Freetown weather by month
The best time to visit Freetown is January to March — 79/100 in March, 28°C and 3 rainy days. The best season is the dry season, October to May (70/100 on average).
The worst month is September at 48/100 — hot, soaked, clean air. See September →
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Best season: October to May (70/100 on average) · worst September (48/100)
- Days
- 28°C
- Nights
- 26°C
- Wet days
- 3
- Sun
- 11 h
- Humidity
- 80%
- Daylight
- 12 h
Freetown, month by month
Comfort score out of 100 for the kind of trip Freetown is best for, the average high, rainy days and hours of sun a day from the climate normals, and how busy it tends to be.
What's on in Freetown through the year
Festivals, natural spectacles, holidays and the seasons to watch out for — curated and sourced. The month pages carry the detail.
- April
- Independence Day27 AprHoliday
- May
- Eid al-Adha5 May – 5 Jun (usually)Holiday
- July
- Mawlid (Prophet's Birthday)20 Jul – 5 Sep (usually)Holiday
- Flooding and landslides1 Jul – 30 Sep (usually)Hazard
- November
- The dry months20 Nov – 20 Apr (usually)Season
- December
- Christmas and Boxing Day24 Dec – 2 JanHoliday
- Harmattan haze1 Dec – 20 Feb (usually)Season
Crowds in Freetown in March
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.
Busyschool holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Traveller notes on Freetown
What people who have been say about the place — the year-round notes first, then month by month.
Forum posters consistently name November through May as Sierra Leone's dry season and the easier window for getting around, with March sitting comfortably within it - a sharp contrast to August and July, which posters specifically call out as the worst months for rain. Posters describe the dry season overall as tropical and pleasant, with great beaches and seafood on offer around Freetown without the logistical headaches that heavy rain brings to road travel during the wetter half of the year. Posters do note Freetown's coastal humidity stays high year-round regardless of season, so a March visit still calls for light, breathable clothing even without the rain itself to contend with.
Forum posters describe August as the worst month for rain in Sierra Leone, with July a close second, and posters generally rate September as still solidly within the rainy season, if trending slightly better as the peak passes. Posters consistently name November through May as the dry season and the more comfortable overall window for visiting, implying September remains genuinely challenging weather-wise. Posters do flag one real upside to the rainy season: it's considered prime time for surfing along Sierra Leone's coast, for anyone interested in learning or already keen to surf. Posters generally rate September as wet and travel-disrupting, but not without its own specific appeal for visitors prioritizing surf conditions over dry, easy sightseeing.
Add your own note from Freetown's card on the map.