Guinea-Bissau Weather and Climate

by bridgat · Published March 12, 2013 · Updated November 19, 2021

According to COUNTRYAAH, Guinea-Bissau is a West African state (36,125 km²). Capital: Bissau. Administrative division: regions (9). Population: 1,424,000 residents (2008 estimate). Language: Portuguese (official), Sudanese dialects, Creole-Portuguese. Religion: Muslims 45.8%, animists / traditional beliefs 39.5%, Christians 14.7%. Monetary unit: CFA franc (100 cents). Human Development Index: 0.383 (171st place). Borders: Senegal (N), Guinea (E and S), Atlantic ocean (W). Member of: CEDEAO, OCI, UN, AU and WTO, EU associate.

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Climate

The climate in Guinea-Bissau is tropical, hot, humid and humid. There are no seasons like ours, but there is a clear distinction between a dry and a rainy season. The rainy season lasts from May to November. Most precipitation with up to 600 mm per month falls in July and August. Strong storms and tropical thunderstorms must be expected towards the end of the rainy season. The dry season, which runs from December to April, is accompanied by the dry and hot Harmattan wind from the Sahara.

The annual precipitation falling from 2,500 to 3,000 mm in the Bijagos archipelago, on the southern coast to 1,500 mm in the north and east.

The temperatures fluctuate only slightly throughout the year and are constantly between 30 and 36 ° C during the day. Even at night they are still a pleasant 20 – 24 ° C. In the dry season the temperatures are usually a little higher; but the humidity is lower in these months, which is why the weather is then perceived as less humid.

The further one moves away from the coast and the moderating influence of the Atlantic, the more both the average temperatures and the temperature fluctuations increase. In the interior of the country, temperatures over 40 ° C can be reached during the day during the dry season. The high temperatures and the lack of precipitation mean that droughts can easily occur in the east of the country.

Best time to visit Guinea-Bissau

The dry season from December to mid-May is particularly recommended for a trip to Guinea-Bissau. The dryness and the lower humidity make a stay in Guinea-Bissau more bearable for European tourists. The road conditions are also considerably better at this time.

Since only a few roads are paved even in the capital Bissau, driving by car and bus is difficult during the rainy season; without an off-road vehicle sometimes nothing works at all during this period. The climate is then very humid because of the high temperatures and the simultaneous high humidity and is perceived as uncomfortable.