Climate
Abuja under Köppen climate classification features a tropical wet and dry climate. The FCT experiences three weather conditions annually. This includes a warm, humid rainy season and a blistering dry season. In between the two, there is a brief interlude of harmattan occasioned by the northeast trade wind, with the main feature of dust haze, intensified coldness and dryness.
The rainy season begins from April and ends in October, when daytime temperatures reach 28 °C (82.4 °F) to 30 °C (86.0 °F) and nighttime lows hover around 22 °C (71.6 °F) to 23 °C (73.4 °F). In the dry season, daytime temperatures can soar as high as 40 °C (104.0 °F) and nighttime temperatures can dip to 12 °C (53.6 °F). Even the chilliest nights can be followed by daytime temperatures well above 30 °C (86.0 °F). The high altitudes and undulating terrain of the FCT act as a moderating influence on the weather of the territory.
Rainfall in the FCT reflects the territory's location on the windward side of the Jos Plateau and the zone of rising air masses with the city receiving frequent rainfall during the rainy season from March to November every year.
| Climate data for Abuja | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 34.7 (94.5) |
36.8 (98.2) |
36.9 (98.4) |
35.6 (96.1) |
32.7 (90.9) |
30.6 (87.1) |
29.1 (84.4) |
28.9 (84.0) |
30.0 (86.0) |
32.0 (89.6) |
34.4 (93.9) |
34.6 (94.3) |
33.03 (91.45) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 20.4 (68.7) |
25.5 (77.9) |
24.3 (75.7) |
24.7 (76.5) |
19.5 (67.1) |
18.3 (64.9) |
21.9 (71.4) |
17.7 (63.9) |
17.5 (63.5) |
21.4 (70.5) |
15.7 (60.3) |
15.5 (59.9) |
20.20 (68.36) |
| Rainfall mm (inches) | 1.7 (0.067) |
5.4 (0.213) |
11.3 (0.445) |
62.8 (2.472) |
134.1 (5.28) |
164.2 (6.465) |
217.5 (8.563) |
262.7 (10.343) |
253.4 (9.976) |
103.2 (4.063) |
3.7 (0.146) |
1.2 (0.047) |
1,221.2 (48.079) |
| Avg. rainy days | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 4.2 | 9.4 | 12.3 | 14.0 | 16.2 | 15.9 | 8.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 82 |
| Source: World Meteorological Organization. | |||||||||||||
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