Gee, it isn't a little chilly in here.

A little weather, or what is Ghana’s climate like? I thought I would compare and contrast Toronto, where I come from so those who are here in Ghana and those who are back home in Canada can see the differences.  As you can see, Canada being temperate rather than tropical, shows quite a large swing in temperatures over the year.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Accra, Ghana

Record High Temperature: 40.6 degrees Celsius Record Low Temperature: -32.8 degrees Celsius (Canada record low is -63 degrees and record high is 45 degrees Celsius) Toronto's climate is among the mildest in Canada east of the Rocky Mountains, where the annual average temperature exceeds 9 °C (48 °F). There is a high degree of variability from year to year and sometimes even over a period of days, particularly during the winter months. Springs and autumns feature varied weather with alternating periods of dry, sunny weather and rain. These seasons are brief when compared to summer or winter seasons, many days in these seasons are sunny with pleasant rather than warm or cold temperatures. Nights are generally cool, but frosts are rare. Snow can fall in early spring or late fall but usually melts quickly after contact with the ground. At these times changeable times of the year, temperature contrasts (up to 30 °C (54 °F) in extreme cases) can occur within a short time frame due to rapidly changing air masses that sweep across the continent, Annual average precipitation is 834 mm (32.83 in). Winter and snowfall Despite being cold, extended snow free periods occur in most winter seasons. Average winter snowfall is 133.1 cm (52.4 in) at the weather station in Downtown Toronto. The average January maximum/minimum is −1 °C (30 °F)/−7 °C (19 °F) in the city. There are usually a few colder periods where temperatures remain below −10 °C (14 °F) and less frequently below −20 °C (−4 °F) at night(especially in the northern suburbs), with wind chills making it feel like −30 °C (−22 °F). Summer Maximum temperatures typically range from 23 to 31 °C (73 to 88 °F) with moderate to high humidity, proximity to Lake Ontario and the other lakes contribute to summer moisture content but far away sources like the Gulf of Mexico also factor in. Temperatures over 32 °C (90 °F) occur but usually no longer than over a period of a few days and they very rarely exceed 38 °C (100 °F). Night temperatures generally hover close to 20 °C (68 °F) in the city but during hotter spells can remain closer to 25 °C (77 °F).

Record High Temperature: 38 degrees Celsius Record Low Temperature: 15 degrees Celsius (Ghana record low is 8.9 degrees and record high is 47.2 degrees Celsius) Owing to its location in the Dahomey Gap, where the coast runs parallel to the prevailing moist monsoonal winds, Accra features a tropical savanna climate that borders on a semi-arid climate. The average annual rainfall is about 730 mm, which falls primarily during Ghana's two rainy seasons. The chief rainy season begins in April and ends in mid-July, whilst a weaker second rainy season occurs in October. Rain usually falls in short intensive storms and give rise to local flooding where drainage channels are obstructed. There is very little variation in temperature throughout the year. The mean monthly temperature ranges from 24.7 °C (76.5 °F) in August (the coolest) to 28 °C (82.4 °F) in March (the hottest), with an annual average of 26.8 °C (80.2 °F). It should be noted, however, that the "cooler" months tend to be more humid than the warmer months. As a result, during the warmer months and particularly during the windy harmattan season, the city experiences a breezy "dry heat" that feels less warm than the "cooler" but more humid rainy season. As Accra is close to the equator, the daylight hours are practically uniform during the year. Relative humidity is generally high, varying from 65% in the mid-afternoon to 95% at night. The predominant wind direction in Accra is from the WSW to NNE sectors. Wind speeds normally range between 8 to 16 km/h. High wind gusts occur with thunderstorms, which generally pass in squall along the coast.

 The key thing that one notices here in Accra is that little thought needs to be given to the weather at least during the dry season.  Basically the temperature is the same everyday, and no need to pack an umbrella.  In the rainy season the same goes, except that it is good to carry an umbrella with you.  Unlike Canada though rainy days don't generally last all day, but rather there are intense showers for a few hours then the sun comes out again.

All in all, it is pretty sweet to move from our warm Canadian summer straight into a continuous summer here in Ghana. :)