Weather locations in Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea straddles the equator on the African mainland and, separately, a group of volcanic islands in the Gulf of Guinea. Both halves lie in the tropics, and both are among the wettest places on the continent.

Main climate types

The mainland region of Rio Muni, bordering Gabon, is tropical with a heavy wet season, and the islands of Bioko and Annobon have an even more oceanic variant. Because both sit inside the convergence of the trade winds and near the warm pool of the Gulf of Guinea, no part of the country has a real dry season. On Bioko the same air mass passes over steep slopes, which extracts far more water from it.

Temperatures

Malabo, on Bioko, averages about 28 degrees early in the year, but temperatures actually fall towards mid-year as the south-west monsoon brings cloud and rain in July and August, so the hottest period is often around February to April. On the mainland, Bata has a mean near 26 degrees, with highs in the low 30s and cooler nights further inland. The islands never get cold, but the hills are noticeably cooler.

Rainfall

Annual totals are extreme: Bioko's southern and eastern slopes can exceed 6,000 millimetres, making it one of the rainiest inhabited places in Africa, while Malabo itself records around 2,500 to 3,000 millimetres. On the mainland about 2,000 millimetres falls, with the wettest months around October and November. Drizzle, mist and heavy overcast are common, and the effects of cloud on hill roads should be allowed for.

When to go

Since rain falls in all months, timing is about avoiding the heaviest deluges. The drier months on Bioko are usually June to September and December to February. On the mainland, June and July tend to be relatively clear. Because the islands are small and their roads steep, plan inland trips with the weather in mind: the port area of Malabo is often hotter and stiller than the breezy hill slopes above it.