Sao Tome And Principe
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Sao Tome And Principe illustrated weather map
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Climate of Sao Tome And Principe
Country climate guideThe Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe is a small island state in the Gulf of Guinea, made up of two inhabited islands some 150 kilometres apart: Sao Tome on the equator and Principe to the north-east. Together they cover less than 1,000 square kilometres, and both are volcanic, steep and deeply green. Their climate is tropical rainforest, moderated by the surrounding ocean and by the mountains, with rain in most months and no real cold season.
Main climate types
Both islands are classed as tropical rainforest. The winds arrive mostly from the south-west, and because the islands are so small, the volcanic cones really set the rain: the windward south-west slopes near the capital and the Pico de Sao Tome massif are the wettest, while the north-east is drier. Principe, whose plateau rises to nearly 900 metres, is also wet and misty. The wettest months are generally between October and May.
Temperatures
Temperature is persistently warm and stable. At Sao Tome city, monthly means sit around 25 or 26 °C, with the coolest months in July and August and the warmest in February or March. Highs are usually near 30 °C and nights near 20 °C. The interior is noticeably cooler, and the highest ground near Pico de Sao Tome, at just over 2,000 metres, can be chilly even when the coast is warm.
Rainfall
Annual rainfall at Sao Tome city is roughly 800 to 1,000 mm, spread across most months, while the surrounding hills and all of Principe receive considerably more. The driest months are usually June, July and August, when the south-easterly trade winds blow and the islands lie on their northern side. Rain often arrives as heavy afternoon showers that make the mountain roads impassable within minutes.
When to go
There is no bad month in climatic terms, but the most reliable weather is generally between June and September, when the trade winds are established and humidity is lower. The heaviest rain falls between October and April, and mountain tracks are at their slipperiest then. Because both islands rely almost entirely on hydroelectricity, a serious storm can disrupt power and transport for a day or two.