AI-generatedCotonou at a glance
- Best time
- Dec – Feb
- Warmest month
- Mar · 30°
- Sunshine a year
- 2,240 h
- Rain a year
- 1,288 mm
- Climate
- Tropical
- Time zone
- UTC+1
- Elevation
- 7 m
Climate in Cotonou
Cotonou has a tropical climate: it is warm all year round, and the seasons differ mainly in how much rain falls. March is the warmest month with average highs of 30 °C, while August is the coolest at 26 °C. With around 2,240 hours of sunshine a year, Cotonou is sunny; November is the sunniest month with 7.8 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Fair
Best time to visit: December – February
Keep in mindFrequent rain
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 26°
- Midday, 13:00: about 28°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 28°
- Evening, 20:00: about 26°
- Night, 23:00: about 26°
06:3618:36
Warm enough for a T-shirt in the evening.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 06:23–07:04 · evening 18:08–18:48
- Blue hour
- Morning 06:15–06:23 · evening 18:48–18:57
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
What is the weather like in Cotonou in October?
In October, Cotonou is hot: daytime highs average 28 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 26 days, totalling 160 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Cotonou.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 11 h 59 min06:36 – 18:36
- UV index
- 13 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 31 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 14 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 73 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Time zone
- UTC+1Africa/Porto-Novo
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %89 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %58 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %0 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Insect repellent
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sunshine hours in Cotonou
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 6.5 of 12.0 hours of daylight in Cotonou, 54 % of the day.
Sunshine hours: measured at the weather station 4 km away, averages 1991–2020 (WMO climate normals). Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
UV index in Cotonou
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 13 · extremeAvoid the midday sun; SPF 50+, covering clothes, hat and sunglasses.
The sun is strongest in September (UV 14).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 10 min
- Fair skin
- about 15 min
- Light brown skin
- about 20 min
- Olive skin
- about 25 min
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Rain in Cotonou: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Cotonou has about 26 rainy days with 160 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Cotonou
How breezy and how cloudy Cotonou is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Cotonou typically peaks at 14 km/h during the day: Beaufort 3, light breeze.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 73 % of the sky over Cotonou: mostly cloudy, with about 6.5 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Heat and humidity in Cotonou
How often the day gets hot in Cotonou (30 °C and more), and in which months heat and humidity come together. Tap a month to select it.
Heat calendar
- pleasant
- some hot or muggy days
- often muggy
- often hot
- hot and muggy
In October, Cotonou has about 0 hot days, with an average daytime high of 28 °C: often muggy. The air feels warmer than the thermometer says: light, airy clothes and slow days help.
Hot days reach at least 30 °C; a month counts as muggy when the mean dew point reaches 18 °C on at least 15 days. Averages from ERA5 and ERA5-Land, 1996–2025. Muggy nights through the year
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Cotonou
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Hot 24° and more
- muggy month (10+ muggy days)
HotOctober: nights around 25°. Hot nights: air conditioning makes sleeping much easier. Muggy on about 31 days (dew point 18 °C or more).
The coolest nights are in August (24°), the warmest in March (27°). Nights stay tropical all year (20 °C and more), so a room with air conditioning or at least a fan pays off. It is muggy (dew point 18 °C or more) on about 363 days a year, mostly all year round.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 65 | 30° | 26° | 6.1 h | 8 | 28 |
| FebruaryFeb | 60 | 30° | 26° | 6.7 h | 10 | 37 |
| MarchMar | 46 | 30° | 27° | 6.9 h | 17 | 68 |
| AprilApr | 45 | 30° | 27° | 7.0 h | 18 | 91 |
| MayMay | 48 | 29° | 26° | 6.3 h | 24 | 164 |
| JuneJun | 52 | 28° | 25° | 4.6 h | 26 | 234 |
| JulyJul | 55 | 27° | 24° | 4.6 h | 21 | 138 |
| AugustAug | 59 | 26° | 24° | 4.9 h | 17 | 105 |
| SeptemberSep | 57 | 27° | 24° | 5.2 h | 22 | 155 |
| OctoberOct | 56 | 28° | 25° | 6.5 h | 26 | 160 |
| NovemberNov | 54 | 29° | 26° | 7.8 h | 19 | 74 |
| DecemberDec | 65 | 29° | 26° | 7.1 h | 11 | 35 |
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
6.37° N, 2.42° E · 7 m · Africa/Porto-Novo
Best time to visit Cotonou
The best time to visit Cotonou is from December to February. Rain is most frequent from March to November; the wettest month is June with 234 mm.
Cotonou through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Cotonou in the dry season
Dec – Feb
Good
- 29–30 °C by day
- 7 h of sun a day
- 29 rainy days in all
Cotonou in the rainy season
Mar – Nov
Fair
- 26–30 °C by day
- 6 h of sun a day
- 190 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Cotonou for you.
Your best months: July – September
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Cotonou
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
January has the better holiday weather in Cotonou: score 65 against 56. In January, days are 2 °C warmer than in October. January has 18 fewer rainy days.
| Month | October | January |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 56 | 65better |
| Day high | 28° | 30° |
| Night low | 25° | 26° |
| Sunshine | 6.5 h | 6.1 h |
| Rainy days | 26 | 8better |
| Rainfall | 160 mm | 28 mmbetter |
| Muggy days | 31 | 29better |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No sea nearby
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
No month
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
Mar – Nov
12 or more rainy days
Cotonou month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
65January30° · 6 h
In January, Cotonou is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 28 mm. On about 8 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, January is a good month for a holiday in Cotonou.
Cotonou in January60February30° · 7 h
In February, Cotonou is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 37 mm in total. On about 15 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, February is a good month for a holiday in Cotonou.
Cotonou in February46March30° · 7 h
In March, Cotonou is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 27 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 17 days, totalling 68 mm. On about 21 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, March is a so-so month for a holiday in Cotonou.
Cotonou in March45April30° · 7 h
In April, Cotonou is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 27 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 18 days, totalling 91 mm. On about 15 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, April is a so-so month for a holiday in Cotonou.
Cotonou in April48May29° · 6 h
In May, Cotonou is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 24 days, totalling 164 mm. On about 6 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, May is a so-so month for a holiday in Cotonou.
Cotonou in May52June28° · 5 h
In June, Cotonou is hot: daytime highs average 28 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 26 days, totalling 234 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, June is a so-so month for a holiday in Cotonou.
Cotonou in June55July27° · 5 h
In July, Cotonou is warm: daytime highs average 27 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 24 °C. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 21 days, totalling 138 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, July is a so-so month for a holiday in Cotonou.
Cotonou in July59August26° · 5 h
In August, Cotonou is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 24 °C. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 17 days, totalling 105 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, August is a so-so month for a holiday in Cotonou.
Cotonou in August57September27° · 5 h
In September, Cotonou is warm: daytime highs average 27 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 24 °C. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 22 days, totalling 155 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, September is a so-so month for a holiday in Cotonou.
Cotonou in September56October28° · 7 h
In October, Cotonou is hot: daytime highs average 28 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 26 days, totalling 160 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Cotonou.
Cotonou in October54November29° · 8 h
In November, Cotonou is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 19 days, totalling 74 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, November is a so-so month for a holiday in Cotonou.
Cotonou in November65December29° · 7 h
In December, Cotonou is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 35 mm in total. On about 7 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, December is a good month for a holiday in Cotonou.
Cotonou in DecemberCotonou compared
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Cotonou vs. Lagos
In October the holiday weather in Cotonou and Lagos is about equally good (score 56 vs. 54). During the day it is about as warm in Lagos as in Cotonou. Lagos gets one hour less sunshine a day.
| in October | Cotonou | Lagos |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 56 | 54 |
| Daytime high | 28° | 28° |
| Sea | – | 28° |
| Sunshine | 7 h | 6 h |
| Rainy days | 26 | 27 |
| Best time | Dec – Feb | Aug, Dec – Jan |
Through the year
Planning a trip to Cotonou
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Cotonou in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Cotonou has its best school-holiday weather during the Christmas holidays (score 65) and its weakest during the Easter holidays (score 45).
- 45
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Fair
- 30 °C by day
- 7.0 h of sun a day
- 18 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 49
May half-term
May – Jun
Fair
- 29 °C by day
- 6.0 h of sun a day
- 24 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 58
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Fair
- 26 °C by day
- 4.8 h of sun a day
- 18 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 56
October half-term
Oct
Fair
- 28 °C by day
- 6.5 h of sun a day
- 26 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 65
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
GoodBest holidays
- 30 °C by day
- 6.6 h of sun a day
- 9 rainy days a month
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 6 h 35 min
- Distance
- 5,020 km
- Time zone
- UTC+1
- Jet lag
- Hardly any (under 3 h)
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Frequently asked questions about Cotonou
When is the best time to visit Cotonou?
The best time to visit Cotonou is from December to February. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
What is the warmest month in Cotonou?
March is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C and nights around 27 °C. August is the coolest month at 26 °C.
When does it rain most in Cotonou?
Rain is most frequent from March to November; the wettest month is June with 234 mm. The driest month is January with 28 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Cotonou get?
Cotonou gets around 2,240 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is November with 7.8 hours a day; in June there are 4.6 hours a day.
What time zone is Cotonou in?
Cotonou uses the time zone Africa/Porto-Novo, at UTC+1 all year.
How long is the flight from London to Cotonou?
A nonstop flight from London to Cotonou takes about 6 h 35 min, for a straight-line distance of about 5,020 km.
Which school holidays are best for Cotonou?
Cotonou has its best school-holiday weather during the Christmas holidays (score 65) and its weakest during the Easter holidays (score 45). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 45, May half-term 49, Summer holidays 58, October half-term 56, Christmas holidays 65.
Near Cotonou
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Cotonou
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Cotonou's – good alternatives.