Dakar weather in October
October in Dakar: sweltering, dry, with muggy air — fine if you can take 37°C afternoons.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#10 of 12 months in Dakar · #972 of 1413 destinations to visit in October · comfort 67/100 (tier C)
- Days
- 31°C
- Nights
- 26°C
- Wet days
- 2
- Sun
- 10.6 h
- Humidity
- 78%
- Daylight
- 12 h

Traveller notes on Dakar in October
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.
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.
Add your own note from Dakar's card on the map.
Dakar climate normals — October
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Dakar in October
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.
Quietschool holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather(estimated)
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.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
Where is Dakar?
Dakar in October — FAQ
- Is October a good time to visit Dakar?
- October in Dakar: sweltering, dry, with muggy air — fine if you can take 37°C afternoons. It ranks #10 of 12 months for Dakar on SeasonMap's comfort score (67/100).
- What is the weather like in Dakar in October?
- In October, Dakar averages a daily high of 31.2°C and a low of 25.8°C, with about 18 mm of rain over roughly 2.4 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Dakar in October?
- Dakar has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 83 in October.