CAPE VERDE WEATHER

At the beginning of the winter season, temperatures during November are certainly unlike the UK, with an average high of 28°C. With the winds picking up during this time and the waves becoming larger, this is a great time for anyone who loves to windsurf, kitesurf, sail etc. If you're not keen on water sports, however don't mind a little wind then this is still a great time to visit the islands, and you'll find that there are flag systems in place on the beaches which indicate the swimming conditions. 

For a warmer, dryer feel during the festive month, head to Cape Verde in December and enjoy your Christmas day on the beach. With average highs of 27°C, and expected precipitation of only 1mm to fall on just two days during the month, the sunshine is guaranteed, making December ideal for beach lovers and families. 

With an average of 8 sunshine hours a day, January is Cape Verde's coldest month. Saying this, you will still experience pleasant temperatures of up to 24°C, making it a great month for adventurers to go out and explore the more rugged, mountainous islands, such as Santo Antão and São Nicolau. 

February is another great month to go out and explore what the islands have to offer, or alternatively partake in water sports. A comfortable 25°C is the average maximum temperature, and sea temperatures average at 23°C, making it ideal for water sport enthusiasts. During February there are number of festivals and events which take place, including Cape Verde's famous Carnival. Head to Mindelo on the island of São Vicente to find daily celebrations. 

March is the last month which provides ideal weather conditions for water sports, until the season kicks in again in November. With 10 hours of sunshine on average per day, it's a wonderful time to take a break from the harsher UK spring and dose up on some much needed vitamin D. Temperatures average at a high of 25°C, so you can also go and explore the more rugged islands, or take a day or two to try out some excursions without getting too hot. 

With very similar temperatures to March, April is another great month where you can easily relax on the beach and take a refreshing dip in the warm, 23°C ocean, or hop over to another island go for a long hike and explore. Fogo is ideal if you're looking to discover a magnificent volcano, or if you're after breathtaking scenery, try Santo Antão or Brava to see some beautiful flora. With average temperatures of 23°C, only rising to a maxiumum of 25°C, if you're an adventurer, April is an ideal time to visit the islands. 

A rise in temperature and sunshine hours means that May is a great month for beach lovers. The ocean temperature rises to a pleasant 25°C - ideal for swimming, but when you're done relaxing on the beautiful beaches and are ready to explore, you'll find there's plenty going on. The Gamboa music festival takes place in mid-May on the island of Santiago, which is also a great opportunity to explore the capital, Praia. You've also got a local festival in Assomada on Santiago, and a city festival on Santo Antão, both also happening during mid-May. 

Although the sunshine hours drop slightly, the temperature rises again, as Cape Verde enters the summer months. Similarly to the rest of the year on these islands, rainfall is very low and expected precipitation during June is only 1mm. Another ideal time to visit if you love to relax on the beach or by the pool, and towards the end of the month you'll find that the winds diminish even further. 

Temperatures rise further during the month of July, however the hours of sunshine reduce again to 7. Expected precipitation also rises, but only to 11mm for the whole month. The sea also becomes warmer, averaging at 26°C. One thing to take note of during July, is that there are occasional dust storms, which can make it a little inconvenient to be at the beach. However, these storms tend to depart as quickly as they arrive, and any that do occur will not affect your day for very long (usually ending in less than 20 minutes). 

August sees temperatures rise to around 28°C, but it's also one of Cape Verde's more tropical months with 53mm of expected rainfall. The sea is a very tempting 27°C, so if you don't mind the occasional shower (sometimes heavy) and would rather splash around in the ocean, then this could be a great month to visit. Sunlight hours average at 6 per day, so there's still some time for tanning. 

September is the rainiest month of the year in Cape Verde, so perhaps not the best month to travel if you're looking for uninterrupted sunshine. It is, however the hottest, with average highs of 30°C. There are a selection of festivals and events happening in September, so if you're holiday is not interrupted by a shower here and there, then try the music festival at Santa Maria in mid September or the Nationality Day celebrations. 

During October, the expected rainfall diminishes slightly to match that of August, the winds die right down and the maximum temperature averages at 29°C. 7 hours of sunshine mixed with sporadic tropical storms mean the weather at this time is fairly unpredictable, however this rainfall is only expected on four days of the month.