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Abidjan, the largest city and economic capital of Ivory Coast, sits on the Gulf of Guinea coast of West Africa, on a series of lagoons opening to the Atlantic at approximately 5.36°N, 4.01°W. It has a tropical wet-and-dry climate (Köppen Aw) bordering on monsoonal — hot and humid year-round, cooled by sea breezes — with a distinctive pattern of two rainy seasons and two drier spells typical of the Guinea coast.
There is no summer in the temperate sense: temperatures stay warm and steady, with daytime highs around 29–31°C and warm, humid nights, tempered by the ocean breeze. The main rainy season runs from May to July, when the heaviest rain falls — June is the wettest month, often exceeding 500 mm — in torrential downpours that regularly cause flooding in the low-lying city, with thick cloud keeping the heat somewhat in check.
The main dry season, from December to February, is warm and relatively less humid, with more sunshine and little rain, and is the most comfortable time of year. A shorter, weaker second rainy season comes around October and November, separated from the main rains by a drier interval in August and September — the characteristic double-peaked rhythm of the Guinea coast.
Abidjan is wet, receiving on the order of 1,700–1,900 mm of rain a year, delivered mainly in the strong rainy season from May to July, with a secondary wet spell around October and November; the heaviest falls in June can cause serious flooding in the low-lying, lagoon-fringed city. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.
Abidjan's double rainy season — a strong one in early summer and a weaker one in autumn, split by a drier interval — is characteristic of the West African Guinea coast and sets the rhythm of its year. The intense June rains regularly overwhelm the low-lying, lagoon-laced city, causing flooding and landslides, while the constant humidity and sea breeze off the Gulf of Guinea shape daily life year-round.
To follow any single measurement in Abidjan more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.