Editing Geography of Benin (section)

== Climate ==
{{See also|Benin#Geography}}
[[File:Benin map of Köppen climate classification.svg|thumb|Benin map of Köppen climate classification zones]]
[[File:DEGAN Gabin ( the tasks of man).jpg|thumb|left|man transporting a tree trunk during rainy season (October 2018)]]
Benin's climate is hot and humid. Annual rainfall in the coastal area averages {{convert|1360|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}, not particularly high for coastal West Africa. Benin has two rainy and two dry seasons. The principal rainy season is from April to late July, with a shorter less intense rainy period from late September to November. The main dry season is from December to April, with a short cooler dry season from late July to early September. Temperatures and humidity are high along the tropical coast. In Cotonou, the average maximum temperature is {{convert|31|C|F|1}}; the minimum is {{convert|24|C|F|1}}. Variations in temperature increase when moving north through a savanna and plateau toward the Sahel. A dry wind from the [[Sahara]] called the [[harmattan]] blows from December to March. Grass dries up, the vegetation turns reddish brown, and a veil of fine dust hangs over the country, causing the skies to be overcast. It is also the season when farmers burn brush in the fields.

{{Weather box|width=auto
|collapsed = yes
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|location= Porto-Novo
|Jan mean C=27
|Feb mean C=28
|Mar mean C=28
|Apr mean C=28
|May mean C=27
|Jun mean C=26
|Jul mean C=25
|Aug mean C=25
|Sep mean C=25
|Oct mean C=26
|Nov mean C=27
|Dec mean C=27
|year mean C=26
|rain colour= green
|Jan rain mm=23
|Feb rain mm=34
|Mar rain mm=86
|Apr rain mm=127
|May rain mm=215
|Jun rain mm=370
|Jul rain mm=129
|Aug rain mm=44
|Sep rain mm=89
|Oct rain mm=140
|Nov rain mm=52
|Dec rain mm=16
|source 1= <ref name=Weatherbase>{{Cite web |url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=653440&refer=&cityname=Porto-Novo-Benin&units= |title=Weatherbase |publisher=Weatherbase |access-date=December 13, 2012 }}</ref>
}}

{{Weather box | width=auto
| metric first = Yes 
| single line  = Yes 
| location     = Cotonou (1961–1990, extremes 1910–present)
|collapsed = yes
| Jan record high C = 36.1
| Feb record high C = 38.6
| Mar record high C = 36.0
| Apr record high C = 35.4
| May record high C = 39.0
| Jun record high C = 33.0
| Jul record high C = 33.5
| Aug record high C = 31.8
| Sep record high C = 31.6
| Oct record high C = 33.4
| Nov record high C = 35.4
| Dec record high C = 36.6
| year record high C = 39.0
| Jan high C = 30.8
| Feb high C = 31.6
| Mar high C = 31.9
| Apr high C = 31.6
| May high C = 31.0
| Jun high C = 29.2
| Jul high C = 28.0
| Aug high C = 27.8
| Sep high C = 28.4
| Oct high C = 29.6
| Nov high C = 30.9
| Dec high C = 30.8
| year high C = 30.1
| Jan mean C = 27.3
| Feb mean C = 28.5
| Mar mean C = 28.9
| Apr mean C = 28.6
| May mean C = 27.8
| Jun mean C = 26.5
| Jul mean C = 25.8
| Aug mean C = 25.6
| Sep mean C = 26.0
| Oct mean C = 26.7
| Nov mean C = 27.6
| Dec mean C = 27.3
| year mean C = 27.2
| Jan low C = 23.8
| Feb low C = 25.4
| Mar low C = 25.9
| Apr low C = 25.6
| May low C = 24.6
| Jun low C = 23.7
| Jul low C = 23.7
| Aug low C = 23.4
| Sep low C = 23.6
| Oct low C = 23.8
| Nov low C = 24.3
| Dec low C = 23.8
| year low C = 24.3
| Jan record low C = 17.0
| Feb record low C = 17.9
| Mar record low C = 18.5
| Apr record low C = 20.7
| May record low C = 19.6
| Jun record low C = 20.0
| Jul record low C = 18.8
| Aug record low C = 19.8
| Sep record low C = 20.0
| Oct record low C = 19.1
| Nov record low C = 21.0
| Dec record low C = 17.9
| year record low C = 17.0
| rain colour = green
| Jan rain mm = 9.2
| Feb rain mm = 36.8
| Mar rain mm = 73.8
| Apr rain mm = 137.0
| May rain mm = 196.9
| Jun rain mm = 356.0
| Jul rain mm = 147.0
| Aug rain mm = 64.9
| Sep rain mm = 99.0
| Oct rain mm = 126.7
| Nov rain mm = 41.4
| Dec rain mm = 19.6
| Jan humidity = 82
| Feb humidity = 82
| Mar humidity = 80
| Apr humidity = 82
| May humidity = 83
| Jun humidity = 87
| Jul humidity = 86
| Aug humidity = 86
| Sep humidity = 86
| Oct humidity = 86
| Nov humidity = 85
| Dec humidity = 83
| year humidity = 84
| unit rain days = 1.0 mm
| Jan rain days = 1
| Feb rain days = 2
| Mar rain days = 4
| Apr rain days = 7
| May rain days = 11
| Jun rain days = 15
| Jul rain days = 8
| Aug rain days = 5
| Sep rain days = 8
| Oct rain days = 8
| Nov rain days = 4
| Dec rain days = 2
| Jan sun = 213.9
| Feb sun = 210.0
| Mar sun = 223.2
| Apr sun = 219.0
| May sun = 213.9
| Jun sun = 141.0
| Jul sun = 136.4
| Aug sun = 148.8
| Sep sun = 165.0
| Oct sun = 207.7
| Nov sun = 243.0
| Dec sun = 223.2
| year sun = 2345.1
| Jand sun = 6.9
| Febd sun = 7.5
| Mard sun = 7.2
| Aprd sun = 7.3
| Mayd sun = 6.9
| Jund sun = 4.7
| Juld sun = 4.4
| Augd sun = 4.8
| Sepd sun = 5.5
| Octd sun = 6.7
| Novd sun = 8.1
| Decd sun = 7.2
|yeard sun = 6.4
| source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>{{cite web
| url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG__I/B3/65344.TXT
| title = Cotonou, Benin Climate Normals 1961-1990
| access-date = December 19, 2018
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration}}</ref>
| source 2 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] (humidity, 1951–1967),<ref name = DWD>{{cite web
| url = http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_653440_kt.pdf
| title = Klimatafel von Cotonou, Prov. Atlantique (Süd) / Benin
| work = Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world
| publisher = Deutscher Wetterdienst
| language = de
| access-date = 11 June 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200224194408/https://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_653440_kt.pdf
| archive-date = 24 February 2020
| url-status = live
}}</ref> Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)<ref name = meteoclimat>{{cite web
| url = http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=812
| title = Station Cotonou
| publisher = Meteo Climat
| language = fr
| access-date = 11 June 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200305160814/http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=812
| archive-date = 5 March 2020
| url-status = live
}}</ref>
| date     = March 2011
}}

{{Weather box
|location = Parakou (1961–1990)
|width = auto
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|collapsed = yes
|Jan record high C = 36.6
|Feb record high C = 38.3
|Mar record high C = 38.9
|Apr record high C = 38.4
|May record high C = 35.9
|Jun record high C = 33.7
|Jul record high C = 32.1
|Aug record high C = 31.6
|Sep record high C = 32.2
|Oct record high C = 33.9
|Nov record high C = 35.5
|Dec record high C = 35.8
|year record high C = 38.9 
|Jan high C = 34.1
|Feb high C = 36.0
|Mar high C = 36.2
|Apr high C = 34.9
|May high C = 32.8
|Jun high C = 30.7
|Jul high C = 29.2
|Aug high C = 28.6
|Sep high C = 29.5
|Oct high C = 31.5
|Nov high C = 33.6
|Dec high C = 33.6
|year high C = 32.6
|Jan mean C = 26.5
|Feb mean C = 28.7
|Mar mean C = 29.6
|Apr mean C = 29.0
|May mean C = 27.5
|Jun mean C = 26.1
|Jul mean C = 25.1
|Aug mean C = 24.7
|Sep mean C = 25.0
|Oct mean C = 26.1
|Nov mean C = 26.6
|Dec mean C = 26.1
|year mean C = 26.8
|Jan low C = 18.9
|Feb low C = 21.3
|Mar low C = 22.9
|Apr low C = 23.1
|May low C = 22.2
|Jun low C = 21.4
|Jul low C = 21.0
|Aug low C = 20.8
|Sep low C = 20.5
|Oct low C = 20.8
|Nov low C = 19.7
|Dec low C = 18.5
|year low C = 20.9
|Jan record low C = 15.8
|Feb record low C = 18.2
|Mar record low C = 19.9
|Apr record low C = 19.9
|May record low C = 19.2
|Jun record low C = 18.9
|Jul record low C = 19.0
|Aug record low C = 19.1
|Sep record low C = 18.5
|Oct record low C = 18.6
|Nov record low C = 16.7
|Dec record low C = 15.2
|year record low C = 15.2
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 3.8
|Feb precipitation mm = 9.2
|Mar precipitation mm = 39.4
|Apr precipitation mm = 85.5
|May precipitation mm = 130.8
|Jun precipitation mm = 172.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 189.9
|Aug precipitation mm = 208.8
|Sep precipitation mm = 205.6
|Oct precipitation mm = 91.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 6.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 6.6
|year precipitation mm = 1149.0
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 0
|Feb precipitation days = 1
|Mar precipitation days = 3
|Apr precipitation days = 5
|May precipitation days = 9
|Jun precipitation days = 11
|Jul precipitation days = 12
|Aug precipitation days = 13
|Sep precipitation days = 15
|Oct precipitation days = 7
|Nov precipitation days = 1
|Dec precipitation days = 1
|year precipitation days = 78
|source 1 = NOAA<ref name= NOAAParakou>{{cite web
| url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG__I/B3/65330.TXT
| title = Parakou Climate Normals 1961–1990
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| access-date = January 13, 2015}}</ref>
|date=January 2015}}

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|collapsed= yes
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|location=     Kandi (1961–1990, extremes 1921–present)
|Jan record high C=41.2
|Feb record high C=43.0
|Mar record high C=43.3
|Apr record high C=43.9
|May record high C=43.3
|Jun record high C=40.9
|Jul record high C=38.9
|Aug record high C=39.9
|Sep record high C=39.8
|Oct record high C=41.5
|Nov record high C=39.5
|Dec record high C=39.5
|year record high C=43.9
|Jan high C=33.6
|Feb high C=36.4
|Mar high C=38.4
|Apr high C=38.6
|May high C=36.2
|Jun high C=33.3
|Jul high C=30.9
|Aug high C=30.2
|Sep high C=31.1
|Oct high C=34.2
|Nov high C=35.3
|Dec high C=33.8
|year high C=34.3
|Jan mean C=24.9
|Feb mean C=27.8
|Mar mean C=30.9
|Apr mean C=32.1
|May mean C=30.4
|Jun mean C=28.1
|Jul mean C=26.4
|Aug mean C=26.0
|Sep mean C=26.2
|Oct mean C=27.8
|Nov mean C=26.5
|Dec mean C=24.8
|year mean C=27.7
|Jan low C=16.1
|Feb low C=19.2
|Mar low C=23.4
|Apr low C=25.6
|May low C=24.6
|Jun low C=22.9
|Jul low C=21.9
|Aug low C=21.8
|Sep low C=21.4
|Oct low C=21.4
|Nov low C=17.7
|Dec low C=15.8
|year low C=21.0
|Jan record low C=10.0
|Feb record low C=12.6
|Mar record low C=15.2
|Apr record low C=17.0
|May record low C=16.5
|Jun record low C=14.9
|Jul record low C=18.6
|Aug record low C=19.0
|Sep record low C=15.0
|Oct record low C=14.0
|Nov record low C=10.8
|Dec record low C=5.0
|year record low C=5.0
|Jan precipitation mm=0.2
|Feb precipitation mm=2.9
|Mar precipitation mm=8.2
|Apr precipitation mm=40.5
|May precipitation mm=107.0
|Jun precipitation mm=152.7
|Jul precipitation mm=196.9
|Aug precipitation mm=271.9
|Sep precipitation mm=190.9
|Oct precipitation mm=34.1
|Nov precipitation mm=0.5
|Dec precipitation mm=0.6
|year precipitation mm=1006.6

|Jan humidity=33
|Feb humidity=28
|Mar humidity=36
|Apr humidity=52
|May humidity=65
|Jun humidity=75
|Jul humidity=82
|Aug humidity=85
|Sep humidity=85
|Oct humidity=76
|Nov humidity=54
|Dec humidity=40
|year humidity=59
|unit precipitation days= 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days=0
|Feb precipitation days=0
|Mar precipitation days=1
|Apr precipitation days=3
|May precipitation days=8
|Jun precipitation days=10
|Jul precipitation days=13
|Aug precipitation days=16
|Sep precipitation days=13
|Oct precipitation days=3
|Nov precipitation days=0
|Dec precipitation days=0
|year precipitation days=67
|Jan sun=279.0
|Feb sun=257.6
|Mar sun=260.4
|Apr sun=255.0
|May sun=272.8
|Jun sun=252.0
|Jul sun=223.2
|Aug sun=195.3
|Sep sun=213.0
|Oct sun=275.9
|Nov sun=282.0
|Dec sun=279.0
|year sun=3045.2
|source 1= NOAA<ref>{{Cite web |url=ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-I/B3/65306.TXT |title=KANDI Climate Normals 1961-1990 |publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |access-date=June 11, 2016 }}</ref>
|source 2 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] (humidity, 1951–1967),<ref name = DWDkandi>
{{cite web
| url = http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_653060_kt.pdf
| title = Klimatafel von Kandi, Prov. Borgou (Nordost) / Benin
| work = Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world
| publisher = Deutscher Wetterdienst
| language = de
| access-date = 11 June 2016}}</ref> Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)<ref name = meteoclimatkandi>
{{cite web 
| url = http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=1566
| title = Station Kansi
| publisher = Meteo Climat 
|language = fr 
| access-date = 11 June 2016}}</ref>
}}