Weather locations in The Central African Republic

The Central African Republic is a landlocked country at the centre of the African continent, lying mostly between 3 and 9 degrees north with no coast and no mountain barrier against either the Atlantic monsoon or the Saharan harmattan. Its climate is therefore a blend: savanna across most of the country, with a wet equatorial south and a semi-arid Sahelian fringe in the north. Water, not temperature, is what limits life here.

Main climate types

Three zones can be recognised. The south, along the Congo and its tributaries, has a tropical savanna climate with a long, heavy wet season and an equatorial core. The centre is typical savanna with a shorter wet season and longer dry. The north towards the Chad border is semi-arid and takes the shortest rains. The zone boundary follows the rain belt, and the southern edge of the dry zone has pushed further south in recent decades.

Temperatures

Because the country straddles the savanna belt, temperatures are hot year-round but the daily range is large. In Bangui, monthly means sit around 25 or 26 °C, with the coolest months in July and August at about 24 °C and the warmest in March and April at around 27 °C. Maximums in the north routinely top 40 °C in April and May, while harmattan nights in the same weeks can cool to about 15 °C. There is no cold season.

Rainfall

Bangui receives roughly 1,500 mm a year and the southern forest zone somewhat more, up to 1,700 or 1,800 mm, while the north takes only about 600 to 900 mm. The rains start around May in the south and October in the north, and in the south there is a noticeable break in July. The harmattan blows from December to February, bringing dry, dusty air and hazy visibility.

When to go

The coolest and driest months are December to February, when hot days are offset by cooler nights, although dust from the harmattan can be heavy, which matters for anyone flying or driving. The wet season from May to October brings afternoon thunderstorms and difficult roads. Because infrastructure is limited, most trips are built around Bangui and the riverside towns, and dry-season travel is strongly preferred.