West African monsoon: Quick Facts

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Two side-by-side maps of Africa show the seasonal path of the African monsoon. Arrows indicate wind systems, including the northeast trade winds and the hot, dry Harmattan winds. Shaded bands in varying greens represent rainfall amounts, with the Intertropical Convergence Zone shifting northward and rainfall bands reaching farther into West Africa from June to September, and moving southward with rainfall concentrated in central and southern Africa from January to March.

Thematic map of the Guinea Coast region in West Africa showing the distribution of major ethnic groups and average annual rainfall. Coastal and southern areas, including parts of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon, are shaded in green and purple to indicate higher rainfall, while northern and inland regions are shaded in yellow and orange for lower rainfall. Major ethnic groups such as Temne, Mende, Yoruba, Igbo, and Ashanti are labeled within their respective reg

A climate chart of West Africa shows how monsoon-related weather patterns shift north and south throughout the year, with colored bands representing zones of dust, dry winds, showers, and heavy rain. The timing of the sun's zenith is marked, and a legend explains the meaning of each color, detailing conditions like frequent dust and haze, occasional thunderstorms, and varying rainfall amounts.

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