Mali is a dry land-locked country of northwestern Africa. It is very close to the Tropic of Cancer and thus enjoys tropical climate. Mali has distinct summer and winter months. Mali climate has three main seasons.
Rainy season lasts from June to October. The winter season is between October and February, which is followed by extremely hot and dry climate till June.Depending upon the latitudes, Mali climate differs from one place to another. Northern Sahara zone in Mali experiences hot and dry climate whereas the climate of Mali in the subtropical southern part is hot and humid.
The climate in Mali is hot with average temperatures ranging between 24° and 32°C. The amount of rainfall also varies throughout the year. The northern region of Mali experiences very less rainfall, whereas the southern part experiences heavy downpour, which lasts from June to October.
Central Mali mostly receives rainfall between June and August. Annual rainfall measures around 1,400 mm in the south, 1,120 mm at Bamako and 127 mm in the northern part of the country.
Periodic droughts due to short rainy seasons are a major problem of Mali. Cooler temperatures can be felt between November and February when the nights in the north witness extreme cold temperature. The months between Aprils to June are extremely hot. The dry Harmattan wind is a special feature in Mali, which blows in the month of December.