Gambia Climate
Top 5 Cities: Banjul, Serekunda, Brikama, Bakau, and Farafenni
This month in numbers
Gambia experienced its 5th warmest April on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 30.16°C, marking a significant anomaly of +1.4°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April for land temperatures on record, with an anomaly of +1.1°C.
What changed
The three-month period from February to April 2026 saw an average temperature of 28.44°C, ranking as the 10th warmest such period on record for Gambia, with an anomaly of +0.8°C. This warming trend in Gambia aligns with the broader global picture, as global land temperatures for the same three-month period ranked as the 2nd warmest on record, with an anomaly of +1.2°C. Gambia's 3-month anomaly places it 212th out of 234 regions in cross-region rankings, indicating that while it is experiencing warming, many other regions are seeing more pronounced temperature increases.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth in Gambia is part of a long-term trend, with the country's average temperature having increased by +1.03°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. This warming is exacerbated by the , where tropical regions like Gambia, already close to human heat tolerance limits, experience intensified impacts from rising global temperatures. The country's chief meteorologist noted that April is consistently the hottest month, and while the current heat aligns with historical patterns, climate change is intensifying these conditions. Drought remains a widespread hazard across the country, with experts warning of significant impacts on agriculture and livelihoods. A recent World Bank report highlighted that climate change is already shaping Gambia's economic future, with flooding, coastal erosion, extreme heat, and agricultural decline affecting livelihoods and infrastructure.
Looking ahead
Meteorologists predict that the 2026 rainy season in Gambia will see early rains but below-normal overall rainfall, with potential dry spells lasting between seven and 14 days at both the beginning and end of the season, which could impact agricultural activities and water supply.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Gambia
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Gambia changing?
Gambia is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Gambia come from?
Climate data for Gambia comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Gambia climate data cover?
The Gambia climate profile covers Banjul, Serekunda, Brikama, Bakau and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Gambia
How often is the Gambia climate update refreshed?
The Gambia climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.