Gambia climate guide

Read our complete guide to the climate in the Gambia.

  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C
Hours of sunshine (daily)
Days with some rainfall
Sea temperature °C

Below are average maximum temperatures at popular destinations in the Gambia for next month - July. Select a destination to see the climate guide for all months of the year.

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The climate guide for Gambia (Banjul) shows long term monthly weather averages processed from data supplied by CRU (University of East Anglia), the Met Office & the Netherlands Meteorological Institute. Find out more about our data sources.

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Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Metric (°C / mm)  |  Imperial (°F / inches)

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Gambia climate overview

Named after the river that flows through it, The Gambia is the smallest independent country in Africa. It is located at the most westerly point of the continent and is surrounded entirely by Senegal. The Gambia became Britain's first colony in Africa in 1765 and 200 years later, in 1965, it was the last to gain its independence.

The elongated country is divided in two by the River Gambia, which runs along its entire length. The river and its tributaries meander through a mostly flat and low-lying landscape with tropical bamboo forest growing along its banks. Away from the river conditions become increasingly arid with wooded grassland and open savannah plains.

The River Gambia, which is over 48 kilometres (30 miles) wide at its mouth, drains into the Atlantic via a long saltwater estuary, thick with mangroves and reeds. The coastline itself is relatively short, but there are some beautiful sandy and palm-fringed beaches to the south of the capital Banjul, along with many tourist hotels. Untouched wild shoreline also exists, some stretches of which have impressive sand cliffs.

Agriculture forms the backbone of The Gambia's economy, employing over 80 per cent of the work force and contributing most to its foreign exchange receipts. The chief crop is groundnuts grown mainly by peasant farmers on small plots using traditional methods. This accounts for about half the total area under cultivation.

The climate of The Gambia is tropical with a short summer wet season running from June to October with high heat and humidity, although coastal regions experience a welcome sea breeze most afternoons. August is by far the wettest month with frequent thunderstorms, which are heaviest towards the coast. The rest of the year is dry and warm with plenty of sunshine especially between January and May. However during the dry season Harmattan winds off the Sahara can produce hazy conditions.

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