter months
the evenings can sometimes be quite cool and breezy, so a sweater or jacket may
be useful. |
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