🇹🇬Togo

Togo (56,785 km²) stretches about 580 km north-south and is narrow east-west, lying between 6°–11°N along the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east, and Burkina Faso to the north, encompassing diverse climate zones from the coastal south to the tropical savanna of the north.

The narrow country spans varied topography: the 56 km Atlantic coastline featuring lagoons and sandy beaches exposed to erosion; the southern coastal plain; the Togo Mountains running southwest–northeast across the centre and reaching 986 m at Mont Agou near Kpalimé; the fertile Plateaux Region supporting cocoa and coffee cultivation; and the northern savanna lowlands transitioning to Sudanian climate.

The climate is predominantly Köppen Aw (tropical savanna), with a single May–October rainy season in the north, while the south has two distinct rainy seasons: the main April-July period and a shorter September-October season separated by the brief August mini dry season.

Mean annual temperatures range from 27°C near the coast to 28°C in the northern savanna, with relatively modest seasonal variation. Annual precipitation varies from about 1,100–1,300 mm at northern savanna stations such as Mango and Kara to 1,300–1,600 mm in the southwestern mountains, though the coastal zone around Lomé receives approximately 875 mm despite its proximity to the sea because the rain-bearing westerlies flow parallel to the coast and diverge instead of releasing their moisture.

Lomé (coastal capital) sees highs of about 33°C in January and 29°C in August, with nights near 23–24°C and 875 mm annual rainfall concentrated in the two rainy seasons, experiencing oppressive year-round humidity around 80% and recurring urban flooding during intense convective storms that overwhelm inadequate drainage infrastructure, particularly in rapidly expanding informal settlements.

Sokodé (central highlands, 340 m elevation) registers highs of about 35°C in both January and April, with nights near 19°C in January and 23°C in April, and 1,270 mm, marking the transition between coastal and savanna climates. Kara (northern savanna, 310 m) records highs of about 36°C in January and April, with nights near 19°C in January and 24°C in April, and 1,300 mm during the single rainy season. Dapaong (far north, about 300 m) experiences January highs of about 34°C and April highs of about 37°C, with about 1,100 mm as Sudanian savanna climate dominates.

Kpalimé (southwestern mountains) receives about 1,450 mm, supporting forest and coffee and cocoa plantations. Severe floods in August and September 2007 hit northern Togo's Savanes region hardest, killing at least 17 people and cutting off tens of thousands.

Severe floods in September and October 2010 hit southern Togo's Maritime Region, where overflowing rivers damaged houses, bridges and roads. Coastal erosion threatens the historic towns of Aného and Agbodrafo where shoreline retreat exceeds 5 meters annually in places, exacerbated by sand mining, Akosombo Dam sediment trapping, and sea-level rise.

The annual Harmattan dry season (November-March) brings dusty northeasterly winds from the Sahara, reducing visibility, disrupting aviation, exacerbating respiratory illnesses, and desiccating vegetation.

Climate projections indicate further warming by 2050, intensified rainfall variability with more frequent extreme events, extended dry seasons threatening rainfed agriculture, continued coastal erosion, and increased Harmattan dust concentrations.

Our archive covers 3 Togolese cities with daily ERA5 reanalysis data going back to 1940. The hottest July afternoons are in Kara, with average highs around 28.5°C, while Sokodé has the coldest January nights, with average lows near 19.1°C. Comparing the last decade against the 1940–1970 baseline, mean temperatures across these cities have risen by about 1.6°C.