Theclimate ofGhana istropical.[1] Theeastern coastal belt is warm and comparatively dry, the south-west corner of Ghana is hot andhumid, and the north of Ghana is hot and dry.[2] Ghana is located on theGulf of Guinea, only a few degrees north of theEquator, giving it a warm climate.[3]
Ghana has atropical climate with two mainseasons: the wet season and the dry season.[4]
In northern Ghana, the rainy season lasts from April to mid-October, while in the south it extends from March to mid-November.[4] Thetropical climate of Ghana is relatively mild for itslatitude.[4] From December to March, theharmattan - a drydesert wind - blows across northeastern Ghana, reducinghumidity and bringing hotter days and cooler nights to the region.[4]
Average daily temperatures in Ghana range from 30°C (86°F) during the day to 24°C (75°F) at night, with relative humidity levels between 77% and 85%.[5] The southern part of the country experiences a bi-modalrainy season, occurring from April to June and again from September to November.[5] In the north,squalls typically occur in March and April, followed by intermittent rainfall until August and September, when precipitation peaks.[5] Annualrainfall varies between 78 and 216 centimeters (31 to 85 inches).[5]
| Climate data for Ghana | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.1 (86.2) | 31.2 (88.2) | 31.6 (88.9) | 31.0 (87.8) | 30.0 (86.0) | 28.3 (82.9) | 27.1 (80.8) | 26.8 (80.2) | 27.4 (81.3) | 28.6 (83.5) | 30.0 (86.0) | 29.5 (85.1) | 29.2 (84.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 24.5 (76.1) | 25.8 (78.4) | 26.2 (79.2) | 26.2 (79.2) | 25.4 (77.7) | 24.6 (76.3) | 23.5 (74.3) | 23.2 (73.8) | 23.6 (74.5) | 24.2 (75.6) | 24.3 (75.7) | 24.1 (75.4) | 24.6 (76.3) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 13.6 (0.54) | 40.3 (1.59) | 88.2 (3.47) | 115.7 (4.56) | 160.7 (6.33) | 210.4 (8.28) | 121.3 (4.78) | 88.9 (3.50) | 133.0 (5.24) | 128.1 (5.04) | 56.5 (2.22) | 24.6 (0.97) | 1,184.1 (46.62) |
| Average rainy days | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 77 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 79 | 77 | 77 | 80 | 82 | 85 | 85 | 83 | 82 | 83 | 80 | 79 | 85 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 214 | 204 | 223 | 213 | 211 | 144 | 142 | 155 | 171 | 220 | 240 | 235 | 2,372 |
| Source: weatherbase.com[5] | |||||||||||||
Climate change in Ghana is having significant impacts on the people ofGhana. Increasing temperatures and changes inrainfall,extreme weather,drought, wild fires, floods andsea-level rise[6] are expected to negatively affect the country's infrastructure,hydropower production,food security, and coastal and agriculturallivelihoods such as farming and fisheries.[7][8][9] Ghana's economy will be impacted byclimate change, due to its dependence onclimate-sensitive sectors such asagriculture,energy, andforestry.
Climate change is expected worsen Ghana'swater security problems, and this will have socioeconomic consequences.[10] Agriculture and access to safe and reliable drinking water will be impacted. Reducedwater supply will have a negative impact onhydropower, which provides 54% of the country'selectricity capacity. Additionally, Ghana will likely see a rise in diseases likemalaria,dengue fever andcholera due to changes in water conditions.[11]
Climate change is expected to have different impacts across the country. The north of the country, which has a typically hot and dry climate, will become hotter and wetter, and increasing rainfall variability is expected to decrease crop yields, which could drive poverty and migration. The wetter south is predicted to experience a decrease in rainfall.[12]
Ghana signed the Paris Climate Agreement in 2016. Their existing 2015 Intended Nationally Determined Contribution[13] then became theirNationally Determined Contribution, which was reviewed in 2021.[14] Ghana aims to avoid 64 million metric tons ofgreenhouse gas emissions by 2030, compared to a business-as-usual scenario for 2020-2030. The country has committed to net zero by 2060.[15]