Each year a tropical weather system known as the intertropical front crosses Chad from south to north, bringing a wet season that lasts from May to October in the south, and from June to September in the Sahel. Variations in local rainfall create three major geographical zones. The Sahara lies in the country's northern third. Yearly precipitations throughout this belt are under ; only occasional spontaneous palm groves survive, all of them south of the Tropic of Cancer. The Sahara gives way to a Sahelian belt in Chad's centre; precipitation there varies from per year. In the Sahel, a steppe of thorny bushes (mostly acacias) gradually gives way to the south to East Sudanian savanna in Chad's Sudanese zone.
Climate
Chad
Chad | Climate
Tropical A tropical weather system known as the intertropical front. The yearly wet season lasts from May to October in the south, and from June to September in the Sahel. Tropical weather.
where is chad located?
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North-central Africa.
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what kind of weather does it have?
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At the height of the rainy season, the front may reach as far as Kanem Prefecture. By the middle of the dry season, the intertropical convergence zone moves south of Chad, taking the rain with it. This weather system contributes to the formation of three major regions of climate and vegetation.
Geography of Chad | Climate
The Lake Chad Basin embraces a great range of tropical climates from north to south, although most of these climates tend to be dry. Apart from the far north, most regions are characterized by a cycle of alternating rainy and dry seasons. In any given year, the duration of each season is determined largely by the positions of two great air masses—a maritime mass over the Atlantic Ocean to the southwest and a much drier continental mass. During the rainy season, winds from the southwest push the moister maritime system north over the African continent where it meets and slips under the continental mass along a front called the "intertropical convergence zone".
Geography of Chad | Climate
Each year a tropical weather system known as the intertropical front crosses Chad from south to north, bringing a wet season that lasts from May to October in the south, and from June to September in the Sahel. Variations in local rainfall create three major geographical zones. The Sahara lies in the country's northern third. Yearly precipitations throughout this belt are under ; only occasional spontaneous palm groves survive, all of them south of the Tropic of Cancer. The Sahara gives way to a Sahelian belt in Chad's centre; precipitation there varies from per year. In the Sahel, a steppe of thorny bushes (mostly acacias) gradually gives way to the south to East Sudanian savanna in Chad's Sudanese zone.
Chad | Climate
The city has a Tropical savanna climate .
Goré, Chad | Climate
The climate is tropical and dry, with 320 mm of annual rainfall on the lake. Rainfall is concentrated during the June through October rainy season. March to June is hot and dry, and the November through February winter months are dry and cooler. Evaporation exceeds precipitation during most months.
Lake Chad flooded savanna | Climate
The humid "sudanian" zone includes the Sahel, the southern prefectures of Mayo-Kebbi, Tandjilé, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Moyen-Chari, and southern Salamat. Between April and October, the rainy season brings between of precipitation. Temperatures are high throughout the year. Daytime readings in Moundou, the major city in the southwest, range from in the middle of the cool season in January to about in the hot months of March, April, and May. The sudanian region is predominantly East Sudanian savanna, or plains covered with a mixture of tropical or subtropical grasses and woodlands. The growth is lush during the rainy season but turns brown and dormant during the five-month dry season between November and March.
Geography of Chad | Sudanian region
The semiarid sahelian zone, or Sahel, forms a belt about wide that runs from Lac and Chari-Baguirmi prefectures eastward through Guéra, Ouaddaï, and northern Salamat prefectures to the Sudanese frontier. The climate in this transition zone between the desert and the southern sudanian zone is divided into a rainy season (from June to September) and a dry period (from October to May). In the northern Sahel, thorny shrubs and acacia trees grow wild, while date palms, cereals, and garden crops are raised in scattered oases. Outside these settlements, nomads tend their flocks during the rainy season, moving southward as forage and surface water disappear with the onset of the dry part of the year.
Geography of Chad | Sahelian region
At , Chad is the world's 20th-largest country. It is slightly smaller than Peru and slightly larger than South Africa. Chad is in north central Africa, lying between latitudes 7° and 24°N, and 13° and 24°E. Chad is bounded to the north by Libya, to the east by Sudan, to the west by Niger, Nigeria and Cameroon, and to the south by the Central African Republic. The country's capital is from the nearest seaport, Douala, Cameroon. Because of this distance from the sea and the country's largely desert climate, Chad is sometimes referred to as the "Dead Heart of Africa".
Chad | Geography, climate and environment
Abéché is the hottest major city in Chad. It gets 336 days a year above . Its rainy season is in mid-year, from June to September. The hottest months are from March to June. Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as hot semi-arid climate (BSh). It is one of the hottest cities on earth with average year-round daily high of over 36 degrees Celsius, and an average daily mean of around 29 degrees Celsius.
Abéché | Climate
The Saharan region covers roughly the northern half of the country, including Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti Prefecture along with the northern parts of Kanem, Batha, and Biltine prefectures. Much of this area receives only traces of rain during the entire year; at Faya Largeau, for example, annual rainfall averages less than . Scattered small oases and occasional wells provide water for a few date palms or small plots of millet and garden crops. In much of the north, the average daily maximum temperature is about during January, the coolest month of the year, and about during May, the hottest month. On occasion, strong winds from the northeast produce violent sandstorms.
Geography of Chad | Saharan region
Yearly rainfall in this belt is over .
Chad | Climate
The climate is dry most of the year, with moderate rainfall from June through September.
Lake Chad | Geography and hydrology
The Far North has two seasons: one dry, and one wet. These are further broken down based on average temperatures, yielding four distinct periods in the Sudan area: dry and relatively cool from November to January as the province experiences a shade of winter from climes further north, dry and hot from January to April, torrentially rainy from April to June, and cool and sporadically wet from June to November. In the Sahel zone, the wet periods are shorter, lasting only five to seven months in the south but shortening toward Lake Chad. Temperatures reach their highest levels from January to May.
Far North Region, Cameroon | Climate
Chad has four bioclimatic zones. The northernmost Saharan zone averages less than of rainfall annually. The sparse human population is largely nomadic, with some livestock, mostly small ruminants and camels. The central Sahelian zone receives between rainfall and has vegetation ranging from grass/shrub steppe to thorny, open savanna. The southern zone, often referred to as the Sudan zone, receives between , with woodland savanna and deciduous forests for vegetation. Rainfall in the Guinea zone, located in Chad's southwestern tip, ranges between . The country's topography is generally flat, with the elevation gradually rising as one moves north and east away from Lake Chad.
Geography of Chad | Introduction
The Far North is hot and dry. Beginning at 10° N, the climate is tropical and Sahelian, and rainfall is a relatively small per year, with rains falling a bit more frequently in the Mandara region. South of 10°, the region west of the Mayo Kébi and south to the border with Chad, in the Cameroonian beak. Here, climate is tropical of the Sudan type, with higher rainfalls of per year. Temperatures average , except for the Chad Basin, where they climb to . Actual temperatures of course fluctuate with the seasons, however. At Kousséri, for example, there is an difference between January () and August ().
Far North Region, Cameroon | Climate
In northern Biltine Prefecture, a region called the Mortcha plays a major role in animal husbandry. Dry for nine months of the year, it receives or more of rain, mostly during July and August. A carpet of green springs from the desert during this brief wet season, attracting herders from throughout the region who come to pasture their cattle and camels. Because very few wells and springs have water throughout the year, the herders leave with the end of the rains, turning over the land to the antelopes, gazelles, and ostriches that can survive with little groundwater. Northern Chad averages over 3500 hours of sunlight per year, the south somewhat less.
Geography of Chad | Saharan region
The central Sahel is characterized by drought-resistant grasses and small woods. Rainfall is more abundant there than in the Saharan region. For example, N'Djamena records a maximum annual average rainfall of , while Ouaddaï Prefecture receives just a bit less. During the hot season, in April and May, maximum temperatures frequently rise above . In the southern part of the Sahel, rainfall is sufficient to permit crop production on unirrigated land, and millet and sorghum are grown. Agriculture is also common in the marshlands east of Lake Chad and near swamps or wells. Many farmers in the region combine subsistence agriculture with the raising of cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry.
Geography of Chad | Sahelian region
Niger's climate is largely hot and dry, with most of the country in a desert region. The terrain is predominantly desert plains and sand dunes. There are also large plains in the south and hills in the north. In the extreme south, there is a tropical climate near the edges of the Niger River Basin. Lake Chad at the southeast corner of the country is shared between Niger, Nigeria, Chad, and Cameroon.
Geography of Niger | Climate
The dominant physical structure is a wide basin bounded to the north and east by the Ennedi Plateau and Tibesti Mountains, which include Emi Koussi, a dormant volcano that reaches above sea level. Lake Chad, after which the country is named (and which in turn takes its name from the Kanuri word for "lake"), is the remains of an immense lake that occupied of the Chad Basin 7,000 years ago. Although in the 21st century it covers only , and its surface area is subject to heavy seasonal fluctuations, the lake is Africa's second largest wetland. The region's tall grasses and extensive marshes make it favourable for birds, reptiles, and large mammals.
Chad | Geography, climate and environment
On 22 June, the temperature reached in Faya, breaking a record set in 1961 at the same location. Similar temperature rises were also reported in Niger, which began to enter a famine situation. On 26 July the heat reached near-record levels over Chad and Niger.
Geography of Chad | 2010 drought
Chadra is classified by Köppen-Geiger climate classification system as hot desert (BWh). In Chadra, the average annual temperature is . Rainfall averages .
Chadra, Chad | Climate
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Chad: Chad – landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west. Due to its distance from the sea and its largely desert climate, the country is sometimes referred to as the "Dead Heart of Africa". Chad is divided into three major geographical regions: a desert zone in the north, an arid Sahelian belt in the centre and a more fertile Sudanese savanna zone in the south.
Outline of Chad | Introduction
As of 2011, there are The northern part of the country which has the Sahara desert and which borders Libya and the volcanic massif of Tibesti () forms part of the northern zone. Vegetation is dominantly tropical in the tropical zone of the country with deserts having least vegetative growth. However, a large area of desert dunes lie between Lake Chad and the Ouaddai massif, where fringes of xerophytic scrubland is noted. The montane vegetation on the massif is rich, unlike the vegetation that is in the lowlands. Woody vegetation occurs in some deep gorges of the Ennedi massif, which rises to .
Wildlife of Chad | Vegetation
Chad has a general elevation of in Lake Chad Depression towards Guera massif located at an elevation of and eastwards towards mountainous Saharan region of . The only rivers in the country of importance are Chari and Logone, flowing into Lake Chad. The region receives an annual rainfall of to and has Savannah woodland region. There are open grasslands and it is predominantly covered with pastures. There is limited amount of groundnut and local grains. During the drought of 1970s and 1980s, the region was heavily affected and the number of cattle herds has reduced. The northernmost zone of the region has sparse rainfall and desert vegetation.
Ennedi (region) | Geography
It is delimited in the north by the Guéra Massif, in the south by highlands 250 kilometers south of the border with Central African Republic, and in the southwest by the Mandara Mountains. Lake Chad, located in the southwestern part of the basin at an altitude of 282 meters, surprisingly does not mark the basin's lowest point; instead, this is found in the Bodele and Djourab regions in the north-central and northeastern parts of the country, respectively. This oddity arises because the great stationary dunes (ergs) of the Kanem region create a dam, preventing lake waters from flowing to the basin's lowest point.
Geography of Chad | Land
Chad's animal and plant life correspond to the three climatic zones. In the Saharan region, the only flora is the date-palm groves of the oasis. Palms and acacia trees grow in the Sahelian region. The southern, or Sudanic, zone consists of broad grasslands or prairies suitable for grazing. As of 2002, there were at least 134 species of mammals, 509 species of birds (354 species of residents and 155 migrants), and over 1,600 species of plants throughout the country. Elephants, lions, buffalo, hippopotamuses, rhinoceroses, giraffes, antelopes, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, and many species of snakes are found here, although most large carnivore populations have been drastically reduced since the early 20th century.
Chad | Wildlife
Chad (; ), officially the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west. Due to its distance from the sea and its largely desert climate, the country is sometimes referred to as the "Dead Heart of Africa".
History of Chad | Introduction
The central zone, or the sahelian zone, comprises the area with average annual rainfall of between 350 and 800 millimeters. The minimum rainfall needed for berebere, is 350 millimeters. The western area of the zone is dominated by the Chari and Logone rivers, which flow north from their sources in southern Chad and neighboring countries (see fig. 3). The courses of these rivers, joining at N'Djamena to flow on to Lake Chad, create an ecological subregion. Fishing is important for the peoples along the rivers and along the shores of Lake Chad. Flood recession cropping is practiced along the edges of the riverbeds and lakeshore, areas that have held the most promise for irrigation in the zone.
Agriculture in Chad | Central zone
The climate of the Central African Republic is generally tropical, with a wet season that lasts from June to September in the northern regions of the country, and from May to October in the south. During the wet season, rainstorms are an almost daily occurrence, and early morning fog is commonplace. Maximum annual precipitation is approximately in the upper Ubangi region. The northern areas are hot and humid from February to May, but can be subject to the hot, dry, and dusty trade wind known as the Harmattan. The southern regions have a more equatorial climate, but they are subject to desertification, while the extreme northeast regions of the country are a steppe.
Central African Republic | Climate
The northern half of the basin is desert, containing the Ténéré desert, Erg of Bilma and Djurab Desert. South of that is the Sahel zone, dry savanna and thorny shrub savanna. The main rivers include riparian forests, flooding savannas and wetland areas. In the far south there are dry forests. Rainfall varies widely from year to year. The amount of annual rainfall is very low in the north of the basin, rising to in the south. As late as 2000, the basin has remained home to large populations of wildlife. In the Sahel these include antelopes such as the addax and dama gazelle, and in the savanna there are korrigum and red-fronted gazelle.
Chad Basin | Climate and ecology
The Tibesti climate is substantially less dry than that of the surrounding Sahara Desert. Rainfall events are more intense and more frequent, but they are also highly variable from year to year. Indeed, the Tibesti can see seven to eight years pass between storms. In the south of the range, this variation is largely due to oscillations of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which steadily moves northward toward Northern Chad from November until August, accompanied by the humid monsoonal air. Normally, the ITCZ repels the Harmattan, a dry trade wind that blows south-west from the Sahara Desert, and brings rainfall to southern Tibesti.
Tibesti Mountains | Climate
Chad (; , ; , ), officially known as the Republic of Chad ( ""; ), is a landlocked country in north-central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon to the south-west, Nigeria to the southwest (at Lake Chad), and Niger to the west. Chad has several regions: a desert zone in the north, an arid Sahelian belt in the centre and a more fertile Sudanian Savanna zone in the south. Lake Chad, after which the country is named, is the largest wetland in Chad and the second-largest in Africa.
Chad | Introduction
The northern region of the state is mostly desert because it receives barely any rainfall, whereas the other regions have semi-desert climates. The weather is rainy in the fall, and cold and dry in the winter. Average rainfall reaches in the north-eastern areas and in the northwestern areas. The temperature in summer ranges from from April to June, and from in the months of July to October. In winter, the temperature declines gradually from to between November and March.
Khartoum (state) | Climate
Chad's major rivers—the Chari, Logone and their tributaries—flow through the southern savannas from the southeast into Lake Chad.
Chad | Geography, climate and environment
The terrain of Chad in central Africa is dominated by the low-lying Chad Basin (elevation about 250 m / 820 ft), which rises gradually to mountains and plateaus on the north, east, and south. In the east heights of more than 900 metres (3,000 ft) are attained in the Ennedi and Ouaddaï plateaus. The greatest elevations are reached in the Tibesti Mountains in the north, with a maximum height of 3,415 metres (11,204 ft) at Emi Koussi. The northern half of the republic lies in the Sahara. The Bodélé Depression is a low region in the southern Sahara that is surrounded by basalt mountain ridges.
Geology of Chad | Introduction
The climate is tropical. Annual rainfall ranges from 1000 mm in the south to 600 mm in the north on the edge of the Sahel. Rainfall and temperature vary seasonally, with a hot rainy season from May to September, and a cooler dry season from October to April. Temperatures range from 30°C to 33°C during the hottest month, and 18°C to 21°C during the coolest month.
West Sudanian savanna | Climate
The saharan zone encompasses roughly the northern half of Chad. Except for some dates and legumes grown in the scattered oases, the area is not productive. Annual rainfall averages less than 350 millimeters (13.8"), and the land is sparsely populated by nomadic tribes. Many of Chad's camel herds are found in the region, but there are few cattle or horses.
Agriculture in Chad | Saharan zone
Some examples of this are Bilma, Niger and Faya-Largeau, Chad. The annual average daily temperature exceeds everywhere and can approach in the hottest regions year-round. However, most of the desert has a value in excess of . Sand and ground temperatures are even more extreme. During daytime, the sand temperature is extremely high: it can easily reach or more. A sand temperature of 83.5 °C (182.3 °F) has been recorded in Port Sudan. Ground temperatures of have been recorded in the Adrar of Mauritania and a value of 75 °C (167 °F) has been measured in Borkou, northern Chad.
Sahara | Temperature
Great parts of North Africa and Southern Africa as well as the whole Horn of Africa mainly have a hot desert climate, or a hot semi-arid climate for the wetter locations. The Sahara Desert in North Africa is the largest hot desert in the world and is one of the hottest, driest and sunniest places on Earth. Located just south of the Sahara is a narrow semi-desert steppe (a semi-arid region) called the Sahel, while Africa's most southern areas contain both savanna plains, and its central portion contains very dense jungle (rainforest) regions. The equatorial region near the Intertropical Convergence Zone is the wettest portion of the continent.
Climate of Africa | Precipitation
Winds flow through this region and lift dust. The dust from this region supplies over half of the dust to Amazon rainforests. The only important rivers, the Logone and Chari, are located in the southwest and flow into Lake Chad. The lake doubles in size during the rainy season.
Geology of Chad | Introduction
As this trough moves north and south, it creates two rainy seasons on the extreme southern coast: a heavy one between May and July and a lighter one in October and November. During the northern winter, an anticyclone develops over the Sahara and drives dry northeasterly winds over the region, creating a dry season except in the extreme southeast (where the monsoonal low over Southern Africa has the unusual effect of producing westerly winds on its northern flank north of the equator). This effect is sufficiently widespread that the driest months of January and February are not "totally" dry on the coast as they are further inland (though average rainfall is typically only 1 inch per month even in Abidjan).
Forest zone | Climate
Niger's climate is mainly very hot and very dry, with much desert area. In the extreme south there is a tropical climate on the edges of the Niger River basin. The terrain is predominantly desert plains and sand dunes, with flat to rolling savanna in the south and hills in the north.
Niger | Climate
Lake Chad is a large shallow lake, lying at the center of a large closed drainage basin, with no outlet to the sea. The Lake Chad basin has an area of . The northern portion of the basin is arid or semi-arid, and the southern portion has a seasonally-dry savanna climate. The flooded savannas surround the lake. The Chari and Logone rivers, which drain northwards from the highlands along the basin's southern edge, supply 95% of Lake Chad's freshwater. The Yobe River, which flows eastwards into the lake's northern end, contributes 2.5% of the lake's inflow. Despite having no outlet, Lake Chad has relatively low salinity.
Lake Chad flooded savanna | Geography
Kano lies to the north of the Jos Plateau, located in the Sudanian Savanna region that stretches across the south of the Sahel. The city lies near where the Kano and Challawa rivers flowing from the southwest converge to form the Hadejia River, which eventually flows into Lake Chad to the east. The climate is hot all year round. Rainfall is variable, ranging from 350mm to 1,300mm annually with the mean around 950mm, almost all falling during June–September period. Traditionally agriculture was based on lifting water to irrigate small parcels of land along river channels in the dry season, known as the Shadouf system.
Kingdom of Kano | Location
A flat terrain supports Sahelian grasslands. The transition zone that lies between the southern Sahel and northern Sudan–Guinea is also a seasonal wetland. The Sudan Savanna zone mostly consists of Sudanian woodland with intermittent vegetation of edaphic grassland and "acacia".
Wildlife of Chad | Vegetation
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty, Harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification
Geography of Chad | Environmental issues
Permanent streams do not exist in northern or central Chad. Following infrequent rains in the Ennedi Plateau and Ouaddaï Highlands, water may flow through depressions called enneris and wadis. Often the result of flash floods, such streams usually dry out within a few days as the remaining puddles seep into the sandy clay soil. The most important of these streams is the Batha, which in the rainy season carries water west from the Ouaddaï Highlands and the Guéra Massif to Lake Fitri. Chad's major rivers are the Chari and the Logone and their tributaries, which flow from the southeast into Lake Chad.
Geography of Chad | Water systems
The climate of the C.A.R. is generally tropical. The northern areas are subject to harmattan winds, which are hot, dry, and carry dust. The tip of the northern regions have been subject to desertification. The remainder of the country is prone to flooding from nearby rivers. About one third of the Central African Republic's population do not have access to clean water.
Geography of the Central African Republic | Climate
Over a large part of the region, however, natural vegetation has yielded to agriculture.
Geography of Chad | Sudanian region
The commune has a Saharian climate and is too dry for rain-fed agriculture. The annual rainfall of around 150 mm occurs between late June and early September.
Anefif | Climate
The climate is semi-arid, as the Sahara is only fifty kilometers away, and rain is rare but abundant when it does occur. Temperatures can reach 48°C during the day in summer and go down to 0°C at night in winter.
Ksar Hadada | Climate
Both river systems rise in the highlands of Central African Republic and Cameroon, regions that receive more than 1,250 millimeters of rainfall annually. Fed by rivers of Central African Republic, as well as by the Bahr Salamat, Bahr Aouk, and Bahr Sara rivers of southeastern Chad, the Chari River is about 1,200 kilometers long. From its origins near the city of Sarh, the middle course of the Chari makes its way through swampy terrain; the lower Chari is joined by the Logone River near N'Djamena. The Chari's volume varies greatly, from 17 cubic meters per second during the dry season to 340 cubic meters per second during the wettest part of the year.
Geography of Chad | Water systems
The climate is tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification "Aw"). The locality is located on the right bank of the Grande Sido river, which constitutes the border with the Republic of Chad, opposite the Chadian city of Sido or Nadili. It is crossed by the RN4 national road which links Kabo (61 km to the south), then Damara and beyond Bangui into Chad.
Moyenne-Sido | Geography and climate
The weather is hot and dry throughout much of the year. Average daily maximum temperatures in the hottest months, April and May, are around 40 °C. Temperatures are slightly cooler, though still very hot, from June through September, when practically all of the annual rainfall occurs. Only the winter months of December and January have average daily maximum temperatures below 32 °C. Between December and March the warm dry north-easterly Harmattan wind blows from the Sahara. When it blows strongly, the dust-laden wind reduces visibility and creates a persistent haze. The annual rainfall is around 550 mm but varies greatly from year to year.
Djenné | Climate
Chad is one of the 48 landlocked countries in the world and is located in North Central Africa, measuring , nearly twice the size of France and slightly more than three times the size of California. Most of its ethnically and linguistically diverse population lives in the south, with densities ranging from 54 persons per square kilometer in the Logone River basin to 0.1 persons in the northern B.E.T. (Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti) desert region, which itself is larger than France. The capital city of N'Djaména, situated at the confluence of the Chari and Logone Rivers, is cosmopolitan in nature, with a current population in excess of 700,000 people.
Geography of Chad | Introduction
At various times in the past, and as late as the 1870s, the Bahr el Ghazal Depression, which extends from the northeastern part of the lake to the Djourab, acted as an overflow canal; since independence, climatic conditions have made overflows impossible. North and northeast of Lake Chad, the basin extends for more than 800 kilometers, passing through regions characterized by great rolling dunes separated by very deep depressions. Although vegetation holds the dunes in place in the Kanem region, farther north they are bare and have a fluid, rippling character. From its low point in the Djourab, the basin then rises to the plateaus and peaks of the Tibesti Mountains in the north.
Geography of Chad | Land
Kano lies to the north of the Jos Plateau, located in the Sudanian Savanna region that stretches across the south of the Sahel. The city lies near where the Kano and Challawa rivers flowing from the southwest converge to form the Hadejia River, which eventually flows into Lake Chad to the east. The climate is hot all year round. Rainfall is variable, ranging from 350mm to 1,300mm annually with the mean around 950mm, almost all falling during June–September period. Traditionally agriculture was based on lifting water to irrigate small parcels of land along river channels in the dry season, known as the Shadouf system.
Sultanate of Kano | Location
On the southern edge of the Sahel—tropical Savanna belt, Ferkessédougou gets a mean annual rainfall of 1400 mm, making it drier than much of Côte d'Ivoire. It is 1037 ft-316 m in elevation.
Ferkessédougou | Climate
The climate is tropical with a rainy season (from April to October) and a dry season.
East Sudanian savanna | Climate
Here the shrubs have thick bark to withstand the fires that sometimes ravage the area during the dry season. The frequently flooded Logone Valley and the perimeter of Lake Chad also support thicker and taller fields of grasses.
Far North Region, Cameroon | Plant and animal life
Located in north-central Africa, Chad stretches for about 1,800 kilometers from its northernmost point to its southern boundary. Except in the far northwest and south, where its borders converge, Chad's average width is about 800 kilometers. Its area of 1,284,000 square kilometers is roughly equal to the combined areas of Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. Chad's neighbors include Libya to the north, Niger and Nigeria to the west, Sudan to the east, Central African Republic to the south, and Cameroon to the southwest. Chad exhibits two striking geographical characteristics. First, the country is landlocked. N'Djamena, the capital, is located more than 1,100 kilometers northeast of the Atlantic Ocean; Abéché, a major city in the east, lies 2,650 kilometers from the Red Sea; and Faya-Largeau, a much smaller but strategically important center in the north, is in the middle of the Sahara Desert, 1,550 kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea.
Geography of Chad | Geographical placement
Situated between 11°3' and 13°5' north latitude, the Sudan-Sahel region is a transitional zone with regards to rainfall and temperature. Further to the south, the Sudan-Guinea zone receives more than of rain each year and has cooler average temperatures.
Burkina Faso | Climate
The lake in the Sahel, just south of the Sahara desert, has climatic conditions which are reported to be a transitional zone of humid Guinean climate in the south to a dry climate at border with the Sahara. The rainy season in the south lasts from July to October, with an average annual rainfall of . However, the rainy season in the north lasts from July to September, with an average annual precipitation recorded at . Temperatures vary with strong seasonal emphasis. The average maximum temperature recorded in May at Tombouctou is and at Mopti is . The cooler climatic season is from December to January with temperatures dropping to a mean minimum of to in the northern part of the delta.
Lake Débo | Climate
The cropping cycle for most of the sahelian zone is similar to that in the soudanian zone, although the variety of crops planted is more limited because of dryness. In the polders of Lake Chad, farmers grow a wide range of crops; two harvests per year for corn, sorghum, and legumes are possible from February or March to September. Rice ripens in February, and wheat ripens in May.
Agriculture in Chad | Crop rotation
From the bénoué Depression south, the North experiences tropical climate of the Sudan type. Average rainfall is between 900–1500 mm per year, decreasing from south to north due to elevation. Garoua, the major city, thus receives between 500–1000 mm per year. Rainfall in the Bénoué Depression is unpredictable, though it rarely drops to less than 1000 mm in any one year. North of the Bénoué Depression, a Sahel climate prevails. Here, the dry season lasts longer, and temperatures reach even higher levels. Provincial temperatures average 24 °C in the south along the plateau. In the Depression, they rise to 26 °C.
North Region (Cameroon) | Climate
Sokoto State is in the dry Sahel, surrounded by sandy savannah and isolated hills. With an annual average temperature of , Sokoto is, on the whole, a very hot area. However, maximum daytime temperatures are for most of the year generally under and the dryness makes the heat bearable. The warmest months are February to April when daytime temperatures can exceed . The rainy season is from June to October during which showers are a daily occurrence. The showers rarely last long and are a far cry from the regular torrential rain known in wet tropical regions. From late October to February, during the "cold season", the climate is dominated by the Harmattan wind blowing Sahara dust over the land.
Sokoto State | Climate
The climate of Africa ranges from tropical to subarctic on its highest peaks. Its northern half is primarily desert, or arid, while its central and southern areas contain both savanna plains and dense jungle (rainforest) regions. In between, there is a convergence, where vegetation patterns such as sahel and steppe dominate. Africa is the hottest continent on Earth and 60% of the entire land surface consists of drylands and deserts. The record for the highest-ever recorded temperature, in Libya in 1922 (), was discredited in 2013.
Africa | Climate
The Sudan region is marked by hay, forest cliffs and gallery forests along the rivers. Drought and livestock grazing threaten the area with desertification. The area is predominantly a plateau with river valleys of the Niger, Chad and White Nile. The Sudan is a transition zone between the Sahelian dry desert climate and the dense humid equatorial rainforest. Average annual temperatures vary between 23 and 29 degrees. Temperatures in the coldest months are above 20 degrees Celsius and over 30 degrees Celsius in the hottest months. Daily temperature fluctuations are up to 10-15 degrees. The summer monsoon brings rain from the equator.
Sudan (region) | Geography
The East has a Type A wet equatorial climate (also known as a Guinea type climate), meaning that it experiences high temperatures (24˚ C on average) and a lack of traditional seasons. Instead, there is a long dry season from December to May, a light wet season from May to June, a short dry season from July to October, and a heavy wet season from October to November. Humidity and cloud cover are relatively high, and precipitation averages 1500–2000 mm per year except in the extreme eastern and northern portions, where it is slightly less.
East Region (Cameroon) | Climate
A number of lakes formed or expanded in the Sahara. The largest of which was Lake Chad which increased to at least ten times its present-day size to form Lake Megachad. This enlarged Lake Chad reached dimensions of in north-south and east-west direction respectively, covering the Bodélé Depression and perhaps as much as 8% of the present-day Sahara desert. It influenced the climate itself; for example rainfall would have been reduced at the centre of the lake and increased at its margins. Lake Chad was possibly fed from the north by rivers draining the Hoggar (Taffassasset drainage) and Tibesti Mountains and from the south by the Chari-Logone and Komadugu Rivers.
African humid period | Lakes and rivers of the Sahara
The summit of this formation—as well as the highest point in the Sahara Desert—is Emi Koussi, a dormant volcano that reaches 3,414 meters above sea level.
Geography of Chad | Land
Climate variability exists to this day, with the Sahel suffering from droughts in the 1970s and 1980s when precipitation decreased by 30% and the flow of the Niger River and Senegal River even more, followed by an increase of precipitation. In East Africa the monsoon leads to two rain seasons in the equatorial area, the so-called "long rains" in March–May and the "short rains" in October–November when the ITCZ moves northward and southward over the region, respectively; in addition to the Indian Ocean-sourced precipitation there is also Atlantic- and Congo-sourced precipitation west of the Congo Air Boundary. In Arabia, the monsoon does not penetrate far from the Arabian Sea and some areas are under the influence of winter precipitation brought by cyclones from the Mediterranean Sea.
African humid period | Present-day situation
Nevertheless, the major part of Africa experiences extreme heat during much of the year, especially the deserts, semi-deserts, steppes and savannas. The African deserts are arguably the hottest places on Earth, especially the Sahara Desert and the Danakil Desert, located in the Horn of Africa.
Climate of Africa | Temperatures
The wildlife of Chad is composed of its flora and fauna. Animal and plant life correspond to the three climatic zones. In the Saharan region, the only flora is the date-palm groves of the oasis. Palms and acacia trees grow in the Sahelian region. The southern, or Sudanic, zone consists of broad grasslands or prairies suitable for grazing. As of 2002, there were at least 134 species of mammals, 532 species of birds (354 species of residents and 155 migrants), and over 1,600 species of plants throughout the country. Bush elephants, West African lions, buffalo, hippopotamuses, Kordofan giraffes, antelopes, African leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, and many species of snakes are found here, although most large carnivore populations have been drastically reduced since the early 20th century.
Wildlife of Chad | Introduction
Under the Köppen climate classification, Bamako features a tropical savanna climate (Köppen "Aw"). Located in the Sudano-Sahelian zone, Bamako is very hot on average all year round with the hottest months being between March and May. The mildest months are between November and February. During the dry season, rainfall is scarce: virtually none falls between November and April due to the dominance of the Saharan anticyclone and the dry trade winds. The rainy season occurs in the summer with the peak occurring with a few storms beginning in May, then transitioning to the monsoon from June to October.
Bamako | Climate
The year ends in the long rainy season from October to November. North of 5˚, the dry periods last up to four months.
Centre Region (Cameroon) | Climate
This agricultural instability continues to hamper efforts to alleviate food insecurity, as well as feed into the widespread poverty in the country. The broader famine in the Sahel region has amplified the issue of food insecurity in Chad. Weather factors such as declining and more unpredictable rainfall lower Chadian crop yields by a significant amount. Desertification of semi-arid land in the southern region of Chad also impacts food production. As a result, when natural disasters like widespread locust attacks or regional droughts impact Chadian agriculture, the cost of food is raised beyond the ability of the average Chadian citizen to pay for.
Food security in Chad | Environment and geography
North of the reservoir, temperatures climb as high as 28 °C. Seasons follow a wet/dry pattern, with rough divisions in November (dry) and April (wet). The year begins under the influence of the harmattan winds in the dry season. In this period, temperatures are at their highest and rainfall is virtually nonexistent. This period of stifling heat continues until April, which brings with it torrential rains and lower temperatures. Rains ease up in June, though temperatures remain lower and humidity relatively high. Then in November, the province becomes drier and temperatures cool as a shadow of winter sets in.
North Region (Cameroon) | Climate
Much of the vegetation is protected by the presence of deep canyons and gueltas. Only 2% of Chadian land is currently cultivated, about 50% is grazed, and cereal grains make up the main food groups. During arid periods, this site serves as a refuge for subtropical taxa, such as palms and grasses. The most common types of soils in Chad include "Leptosols", "Regosols", and "Arenosols" in the central and northern regions, and "Fluvisols", "Plinthosols", "Planosols", "Solonchaks", and "Vertisols" in the southern region. The Desert Locust is known for its deleterious impacts on the local flora, specifically crops and pastures.
Ennedi Plateau | Flora
Mali is one of the hottest countries in the world. The thermal equator, which matches the hottest spots year-round on the planet based on the mean daily annual temperature, crosses the country Most of Mali receives negligible rainfall and droughts are very frequent Late April to early October is the rainy season in the southernmost area. During this time, flooding of the Niger River is common, creating the Inner Niger Delta. The vast northern desert part of Mali has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification "BWh") with long, extremely hot summers and scarce rainfall which decreases northwards. The central area has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification "BSh") with very high temperatures year-round, a long, intense dry season and a brief, irregular rainy season.
Geography of Mali | Climate
The summer is normally very hot because of the burning easterly or southeasterly winds, known as "chergui", which blow off the Sahara and raise the temperature above 40 °C. The heat waves sometimes end in violent thunderstorms.
Béni-Mellal Province | Geography
Major dust storms are a frequent occurrence as well. During November 2004, a number of major dust storms hit Chad, originating in the Bodélé Depression. This is a common area for dust storms, occurring on average on 100 days every year. On 23 March 2010, a major sandstorm hit Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, and inland Sierra Leone. Another struck in southern Algeria, inland Mauritania, Mali, and northern Ivory Coast at the same time.
Sahel | Desertification and soil loss
Due to close proximity to the equator and the warm Indian Ocean, the city experiences tropical climatic conditions, typified by hot and humid weather throughout much of the year. It has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen: Aw). Annual rainfall is approximately , and in a normal year there are two rainy seasons: "the long rains" in April and May and "the short rains" in November and December.
Dar es Salaam | Climate
Although Sudan lies within the tropics, the climate ranges from hyper-arid in the north to tropical wet-and-dry in the far southwest. Temperatures do not vary greatly with the season at any location; the most significant climatic variables are rainfall and the length of the wet and dry seasons. Variations in the length of the wet and dry seasons depend on which of two air flows predominates: dry northern winds from the Sahara and the Arabian Peninsula or moist southwesterly winds from the Congo River basin and southeasterly winds from the Indian Ocean. From January to March, the country is under the influence of dry northeasterlies.
Geography of Sudan | Climate
Sokoto has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification "BSh"). It is located in the dry Sahel surrounded by sandy savannah and isolated hills. With an annual average temperature of , Sokoto is one of the hottest cities in the Nigeria, however the maximum daytime temperatures are generally under most of the year, and the dryness makes the heat bearable. The warmest months are February to April, where daytime temperatures can exceed . The highest recorded temperature is . The rainy season is from June to October, during which showers are a daily occurrence. The showers rarely last long and are a far cry from the regular torrential showers known in many tropical regions.
Sokoto | Climate
Chadsmoor has a moderate, temperate climate; with average temperatures varying from 5 °C on winter to 18 °C on summer. See Penkridge weather station for details of average temperature and rainfall figures taken between 1981 and 2010 at the Met Office weather station in Penkridge.
Chadsmoor | Climate
Beginning at about 11° N, the province only experiences about 25 to 30 rainy days each year.
Far North Region, Cameroon | Climate
Bilma features a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification "BWh"). The town lies deep in the heart of the Sahara Desert, more precisely in the Ténéré, an hyper-arid desert region lying over northeastern Niger and western Chad, and as such is extremely dry, averaging only of measurable precipitation annually. Bilma is also hot during the "winter" months and extremely hot during the summer months and for prolonged periods of time. Average high temperatures in "winter" months surpass , and exceed from April to September inclusively, peaking at in June. Bilma had the country's lowest ever recorded temperature, −2.4 °C (27.7 °F), on 13 January 1995.
Bilma | Climate
The Centre falls completely within a Type A or Guinea-type climate. This gives the region high humidity and precipitation, with rainfall averaging 1,000–2,000 mm each year. Precipitation is highest in the southernmost portions and diminishes toward the north. Temperatures are fairly steady, averaging 24˚ for the entire region except for the northwestern portions of Mbam division, where they fall to 23˚. The Centre also experiences equatorial seasons, alternating between rainy and dry periods. The long dry season begins the year, running from December to May. After this comes the short rainy season, which lasts from May to June. The short dry season comes next, from July to October.
Centre Region (Cameroon) | Climate
The interior of the Sahel region generally receives between 200 mm and 700 mm of rain yearly. A system of subdivisions often adopted for the Sahelian climate based on annual rainfall is as follows: the Saharan-Sahelian climate, with mean annual precipitation between around 100 and 200 mm (such as Khartoum, Sudan), the strict Sahelian climate, with mean annual precipitation between around 200 and 700 mm (such as Niamey, Niger) and the Sahelian-Sudanese climate, with mean annual precipitation between around 700 and 1,200 mm (such as Bamako, Mali). The relative humidity in the steppe is low to very low, often between 10% and 25% during the dry season and between 25% and 75% during the rainy season.
Sahel | Climate
Ouled Ahmed Timmi has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification "BWh"), with extremely hot summers and mild winters, and very little precipitation throughout the year.
Ouled Ahmed Timmi | Climate
Presently, the African Monsoon still influences the climate between 5° south and 25° north latitude; the latitudes around 10° north receive the bulk of their precipitation from the monsoon during summer, with smaller amounts of rainfall occurring farther north. Thus farther north deserts can be found while the moister areas are vegetated. In the Central Sahara, annual precipitation reaches no more than . Even farther north, the margin of the desert coincides with the area where the westerlies bring precipitation; they also influence southernmost Africa. Subsidence of air over parts of Northern Africa is responsible for the existence of deserts, which is further increased by the radiative cooling over the desert.
African humid period | Present-day situation
The climate of Africa is a range of climates such as the equatorial climate, the tropical wet and dry climate, the tropical monsoon climate, the semi-arid climate (semi-desert and steppe), the desert climate (hyper-arid and arid), and the subtropical highland climate. Temperate climates are rare across the continent except at very high elevations and along the fringes. In fact, the climate of Africa is more variable by rainfall amount than by temperatures, which are consistently high. African deserts are the sunniest and the driest parts of the continent, owing to the prevailing presence of the subtropical ridge with subsiding, hot, dry air masses.
Climate of Africa | Introduction
The Adrar des Ifoghas massif lies in the northeast. Mali lies in the torrid zone and is among the hottest countries in the world. The thermal equator, which matches the hottest spots year-round on the planet based on the mean daily annual temperature, crosses the country. Most of Mali receives negligible rainfall and droughts are very frequent. Late April to early October is the rainy season in the southernmost area. During this time, flooding of the Niger River is common, creating the Inner Niger Delta. The vast northern desert part of Mali has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification "BWh") with long, extremely hot summers and scarce rainfall which decreases northwards.
Mali | Geography
The temperature remains fairly steady year round, averaging 25°C. This fluctuates slightly with the seasons. The long, rainy season is the coldest time of year, and the long dry season is the warmest. Humidity is high year round.
South Cameroon Plateau | Climate
Dasht-e Kavir's climate is arid; it receives little rain or snow. However, the mountains that surround it provide plenty of runoff—enough to create vast seasonal lakes, marshlands and playas. Temperatures can reach in summer, and the average temperature in January is . Daytime and nighttime temperatures can vary by as much as over the course of a year. Rain usually falls in winter. The desert soil is covered with sand and pebbles; there are marshes, seasonal lakes and seasonal river beds. The hot temperatures cause extreme vaporization, which leaves the marshes and mud grounds with large crusts of salt. Heavy storms frequently occur and they can cause sand hills reaching up to 40 m in height.
Dasht-e Kavir | Climate and structure
The central area has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification "BSh") with very high temperatures year-round, a long, intense dry season and a brief, irregular rainy season. The southern areas have a tropical wet and dry climate. (Köppen climate classification "Aw") In review, Mali's climate is tropical, with March to May being the hot, dry season. June to October is rainy, humid and mild. November to February is the cool, dry season.
Mali | Geography
The low elevation of the Chad basin (200–500 metres) causes flooding during the wet season; the Logone is especially prone to this, and much of its basin is marshlike conditions along its length during the wet season. Even during the dry season, some of these remain, called "Yaéré" in Fulfulde. The El Beïd and Serbewel Rivers drain these marshy areas into Lake Chad. The Diamaré Plain, part of the Chad plain, occupies the southeastern third of the province. It is not as prone to flooding due to a number of inselbergs through the area.
Far North Region, Cameroon | Drainage
Situated between 11°3' and 13°5' north latitude, the Sudan-Sahel region is a transitional zone with regards to rainfall and temperature. Further to the south, the Sudan-Guinea zone receives more than of rain each year and has cooler average temperatures.
Geography of Burkina Faso | Climate
These vast distances from the sea have had a profound impact on Chad's historical and contemporary development. The second noteworthy characteristic is that the country borders on very different parts of the African continent: North Africa, with its Islamic culture and economic orientation toward the Mediterranean Basin; and West Africa, with its diverse religions and cultures and its history of highly developed states and regional economies;
Geography of Chad | Geographical placement