13 – 22 °C
When to come, and what to bring
Jos is the exception to Nigerian weather. The Plateau sits high enough that the temperature never really behaves like the rest of the country, which is the single fact the city has been selling since the British came up here to get out of the heat.
- Elevation
- 1,200 – 1,829 m
- Average temperature
- 13 – 22 °C
- Annual rainfall
- 1,317 – 1,460 mm
- Wettest
- July and August
- Coldest
- December – February
- Warmest
- March – April
Harmattan
December – February
The coldest part of the year, and the reason people say you need a jacket in Jos. Dry, dusty wind off the Sahara, hazy light, cold mornings and nights.
Our view · The best window, and it is also when the state runs its tourism month. Expect company.
- A real jacket
- Layers for the evening
- Lip balm
- Eye drops
Hot season
March – April
The warmest stretch, before the rains break. Still far milder than the rest of Nigeria, but the middle of the day is no longer free.
Our view · Start early and stop at midday. This is also roughly when Nzem Berom falls.
- Sun protection
- Water
- A light layer for the evening
The rains
May – September
Rainfall runs to somewhere between 1,317 and 1,460 mm a year and peaks in July and August. The Plateau is at its greenest and the waterfalls are actually worth the drive.
Our view · Best for the falls and the landscape, worst for the roads. Rock scrambling gets genuinely dangerous when the granite is wet.
- Waterproof
- Boots with grip
- A dry bag for a camera
Clearing
October – November
The rains taper off and the dust has not yet arrived. Green landscape, clear air, comfortable temperatures.
Our view · Quietly the best photography window of the year, and the least crowded.
- A light jacket
- Layers
Sources
- Plateau State — Wikipediaread 2026-08-27
These are climate norms for the state, not a forecast, and the Plateau has real microclimates — the hills are colder and wetter than the city. Check an actual forecast before you travel.