Climate in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso's varied climate is tropical in some regions and semi-arid in others, and the country has two very distinct seasons. The rainy season runs from May to October and is hot and wet; the dry season occurs between November and March, and is warm, comfortable and dry. Burkina Faso is humid year-round, but less so than its coastal neighbours, and the rainy season is much shorter in the north of the country, as the semi-arid Sahel zone (just south of the Sahara Desert) receives far less rain and is prone to drought. The southwestern part of the country is tropical and receives the most rain. The rainy season is the hottest time of the year, and the average high temperature in the capital, Ouagadougou, during May is 93F (34C). Conditions cool down a bit in July, when the average high temperature drops to 82F (28C). The dry season, between November and March, is cooler and more comfortable, and the average high temperature during January is 75F (24C) in the capital. A hot, dry wind from the Sahara, called the harmattan, brings heat and dust between March and May. The best time to visit Burkina Faso is in the dry season, particularly between November and January.