If you’re planning a trip to Lagos during the summer, get ready for warm days, lots of rain, and sticky humidity. Summer in Lagos means heavy rainfall, cooler daytime highs than the dry season, and a mix of cloudy and sunny spells. That mix shapes your experience, whether you want to be outside or just hang out along the coast.
Temperatures stay warm, but the rain and clouds make the air feel different from the drier months. The climate follows a steady rhythm. June usually marks the rainfall peak, then things gradually ease off toward late August.
Knowing these patterns helps you get ready for both the challenges and perks of Lagos summers. The shifting skies and cooling Atlantic breeze give the season a vibe you won’t find any other time of year.
Overview of Lagos Summer Climate
During summer in Lagos, you get warm temperatures, high humidity, and plenty of rain. Cloud cover, the ocean, and steady daylight hours all play a part in how it feels each day.
Typical Summer Weather Patterns
Daytime highs usually sit between 82°F and 86°F (28°C–30°C). Nights hover around 75°F (24°C). There’s not much difference between day and night, honestly.
Rain comes often, but not all the time. Early summer brings heavier showers, with monthly averages over 7 inches (180 mm) in June. By August, rainfall drops closer to 5–6 inches (125–150 mm). You’ll see short, intense downpours rather than endless rain.
Humidity stays high, often close to 100%, so the air feels muggy even when it’s not that hot. Clouds are common, with overcast skies more than two-thirds of the time in June and July. By late August, clearer skies show up more often.
Wind speeds pick up a little as the season goes on, averaging 7–9 mph. Breezes from the west blow in moisture from the Atlantic. These winds help a bit with the humidity, but they also bring more rain.
Geographical Influences on Weather
Lagos sits right on the Gulf of Guinea’s coast, and the Atlantic Ocean really shapes its summer weather. The water keeps temperatures steady, so you don’t get the crazy highs you see inland.
The city’s low elevation—just about 12 feet above sea level—makes it especially humid. With lagoons and creeks all around, moisture hangs in the air.
Surface water temperatures in summer range from 83°F (28°C) in June to about 78°F (26°C) in August. This slow cooling helps cut down on rainfall by the end of summer, but the air stays warm and humid.
Urban sprawl changes things too. Built-up areas trap heat and block airflow, so nights can feel warmer downtown than by the water.
Lagos sits near the equator, so daylight hours barely change. You get about 12 hours of daylight all summer, with only tiny shifts in sunrise and sunset. That steady light keeps the temperature pattern pretty stable.
Average Summer Temperatures
Summer in Lagos is warm and humid, with little difference between day and night. Temperatures don’t swing much from June to August, but rainfall and clouds can change how hot it feels.
Daytime Highs
Daytime highs usually land between 82°F and 86°F (28°C to 30°C). It’s rare for temps to climb above 89°F or dip below 79°F, so things stay pretty steady.
The hottest part of the day hits in the early afternoon, and humidity makes it feel even heavier. Unlike some cities, Lagos doesn’t get wild temperature spikes, so you can count on a narrow range all summer.
March gets hotter, reaching highs near 91°F, so summer afternoons actually feel a bit cooler. Clouds and seasonal breezes help keep the heat in check, though it’s still muggy most days. If you’re headed outside, expect humid warmth instead of brutal heat.
Nighttime Lows
At night, temperatures stick around 75°F to 76°F (24°C). Lows rarely go below 73°F or above 79°F, so nights are warm and sticky.
Because the dew point stays high, the air almost always feels muggy, even after sunset. Nights don’t really cool off like they do in drier places.
You probably won’t notice much difference in comfort from evening to morning. Air conditioning or at least a fan is a must for sleeping, since the humidity makes natural cooling tough. The steady temps make packing easy—no need to worry about big swings.
Monthly Temperature Variations
From June through August, summer temperatures in Lagos barely shift. June starts with highs near 86°F and lows around 76°F. By August, daily highs drop closer to 82°F, but lows stay near 75°F.
August is the coolest part of summer, thanks to more rain and clouds cutting down on daytime heat.
Even with these small changes, the overall pattern doesn’t budge much. You won’t run into sudden cold snaps or heat waves. Temperatures just move slightly up or down, making for a predictable climate you can count on when making plans.
Rainfall and Humidity in Summer
Rainfall peaks in Lagos during summer, and humidity stays up there too. Expect regular showers, cloudy skies, and damp air that stick around all season.
Average Rainfall Amounts
Rain pours down hardest in June and July, with monthly totals often hitting 250–300 mm. June is usually the wettest, averaging about 312 mm and more than 16 rainy days.
By August, rain slows down but still matters, with totals around 110–120 mm. Showers usually come in heavy bursts, often in the afternoon or evening. Flooding happens in low spots, so you’ll want to plan travel and outdoor stuff with care.
It doesn’t rain all the time, though. You’ll get breaks between showers, so outdoor plans aren’t impossible if you work around the weather.
Humidity Levels
Humidity in Lagos during summer is high, averaging about 80–85%. The air feels heavy and damp, especially after rain. Even when clouds cool things a bit, humidity makes it feel warmer than the thermometer says.
Mornings start out sticky, and that feeling hangs around all day. Nights don’t really bring relief, since humidity stays up.
If you’re not used to humid places, the weather can feel draining. Wear light clothes, drink plenty of water, and try to spend time indoors with fans or AC.
Rainy Season Duration
The rainy season usually starts in April or May and lasts through October, with summer being the wettest stretch. June and July get the most rain, while August has a short break before things pick up in September.
This cycle repeats every year, with only small changes in timing or intensity. You can count on 12–16 rainy days per month during peak summer.
The wet season ends slowly. By late October, rain tapers off and the dry season takes over, bringing a real change in daily weather.
Sunshine Hours and Cloud Cover
During summer in Lagos, you get less direct sunshine than in the dry months. Clouds are everywhere, cutting down the number of bright hours each day.
Average Daily Sunshine
From June through September, Lagos gets some of its lowest daily sunshine totals. On average, you’ll see 3 to 4 hours of direct sunlight per day.
July and August are the cloudiest, with about 3 hours daily. June and September are a bit better, with 3 to 4 hours. Compare that to December or February, when you can get over 6 hours of sun.
Wet season rain and thick clouds block a lot of the sun, leaving skies gray for long stretches. Even when the sun comes out, it’s often filtered through haze or thin clouds, so it’s not super bright.
Here’s a quick look at average sunlight in summer:
| Month | Avg. Sunshine Hours/Day |
|---|---|
| June | 4h 00m |
| July | 3h 00m |
| August | 3h 00m |
| Sept | 3h 06m |
Typical Cloudiness
Clouds rule the summer in Lagos. From June to September, the sky stays overcast most of the time, with 70–76% of daylight hours under clouds.
You’ll see way fewer clear skies and a lot more gray days. July and August are the cloudiest, with only about one-quarter of daylight hours sunny.
Moist air from the Atlantic brings all that cloudiness, fueling the rainy season. Even when it’s not raining, the sky often stays thick with clouds.
If you’re planning to be outside, expect humid air, limited direct sunlight, and lots of shade from clouds.
Wind and Storm Patterns
Summer in Lagos brings a steady pattern of breezes and storms, thanks to the West African monsoon. You’ll notice changes in wind direction and speed, plus frequent, quick thunderstorms that can mess with daily plans.
Prevailing Winds
In summer, southwesterly monsoon winds take over Lagos. These winds blow in from the Atlantic, packed with moisture. That steady, humid flow explains why June through August are the wettest months.
Wind speeds usually hit 8–15 km/h (5–9 mph), but storms can bring stronger gusts. The winds aren’t wild compared to some coasts, but they keep things damp and muggy.
The breeze actually feels cooler than the inland heat, since the ocean takes the edge off. Wind direction doesn’t change much, so expect a southwest flow most days.
Frequency of Storms
Thunderstorms pop up a lot during the rainy season, especially in June and July, when rainfall hits over 250–300 mm per month. These storms are short but intense, with heavy rain, lightning, and bursts of strong wind.
You’ll get storms on 10–16 days per month in mid-summer. Flooding is common in low spots, especially after a few stormy days in a row. Travel can slow down, and outdoor plans might need to wait until the rain lets up.
Lagos doesn’t really get tropical cyclones, so these storms are more local and tied to the monsoon. They usually clear out quickly, leaving behind muggy air and maybe a bit of sun before the next round.
Sea Temperatures and Coastal Effects
The sea around Lagos stays warm all summer, though it cools a bit from month to month. These changes affect both swimming and how the coast feels on land.
Average Sea Surface Temperatures
Summer sea temps in Lagos usually sit between 25.5°C and 28.5°C. June is the warmest, around 28.3°C, while July and August cool off slightly to 26.5°C and 25.7°C.
That means the water stays warm enough for swimming, no wetsuit needed—even in August, since the sea stays above 25°C.
The slight cooling in mid-summer comes from more rain and clouds, which block some of the sun’s heat. Still, the sea stays warmer than a lot of other tropical coasts.
Here’s a quick reference:
| Month | Avg. Sea Temp (°C) |
|---|---|
| June | 28.3 |
| July | 26.5 |
| August | 25.7 |
Impact on Local Weather
Warm coastal waters really shape Lagos’ summer weather in a big way. High sea temperatures crank up the humidity, so the air feels hotter than what the thermometer actually shows.
This effect tends to hit hardest in June, right when both air and water temperatures reach their peak. Moisture drifting in from the ocean fuels the city’s rainfall.
In July, the sea cools off a bit, and Lagos gets its highest average rainfall of the whole season. By August, as water temperatures dip even more, rainfall drops off, and you’ll see fewer rainy days.
The sea does more than just bring rain, though. It helps keep temperature swings in check.
After sunset, the ocean releases heat it’s stored up all day, so nights along the coast stay pretty warm. Nighttime lows usually hang out in the mid-20s °C, which keeps the gap between day and night temperatures pretty small.
So, with warm seas and steady humidity, Lagos gets stuck with a humid coastal climate and just minor changes in temperature from day to day.