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Benin ‘s climate is tropical, hot and humid, because of the extent of the country from north to south, Benin can be divided into two climatic zones: in the north the climate is tropical with a single rainy season, while in the south the climate is sub-equatorial with two dry seasons and two rainy seasons.
THE RAIN SEASON AND THE DRY SEASON
The wettest areas of the country are those along the southern coast of the Atlantic Ocean, the climate here is subequatorial due to the presence of two rainy seasons and two dry seasons. The longest rainy season occurs between April and July, while in August and mid-September it has a short dry season, which gives way to a short rainy season between September and October, finally, from November to March is the longer dry season.
On average along the coast of Benin, there are between 1,300 mm and 1,500 mm of precipitation per year, the month of June is the wettest.
Going to the north the seasons are reduced to two and the rains decrease. In the north of the country the dry season begins in October and ends in April, the rainy season is from May to September, the wettest months are July and August. The average annual rainfall varies between 800 mm and 1,000 mm.
THE TEMPERATURES IN BENIN
The temperatures are especially high along the tropical coast, the seasonal variations are minimal and the humidity is high throughout the year, but decreases during the dry season, making in this period the high temperatures more bearable. The daily temperature range is highest in the north, while to the south is minimal. The average maximum temperatures vary between 32 ° C in the dry season to 28 ° C in the rainy season, while the average minimum temperatures are maintained between 26°C and 23°C.
The Harmattan, a continental wind, warm and dry blowing from the desert between December and March brings dust and sand particles, making skies gray and dusty. The sea water temperature is maintained throughout the year between 29 ° C and 25 ° C.
WHEN TO GO TO BENIN
The best time for a visit of Benin are the driest and less humid months of the dry season, between November and March. Along the coast is pretty good also the month of August.
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BENIN CLIMATE: CLIMATIC TABLES
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| COTONOU (51 meters) | ||||
| Month | Average low (°C) | Average high (°C) | Precip. (mm) | Precip. days |
| January | 23,8 | 30,8 | 9,2 | 1 |
| February | 25,4 | 31,6 | 36,8 | 2 |
| March | 25,9 | 31,9 | 73,8 | 4 |
| April | 25,6 | 31,6 | 137,0 | 7 |
| May | 24,6 | 31,0 | 196,9 | 11 |
| June | 23,7 | 29,2 | 356,0 | 15 |
| July | 23,7 | 28,0 | 147,0 | 8 |
| August | 23,4 | 27,8 | 64,9 | 5 |
| September | 23,6 | 28,4 | 99,0 | 8 |
| October | 23,8 | 29,6 | 126,7 | 8 |
| November | 24,3 | 30,9 | 41,4 | 4 |
| December | 23,8 | 30,8 | 19,6 | 2 |
| YEAR | 24,3 | 30,1 | 1308,3 | 75 |
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| COTONOU | ||||
| Month | Sea Water Temperature °C | |||
| January | 28 | |||
| February | 29 | |||
| March | 29 | |||
| April | 29 | |||
| May | 28 | |||
| June | 26 | |||
| July | 25 | |||
| August | 25 | |||
| September | 26 | |||
| October | 26 | |||
| November | 27 | |||
| December | 28 | |||
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