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The Weather and Climate in Cameroon

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Cameroon is a country located between West and Central Africa. It shares borders with Chad, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Republic of the Congo. The Cameroonian coastline is on the Bight of Biafra which is part of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea. Cameroon measures 183,569 square miles (world's 54th largest country), English and French are the official languages and the countryside has many natural features including beaches, deserts, mountains, rainforests and savannas. Mount Cameroon is the highest point at almost 4,100 metres and the country’s largest cities, in terms of population, are Douala (its economic capital and main seaport), Yaoundé (its political capital) and Garoua.

Climate Overview in Cameroon

Douala, Litoral Region, Cameroon, SourceCameroon's coastal plain extends 20 to 80 kilometres inland from the Gulf of Guinea to the fringe of a plateau. The plain is heavily forested including areas of Central African mangroves particularly around Douala and in the Cross River estuary on the border with Nigeria. The low South Cameroon Plateau, rising from the coastal plain and dominated by rain forest, is between 500 and 1,200 meters above sea level. The South Cameroon Plateau is not as humid as it is on the coast because here the altitude moderates the climate, making the heat more bearable.

In the West there is an intermittent chain of mountains, hills and plateaus that stretches from Mount Cameroon and almost reaches Lake Chad which is in the northern tip of the country. This area incorporates the Bamenda, Bamiléké, and Mambilla highlands. It also includes some of Cameroon's most fertile soils, especially around volcanic Mount Cameroon. This region of tropical forest has been classified as the Cameroonian Highlands forests ecoregion by the World Wildlife Fund however, Mount Cameroon is categorised separately because as an active volcano it has a very distinctive environment compared to the other mountains.

From the forests of the southern plateau, the land ascends northward to the grassy, rough Adamaoua highlands. Extending across Cameroon from the western mountain region, the Adamaoua creates a barrier between the north and south. The Adamaoua highlands average height is 1,000 m.

The southern savanna plain spreads from the approach of the Adamaoua highlands to Lake Chad and its distinguishing vegetation is grass and scrub. This area of little rainfall and high average temperatures has been embraced as part of the East Sudanian savanna ecoregion. The climate fluctuates with topography, from a tropical climate along the coast to a semi-arid and hot climate, often scorching in the north. Exceptionally hot and humid, the coastal region includes some of the wettest places on earth. For instance, Debundscha, at the foot of Mount Cameroon, has a median annual rainfall of 10,300mm.

Climate in the Northern Region of Cameroon

The climate in Cameroon is hot and semi-arid in the north, and humid and rainy in the rest of the country however, almost everywhere has a dry season in winter and a rainy season in summer. The variation in climate is because of the African monsoon, which is longer in the south and shorter in the north (mid-May to September), whilst along the coast, even in winter there can be showers. On the shores of Lake Chad, in the northernmost part of the country, is the driest area, here less than 600mm of rain fall each year.

In the winter months, a dry wind, the Harmattan, blows from the desert. It raises dust creating a mist; sometimes the Harmattan wind can reach the centre of Cameroon and even the south. Nights can be cool in the North, on occasion even cold: low temperatures can drop to nearly freezing in the far north. The northernmost parts of the region belong to the climate zone called Sahel, whilst more to the south, the climate is part of the Savannah zone.

In Maroua in the northern region, precipitation is on average about 760mm per year, most of which will fall between May and September, with a maximum of 235mm  in August. August is also the chilliest month, the only month in which the median maximum temperature is 30 °C, however at this time, the air is moist. During the winter months, it is hot during the day and cool at night; the hottest period is between March and May, during this time the temperature often reaches 40 °C. The highest recorded temperatures in the northern region are around 47/48 °C. After the rains, during October and November, the scorching heat returns, although it is less intense, around 35 °C, peaking at 40 °C. The sun regularly shines during the long dry season, but in the rainy season, the hours of sunshine reduce slightly, the least sunny months are July and August.

Climate in the Southern Region of Cameroon

Limbe, Southeast Region, Cameroon, Source In the South Cameroon Plateau, the rainy season is longer and the heat is less intense. This is due mainly to cloud cover and the early rains, which prevent the temperature from rising in spring. Altitude also helps, as it moderates the climate, making the heat more bearable.

Ngaoundéré is located at 1,100 meters above sea level. It can get quite hot during the day but normally not too hot and as in the rest of the region, nights can be cool. In Ngaoundéré, the rainy season extends from April to October and precipitation amounts to around 1,500 mm per year, with a maximum of 285 mm in August. In the northern part of the plateau, the sun frequently shines in the dry season, whilst in the rainy season, the sky is repeatedly cloudy.

Further south, in the rest of the plateau of central and southern Cameroon, total annual rainfall still averages around 1,500mm however, the rainy season is even longer, this longer season makes the growth of the tropical rain forest possible.

In Cameroon’s capital, Yaoundé, located at 750 meters above sea level; 1,500mm of rain falls every year and the rains occur from March to November. This longer rainy season has two peaks, one in May and the second in October, although it is interrupted during July and August, when the rains do not exceed 120mm per month. Here too, the altitude makes the heat bearable. Average highs are around 30 °C in the dry months and between 27 and 28 °C in the rainy months.

In Yaoundé, there is not a lot of sunshine: in the rainy season the sky is very often cloudy and even during the driest period, between December and February, the sun doesn't shine regularly, 6 hours a day is the most you will see it for.

Climate in the Coastal Region of Cameroon

The wettest area of Cameroon is along the coast, where rainfall exceeds 2,000mm every year. As well as being close to the Equator, which results in a h2 solar radiation, there are warm and humid air masses arising from the sea during the African monsoon. This causes heavy rains from May to October, although there is a reduction in rainfall from mid-June to mid-August in the southern part.

In Kribi, 2,800mm of rain falls per year, there is a peak of 320mm in May, a decrease to 125mm in July and then second peak of 500mm in September and October; however, even during December and January, which are the driest months, the rainfall does not go lower 80 mm. This means that the climate is almost equatorial, without a real dry season.

North of Kribi but still on the coast is the rainiest city in Cameroon, Douala. Here 3,600mm of rain falls each year, of which more than 500mm falls every month between July and September. In Douala, there is no decrease during the mid-summer months and even in winter there may be some showers. On the coast, the temperatures remain high throughout the year although, they reduce during the rainy season, when the air is humid and a lively breeze still blows from the ocean. The coast, like the southern part of the plateau, is never really sunny, even in the driest months.

A short distance from the coast, is the highest peak in Cameroon, Mount Cameroon, a volcano 4,100 meters high. Up to about 2,500 meters, the volcano’s slopes are very rainy and covered with forests, but above 3,000 meters, it's cold all year round.

The best time to visit Cameroon is during the winter, between December and February, since it is the driest and sunniest time of the year. In the centre and south, it's hot during the day, albeit a bit cool at night on the plateau. In the arid north, it's very hot during the day, as early as February, the heat can be scorching and even though it can get a bit cold at night but it may be better to visit the north in December and January. On the coast, the weather in winter is hot and muggy, although there will be a breeze blowing from the sea. The sky is often overcast especially in the morning and there can be some showers, especially in the southern part.