Mali Climate
Top 5 Cities: Bamako, Sikasso, Mopti, Koulikoro, and Kayes
This month in numbers
Mali experienced its 2nd warmest April on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 33.15°C, marking an anomaly of +3.1°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. The period of February–April 2026 also ranked as the 2nd warmest on record, with an average of 29.45°C, an anomaly of +2.7°C. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April on record for land temperatures, with the February–April period also ranking as the 2nd warmest globally.
What changed
Mali's recent warmth is part of a broader trend, with the country experiencing its 3rd warmest year on record in 2025. The long-term trend shows a significant warming of +1.40°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. The extreme heat in March and April 2026 was particularly notable, with Mali-Météo issuing a nationwide extreme heat alert in March, forecasting temperatures between 34°C and 45°C. This heatwave was deemed to have been impossible without human-caused climate change.
What’s driving change?
The intense heat experienced in Mali is largely driven by the broader pattern of , where landlocked regions like Mali experience more rapid temperature increases. The recent heatwave in March and April, with temperatures soaring above 45°C in some areas, was significantly exacerbated by human-caused climate change. While the current ENSO state is Neutral, with an anomaly of +0.11°C for February-April 2026, a transition to El Niño is forecast to become dominant by May-July 2026, with an 87% probability by July-September. Historically, El Niño phases in the Sahel region typically lead to warmer and drier conditions, potentially impacting the West African monsoon and cereal yields. Mali is also grappling with the ongoing impacts of drought, which, combined with conflict, is exacerbating food insecurity across the country. The Malian government has approved a significant prevention plan for the 2026 rainy season to mitigate flood risks, following devastating floods in 2024 that claimed 75 lives and affected nearly 250,000 people.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Mali
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 Mali changing?
Mali 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 Mali come from?
Climate data for Mali 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 Mali climate data cover?
The Mali climate profile covers Bamako, Sikasso, Mopti, Koulikoro and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Mali
How often is the Mali climate update refreshed?
The Mali 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.