Climate Atlas

Climate Change in Ghana

Changes in temperature, rainfall and sea level

The Climate of Ghana Observed Climate Trends Summary of Key Climate Indicators Visualization Temperature & Rainfall Sea Level Rise Table of Indicators Frequently Asked Questions Latest Updates Additional Materials

The Climate of Ghana

Understanding the Ghana Climate Atlas

Climate change is increasingly affecting Ghana through rising temperatures, higher sea levels, and more frequent extreme events like droughts, floods, wildfires, and coastal erosion.

The Ghana Climate Atlas is a vital tool designed to provide reliable information that enhances Ghana’s preparedness and capacity to plan for a sustainable future, adapt to changes, and manage climate risks. Through the Atlas, users can:

Access detailed Reports for in-depth climate analysis.
Explore an interactive Mapviewer to see how climate changes over time and across different administrative level.
Request for datasets to support further research and planning.
Explore Story Maps featuring case studies of climate change impacts in Ghana.
Browse our FAQs for concise answers to common questions.

Observed Climate Trends

Historical Climate Patterns in Ghana

Ghana, located between latitudes 4°N–12°N and longitudes 1.5°E–3.5°W, has a tropical climate modulated by the movement of the Intertropical Discontinuity (ITD), which drives distinct wet and dry seasons.

The wet season is influenced by moist South westerly (SW) winds and exhibits a bimodal rainfall pattern in southern Ghana and a unimodal pattern in the north.

In contrast, the dry season is dominated by North easterly (NE) winds, bringing dry and dusty conditions across the country. Temperature patterns are also seasonal, with peak temperatures typically occurring in March and the lowest in August.

Summary of Key Climate Indicators

Higher Temperatures

Temperatures are rising throughout the century, with warming occurring year- round and most increase during the dry season. The average annual temperature is projected to increase by 1.5°C, reaching approximately 29.3°C by end of century (RCP 4.5)

More Rainfall Variability

Rainfall across Ghana is expected to remain generally stable. Total annual rainfall for Ghana will likely increase by 1.8% . Increases are projected during the SON (3.6%) and JAS (13.9% ) seasons with a decline expected during the AMJ (1.7%) season.

Rise in Mean Sea Level

There is a continuous rise in mean sea level along Ghana's coastline, ranging from 0.4 to 0.7m. This may lead to an increase in coastal erosion and flooding, posing significant threats to coastal communities and infrastructure.

Visualization

Map Viewer

The Climate Atlas Mapviewer is an interactive tool designed to help users explore climate projection indicators.

Through the mapviewer, users can view annual and seasonal indicators of rainfall temperature and sea level rise and examine how these variables may change under different emission scenarios.

The platform also enables users to perform area-based analysis and view more information. Case study storymaps can accessed through the mapviewer as well.

Go to Map Viewer

StoryMaps

Explore story maps featuring community case studies on climate change in Ghana, covering issues such as coastal erosion, mangrove depletion, prolonged dry spells, seasonal migration, and the impacts of climate change on rice production.

Go to StoryMaps

Temperature & Rainfall

Warming stripes depicting the best guess (50th percentile) of the medium emission scenarion(RCP 4.5) of Average Annual Temperature from the historical period to the end of the century

Rainfall stripes depicting the best guess (50th percentile) of the medium emission scenarion(RCP 4.5) of Total Annual Rainfall from the historical period to the end of the century

Best guess (50th percentile) of the medium emission scenario (RCP 4.5) of Total Annual Rainfall & Average Annual Temperature from the historical period to the end of the century

Sea Level Rise

Area chart depicting the best guess (50th percentile) of the medium emission scenario (SSP2-4.5) of Projected Mean Sea Level Rise over the period 2021 to 2100

Mapviewer

Table of Indicators

Overview table of the key indicators presented in this report for Ghana

Indicator	Season	Reference (1991-2020)	Low emission (2081-2100)	Medium emission (2081-2100)	High emission (2081-2100)	Unit
Annual temperature	All year	27.8	0.5 [0.3 - 1]	1.5 [1.2 - 1.9]	3.7 [2.7 - 4.4]	°C
Seasonal temperature	DJF	28.2	0.6 [0.3 - 1.1]	1.6 [1.2 - 2.2]	3.9 [2.6 - 5.0]	°C
Seasonal temperature	AMJ	28.6	3.9 [2.6 - 5.0]	1.5 [1.2 - 2.0]	3.7 [2.9 - 4.2	°C
Seasonal temperature	JAS	26.0	0.5 [0.2 - 0.8]	1.3 [1.0 - 1.9]	3.3 [2.3 - 4.1]	°C
Seasonal temperature	SON	27.0	0.5 [0.3 - 0.9]	1.4 [1.1 - 1.9	3.6 [2.4 - 4.4]	°C
Annual rainfall	All year	1221	12 [-96 - 97]	22 [-59 - 103]	17 [-210 - 216]	mm
Seasonal rainfall	Dry season (DJF)	53	2 [-6 - 11]	-3 [-18 -13]	0 [-18 - 25]	mm
Seasonal rainfall	Wet season (AMJ)	444	-13 [-49 - 23]	-8 [-43 - 42]	-31 [-135 - 71]	mm
Seasonal rainfall	Wet season (JAS)	469	20 [-50 - 77]	18 [-38 - 69]	38 [-112 - 147]	mm
Seasonal rainfall	Wet Season (SON)	371	0.8 [0.6 - 1.3]	15 [-22 - 53]	23 [-41 - 94]	mm
Mean sea level	All year	N/A	0.42[ 0.29 - 0.6]	0.52 [0.38 - 0.72]	0.69[0.53 -0.92]	m

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to frequently asked questions.

General understanding of the climate and climate change

What is the difference between weather and climate?

Weather is a short-term condition or state of the atmosphere in a particular place, while climate describes the long-term statistical patterns of these conditions over decades (typically at least 30 years). Thus, climate is the long-term pattern of weather conditions in a particular place.

What is climate change?

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), defines climate change as a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere, and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.

Is Ghana already experiencing climate change?

Yes. Evidence indicates rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall patterns, and a growing number of extreme events such as floods, droughts, and coastal erosion. These changes are already affecting agriculture, water availability, and food security, making it more difficult for many communities to sustain their livelihoods and increasing the risk of economic and environmental challenges.

What is climate adaptation?

Climate adaptation means adjusting how we live and work to reduce the impacts of climate change, such as using drought-resistant crops or improving drainage systems

Who needs information on climate projections?

Climate projections provide information for the long-term horizon, up to the end of the 21st century and even beyond, based on different scenarios of future societal development. They offer the potential to inform current adaptation efforts and increase society’s resilience to climate change and variability. They can serve as input for decision makers and policymakers to support local and/or national adaptation strategies for combating climate change threats. Information on climate projections is essential for government institutions, businesses, farmers, researchers, local communities, humanitarian organizations, urban planners, schools, environmental groups, health organizations, and many more. It supports making informed decisions, adapting to the impacts of climate change, and effectively planning for future challenges.