About Cameroon

Sara and John say...

This tropical country shows variety in both temperature and rainfall against a common theme: it’s hot!

The driest region is the far north, near Lake Chad. Temperatures soar in spring, peaking at over 40 Celsius by day. This triggers showers by late April, but the monsoon rains are mostly confined to the summer months, particularly May to September. Then drier air returns from the north through the autumn. Winters are notably cooler and more comfortable and, while the sunny days still lift highs to 30 Celsius, the nights can be quite chilly. Occasionally the Harmattan wind from the desert can lift the dust and reduce visibility.

Further south across the country, the weather is progressively more humid with a longer wet season and heavier rains. At the capital, Yaoundé, showers can occur at any time of year but the main rains are between March and November, with a brief lull in midsummer.

Because there is more cloud through the year in southern areas, the temperatures are more evenly close to 30 Celsius by day. But wintertime remains the most comfortable time, due to most sunshine and a slightly less muggy feel. The higher plateau areas are notably cooler and the coast also often benefits from a breeze off the sea to offset the humidity.

Don’t be fooled by the cloudy skies though - sunscreen is a ‘must’ throughout the year.