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Climate & Weather Guide · Ghana

Climate & Weather Guide in Ghana

Climate zones, seasonal temperatures, rainfall patterns, and best travel times

Ghana has a tropical climate with strong regional differences from the humid coastal belt to the hotter, drier north. Most of the country is shaped by the movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, which creates a wet season and a dry season rather than four distinct seasons. The coastal south is typically hot and humid, the middle belt is warm with more reliable rainfall, and the northern savanna is hotter and more seasonal. Current Köppen-Geiger climate data for the 1991-2020 climatology shows Ghana is mainly tropical savanna and tropical monsoon, with a small coastal strip influenced by humid tropical conditions.

Summer Average

27-34°C

Winter Average

23-30°C

Climate Types

Tropical savanna and Tropical monsoon and Tropical rainforest

Annual Rainfall

800-2200 mm

Sunshine Hours

1,800-2,600 hrs/yr

Average Humidity

55-85%

Regional Climate Variations

Coastal Belt

The coastal belt around Accra, Cape Coast, and the lower Volta area is hot, humid, and moderated somewhat by the Atlantic Ocean. Rainfall is concentrated in two rainy seasons, with a noticeable dry period in between, and temperatures stay high throughout the year. This area has some of the most comfortable conditions for expats who prefer coastal living, but humidity can feel intense, especially in the wetter months. The climate is often described as tropical monsoon or humid tropical near the wetter western coast.

Summer:27-31°C

Winter:24-29°C

High rainfall

Warm all year, humid, and ocean-influenced, with a lively tropical feel and periodic heavy rains.

Forest and Cocoa Belt

The forest and cocoa belt in southern and central Ghana, including areas such as Kumasi and parts of the Ashanti and Eastern regions, is one of the wetter and greener parts of the country. It has warm temperatures, high humidity, and a longer rainy period than the north. Afternoon downpours are common in the wet season, supporting dense vegetation and agriculture. Köppen-Geiger mapping places much of this zone in tropical savanna to tropical monsoon conditions, with locally wetter pockets.

Summer:26-32°C

Winter:22-28°C

High rainfall

Lush, warm, and rain-fed, with frequent showers that keep the landscape green for much of the year.

Transition Zone

The transition zone across the middle of Ghana has a more balanced feel than the coast or the far north. It is still distinctly tropical, but rainfall becomes less intense and more seasonal, and the dry season is more noticeable. Temperatures remain high, especially before the rains begin, though the climate is usually easier to adapt to than the more humid south. This area broadly reflects tropical savanna conditions in the Köppen-Geiger classification.

Summer:28-34°C

Winter:23-29°C

Moderate rainfall

Hot, seasonal, and sun-drenched, with a clear contrast between the wet and dry parts of the year.

Northern Savannah

Northern Ghana, including areas such as Tamale and Bolgatanga, is the hottest and driest major part of the country. Rainfall is concentrated in a shorter season, and the dry season is long, dusty, and often very sunny. Daytime temperatures can feel intense, while nights are usually a bit cooler than in the south. Köppen-Geiger data classify much of this area as tropical savanna, with drier conditions toward the Sahel fringe.

Summer:30-38°C

Winter:20-27°C

Low to moderate rainfall

Very warm to hot, strongly seasonal, and dry for long stretches, with a more continental-feeling tropical savanna climate.

Ghana is a warm tropical country with a clear south-to-north gradient: wetter and more humid near the coast, and hotter and drier toward the north. For residents and expats, the coastal and forest belts offer greener surroundings and more rainfall, while the north provides more sunshine and a longer dry season but also stronger heat and dust.

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