When to Visit Cabo Verde

January in Cabo Verde feels mild and easy. Highs of 24°C (76°F). Lows around 19°C (66°F). Barely a drop of rain to speak of. The dry harmatan haze might occasionally soften the light. It won't stop you swimming.

February holds essentially the same character as January. Highs ticking up to 25°C (77°F). Lows staying around 19°C (66°F). Rainfall is minimal. Just a few millimetres at most. The beaches of Sal and Boa Vista are as consistently sunny as they get.

March is reliably dry. Zero recorded rainfall on average. Temperatures almost identical to February: 25°C (78°F) in the afternoon, 19°C (66°F) overnight. It tends to be one of the calmer months for tourism. Past the European school-holiday rush.

April continues the dry run. No rain. Highs of 25°C (78°F). Lows of around 19°C (67°F). The evenings start to feel slightly warmer than February. The Atlantic waters are comfortable for snorkeling along Cabo Verde's reefs.

May is when the archipelago starts to warm noticeably. Highs reaching 26°C (79°F). Nights sitting around 20°C (69°F). There's still no real rain. The trade winds keep things from feeling heavy. Visitor numbers are lower. This makes it a pleasant window for exploring the islands without the crowds of peak season.

June sees the mercury climb a little further. 27°C (81°F) in the afternoons. 21°C (70°F) at night. Cabo Verde begins to feel distinctly summer-like. Rainfall is still essentially absent. The sea temperature has risen enough that it matches the air in warmth.

July is when the wet season technically begins. In practice you're looking at only about 5mm of rain for the whole month. Highs reach 28°C (82°F). Nights are a comfortable 22°C (72°F). The first European summer visitors arrive. on Sal.

August brings the warmest daytime temperatures of the year. A noticeable uptick in rainfall, around 30mm on average. Most of it concentrated on the higher-altitude islands. Highs hit 29°C (84°F). Lows 23°C (75°F). On Sal and Boa Vista it still tends to stay dry. On Santiago, expect short afternoon showers.

September is the wettest month Cabo Verde experiences. Around 41mm of rain. Peak wet season by the archipelago's standards. Elsewhere would barely count as drizzle. Temperatures peak at 29°C (85°F) by day. 24°C (76°F) overnight. Making it warm and occasionally humid. Ferries and inter-island travel can get disrupted during heavier spells.

October is the transition month. Rainfall dropping to about 18mm. Temperatures holding at their warm peak: 29°C (85°F) highs, 23°C (74°F) lows. The islands start to show their greenest faces after the wet season. By mid-October the showers are becoming infrequent. A good moment to visit Fogo's volcanic caldera. Before the dry-season crowds return.

November is when the archipelago finally dries out. Highs slide to 28°C (82°F), lows to 22°C (72°F), and the occasional shower is brief and harmless. Crowds are edging upward toward winter numbers. Yet the islands still feel open and relaxed. This is the sweet spot.

December flips the switch to high season. Planes from Europe pour in, chasing Cabo Verde's guaranteed sunshine. Daytime peaks at 26°C (79°F), nights drop to 19°C (69°F), a welcome cool-down that still keeps the beach front and center. Rain is almost nonexistent.