Dakar weather in August

August in Dakar: sweltering, rainy, with muggy air — a gamble, with 35°C afternoons.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Dakar🇸🇳 Senegal · Sahel & Cabo Verde · City58
  1. 89Jan
  2. 91Feb
  3. 90Mar
  4. 88Apr
  5. 83May
  6. 76Jun
  7. 70Jul
  8. 58Aug
  9. 60Sep
  10. 67Oct
  11. 74Nov
  12. 82Dec

#12 of 12 months in Dakar · #1113 of 1413 destinations to visit in August · comfort 58/100 (tier D)

Days
30°C
Nights
26°C
Wet days
13
Sun
9.9 h
Humidity
81%
Daylight
13 h
Dakar, Senegal
Photo: Libasse El Arbi Ndoye · Pexels

Traveller notes on Dakar in August

Other months in Dakar

Forum posters describe September in Dakar as nearing the end of the rainy season, with storms when they happen typically lasting only around two hours rather than settling in for the day - posters generally reassure visitors not to worry too much about September weather in the city itself. Posters are direct that year-to-year variability is real, though: one particularly wet September brought record flooding to city streets with heavy rain continuing into October and high humidity throughout, while more recent visitor reports describe comparatively little rain in Dakar during September specifically. Posters consistently note that travelers heading south into Senegal's countryside should expect significantly heavier rain than in Dakar itself during this period. Posters generally rate September as a workable, if occasionally unpredictable, time to visit Dakar specifically.
Tripadvisor community · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Forum posters place March squarely in the dry season: daily highs of 25-32C with low humidity along the coast, though some years bring cooler, dustier spells from Harmattan winds sweeping in from the Sahara and turning the sky brown. By late March the weather is generally called lovely, with a shawl or light jumper recommended just for cooler evenings. One geographic note worth knowing: heading inland from the coast, both temperature and humidity climb noticeably compared to Dakar itself, so the coastal dry-season comfort doesn't necessarily extend far past the city.
Tripadvisor community · March · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from Dakar's card on the map.

Dakar climate normals — August

Daytime high30°C / 87°F🔥 sweltering
Nighttime low26°C / 78°F
Feels like (high)35°C / 95°F
Sea temperature29°C / 85°F♨️ bath-warm
Rainfall149 mm / 5.9 in🌧 rainy
Rainy days13 days
Humidity81%💦 very humid
Dew point24°C / 75°F
Sunshine9.9 h/day
Daylight12.6 h
Wind19 km/h / 12 mph
Air quality (US AQI)54🙂 moderate

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Dakar in August

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

BusyGrand Magal de Touba, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Dakar's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Toughest weatherDakar's weather peaks January–March, best around February.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Dakar in August

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Holiday

    Grand Magal de Touba

    10 Jul – 20 Aug · usuallyNational holidayClosures

    Several million Mourides travel to Touba for the pilgrimage and Dakar empties for two or three days. The roads east are solid, intercity transport is unusable, and much of the city is shut. Source ↗

  • Season

    Hivernage

    10 Jul – 30 Sep · usuallyMonsoonRisk

    The short wet season: heavy storms in the evenings rather than all-day rain, humid air off the ocean, and standing water in the Pikine and Guediawaye suburbs for days after a big one. Source ↗

What's on around the world in August →

Where is Dakar?

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Dakar in August — FAQ

Is August a good time to visit Dakar?
August in Dakar: sweltering, rainy, with muggy air — a gamble, with 35°C afternoons. It ranks #12 of 12 months for Dakar on SeasonMap's comfort score (58/100).
What is the weather like in Dakar in August?
In August, Dakar averages a daily high of 30.3°C and a low of 25.6°C, with about 148.8 mm of rain over roughly 13 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Dakar in August?
Dakar has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 54 in August.