Niger Climate
Top 5 Cities: Niamey, Zinder, Maradi, Agadez, and Arlit
This month in numbers
Niger experienced its 31st warmest April on record, with an average temperature of 30.61°C, an anomaly of +0.9°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April on record for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1.1°C. The three-month period from February to April 2026 was particularly notable for Niger, ranking as the 6th warmest on record with an average temperature of 27.5°C, an anomaly of +2.3°C.
What changed
The recent three-month period (February–April 2026) in Niger has been significantly warmer than average, ranking as the 6th warmest in 86 years of records. This trend aligns with a broader pattern of warming across the African continent, which recorded its warmest January on record in 2026. Niger's long-term warming trend stands at +1.39°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. The country's latest annual average temperature in 2025 was 28.08°C, making it the 7th warmest year on record.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth in Niger is influenced by the broader global warming trend, with land warming faster than the ocean. The current ENSO state is Neutral, with a +0.11°C anomaly in the NOAA ONI 3-month (FMA 2026). However, forecasts indicate a strong likelihood of an El Niño developing in the coming months, with a 61% chance for May-Jul and 79% for June-Aug. Historically, El Niño conditions in the Sahel region, where Niger is located, are associated with warmer and drier conditions, potentially leading to a drier West African monsoon and reduced cereal yields. Niger, along with parts of Nigeria, has also experienced significant heatwaves in recent months, with temperatures reaching over 40°C in neighbouring Nigeria during March and April. These heatwaves have been described as a "recurrent disaster" intensifying in recent years.
Looking ahead
Seasonal forecasts suggest that parts of Niger may experience a shorter-than-normal rainy season in 2026, with warmer than average daytime and nighttime temperatures predicted for May.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Niger
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 Niger changing?
Niger 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 Niger come from?
Climate data for Niger 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 Niger climate data cover?
The Niger climate profile covers Niamey, Zinder, Maradi, Agadez and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Niger
How often is the Niger climate update refreshed?
The Niger 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.