Senegal Climate
Top 5 Cities: Dakar, Touba, Thiès, Rufisque, and Saint-Louis
This month in numbers
Senegal experienced its 6th warmest April on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 31.97°C, an anomaly of +1.6°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April for land temperatures on record, with an anomaly of +1.1°C. The three-month period from February to April 2026 saw an average temperature of 29.31°C, ranking as the 25th warmest such period in 86 years of records for Senegal.
What changed
Senegal's April temperature anomaly of +1.6°C is notably higher than the three-month anomaly of +0.7°C, indicating a significant warming trend in the most recent month. While the country experienced its 6th warmest April, it ranks 131st globally for its 1-month temperature anomaly, suggesting that while warm, other regions experienced even more extreme heat. For the three-month anomaly, Senegal sits at 218th globally, indicating a less pronounced warming trend compared to many other areas worldwide.
What’s driving change?
The current climate is influenced by a Neutral ENSO state, with a weekly Niño 3.4 SST anomaly of +0.9°C as of April 29, 2026. However, forecasts indicate a strong likelihood of an evolving El Niño phase in the coming months, with a 61% chance for May-Jul and 79% for Jun-Aug. El Niño typically brings warmer and drier conditions to the Sahel region, potentially impacting the West African monsoon and cereal yields. Senegal has also been grappling with extreme heat, with the country's meteorological authorities warning of a difficult 2026 rainy season with delayed rains, prolonged dry spells, and below-normal precipitation, followed by an increased risk of flooding later in the season. In February 2026, a fire at an Eramet mine in Senegal halted operations, highlighting the vulnerability of infrastructure to such events. Additionally, forest fires were reported in January and February 2026, with 5,499 hectares burned in January and 6,737 hectares in February, though these were considered normal compared to previous years.
Looking ahead
The evolving El Niño phase suggests that Senegal could experience warmer and drier conditions in the coming months, particularly during the July-August-September period, which could impact the monsoon season.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Senegal
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 Senegal changing?
Senegal 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 Senegal come from?
Climate data for Senegal 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 Senegal climate data cover?
The Senegal climate profile covers Dakar, Touba, Thiès, Rufisque and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Senegal
How often is the Senegal climate update refreshed?
The Senegal 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.