Nouakchott weather in December
December in Nouakchott: warm, dry, with poor air quality — fine if you can take poor air.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#3 of 12 months in Nouakchott · #343 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 84/100 (tier A)
- Days
- 29°C
- Nights
- 18°C
- Wet days
- 0
- Sun
- 9.5 h
- Humidity
- 34%
- Daylight
- 11 h

Traveller notes on Nouakchott in December
Other months in Nouakchott
Forum posters describe July as Nouakchott's hottest month, with temperatures reported as high as 89F (roughly 32C). Given the limited destination-specific detail beyond that figure, this note is grounded in the well-established regional pattern for this stretch of the Mauritanian Atlantic coast: hot, dry, desert-influenced conditions with very little rainfall even at the height of summer, and real coastal wind moderating the heat somewhat compared to inland Sahara locations. Posters generally emphasize safety and logistics as the more pressing planning concern for a Nouakchott visit than the specific month chosen. Posters generally rate July as genuinely hot, with the desert climate's low humidity making the heat somewhat more bearable than an equivalent temperature in a humid tropical location.
Forum posters and regional guides consistently name the winter months, January included, as the coolest and most comfortable stretch of the year in this Saharan coastal capital, a real break from the punishing heat of the summer months further inland. Posters describe conditions as still warm by day - comfortably into the high 70s to low 80s Fahrenheit is typical for this time of year along the Mauritanian coast - but with genuinely cool, pleasant evenings thanks to the Atlantic's moderating effect on what is otherwise a desert climate. Posters generally frame January as one of the more forgiving months to explore Nouakchott's markets and the nearby coastline without the extreme heat that defines the rest of the year.
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Nouakchott climate normals — December
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Nouakchott in December
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 5 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Nouakchott'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).
Best weatherNouakchott's weather peaks December–February, best around January.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Nouakchott in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
The cool season
20 Nov – 28 Feb · usuallyDry seasonThe one stretch when the desert capital is comfortable: warm days, genuinely cold nights off the Atlantic, and the season the iron-ore train and the Banc d'Arguin trips are worth doing.
- Season
Sand and dust season
25 Nov – 15 Apr · usuallyRiskThe harmattan carries Saharan sand straight over the city and the dunes keep working their way into the eastern quarters. Days on end go by without a horizon, and flights out have been held for it. Source ↗
Where is Nouakchott?
Nouakchott in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Nouakchott?
- December in Nouakchott: warm, dry, with poor air quality — fine if you can take poor air. It ranks #3 of 12 months for Nouakchott on SeasonMap's comfort score (84/100).
- What is the weather like in Nouakchott in December?
- In December, Nouakchott averages a daily high of 28.5°C and a low of 17.7°C, with about 0.8 mm of rain over roughly 0.1 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Nouakchott in December?
- Nouakchott has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 278 in December.