Climate in Chad

Chad has three distinct climate zones. The south is in the equatorial rain belt and has a tropical climate, with temperatures that can climb to 104°F (40°C) and a lot of rainfall. The central region, including N'Djamena and Lake Chad, is arid and can get swelteringly hot, and temperatures can sometimes exceed 113°F (45°C). The Sahara Desert dominates the north, where days are extremely hot and nights are brutally cold.

A tropical weather system known as the intertropical front crosses Chad from south to north every year. It ushers in the wet season and lasts from May to October in the south, and from June to September in the central region, coinciding with the hottest time of the year. The north gets very little rain.

The best time to visit Chad is in winter and spring (between November and May), when it's cooler and there's hardly any rainfall. During these months, average temperatures are comfortable and range between 68°F (20°C) and 77°F (25°C). During the rainy season, it's often extremely difficult to traverse the country's roads, very few of which are tarred. Game viewing is best done during the dry season, as animals are generally more visible.