Annual precipitation in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Annual precipitation was 2,951 millimeters in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
2,951 millimeters
Change on year
up 7.1%
World rank
13th
of 192 countries
All-time high
3,276 millimeters
in 1957
All-time low
2,109 millimeters
in 1942
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Annual precipitation in Sierra Leone, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in millimeters.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 2,951 millimeters for annual precipitation in 2025.
The figure is up 7.1% on the previous year and up 29.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual precipitation in Sierra Leone peaked at 3,276 millimeters in 1957 and was at its lowest, 2,109 millimeters, in 1942.
That places Sierra Leone 13th out of 192 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
Annual precipitation in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | millimeters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 2,377 millimeters | — |
| 1941 | 2,440 millimeters | +2.7% |
| 1942 | 2,109 millimeters | -13.6% |
| 1943 | 2,548 millimeters | +20.8% |
| 1944 | 2,729 millimeters | +7.1% |
| 1945 | 2,195 millimeters | -19.6% |
| 1946 | 2,325 millimeters | +5.9% |
| 1947 | 2,483 millimeters | +6.8% |
| 1948 | 2,248 millimeters | -9.5% |
| 1949 | 2,507 millimeters | +11.5% |
| 1950 | 2,570 millimeters | +2.5% |
| 1951 | 3,004 millimeters | +16.9% |
| 1952 | 3,103 millimeters | +3.3% |
| 1953 | 2,736 millimeters | -11.8% |
| 1954 | 2,931 millimeters | +7.1% |
| 1955 | 2,753 millimeters | -6.0% |
| 1956 | 2,649 millimeters | -3.8% |
| 1957 | 3,276 millimeters | +23.6% |
| 1958 | 2,459 millimeters | -24.9% |
| 1959 | 2,434 millimeters | -1.0% |
| 1960 | 2,497 millimeters | +2.6% |
| 1961 | 2,643 millimeters | +5.9% |
| 1962 | 2,476 millimeters | -6.3% |
| 1963 | 2,746 millimeters | +10.9% |
| 1964 | 2,333 millimeters | -15.0% |
| 1965 | 2,348 millimeters | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 2,544 millimeters | +8.4% |
| 1967 | 2,866 millimeters | +12.7% |
| 1968 | 3,039 millimeters | +6.0% |
| 1969 | 3,120 millimeters | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 2,742 millimeters | -12.1% |
| 1971 | 2,820 millimeters | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 2,959 millimeters | +4.9% |
| 1973 | 2,487 millimeters | -16.0% |
| 1974 | 2,424 millimeters | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 2,510 millimeters | +3.5% |
| 1976 | 2,664 millimeters | +6.1% |
| 1977 | 2,577 millimeters | -3.3% |
| 1978 | 2,737 millimeters | +6.2% |
| 1979 | 2,864 millimeters | +4.6% |
| 1980 | 3,191 millimeters | +11.4% |
| 1981 | 2,886 millimeters | -9.6% |
| 1982 | 2,493 millimeters | -13.6% |
| 1983 | 2,349 millimeters | -5.8% |
| 1984 | 2,452 millimeters | +4.4% |
| 1985 | 2,547 millimeters | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 2,434 millimeters | -4.4% |
| 1987 | 2,495 millimeters | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 2,637 millimeters | +5.7% |
| 1989 | 2,755 millimeters | +4.5% |
| 1990 | 2,531 millimeters | -8.1% |
| 1991 | 2,245 millimeters | -11.3% |
| 1992 | 2,603 millimeters | +16.0% |
| 1993 | 2,683 millimeters | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 2,498 millimeters | -6.9% |
| 1995 | 2,578 millimeters | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 2,579 millimeters | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2,354 millimeters | -8.7% |
| 1998 | 2,339 millimeters | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 2,362 millimeters | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 2,590 millimeters | +9.6% |
| 2001 | 2,422 millimeters | -6.5% |
| 2002 | 2,543 millimeters | +5.0% |
| 2003 | 2,696 millimeters | +6.0% |
| 2004 | 2,559 millimeters | -5.1% |
| 2005 | 2,651 millimeters | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 2,390 millimeters | -9.8% |
| 2007 | 2,645 millimeters | +10.7% |
| 2008 | 2,445 millimeters | -7.6% |
| 2009 | 2,269 millimeters | -7.2% |
| 2010 | 2,554 millimeters | +12.6% |
| 2011 | 2,365 millimeters | -7.4% |
| 2012 | 2,713 millimeters | +14.7% |
| 2013 | 2,267 millimeters | -16.5% |
| 2014 | 2,473 millimeters | +9.1% |
| 2015 | 2,284 millimeters | -7.7% |
| 2016 | 2,717 millimeters | +19.0% |
| 2017 | 2,616 millimeters | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 2,701 millimeters | +3.3% |
| 2019 | 3,006 millimeters | +11.3% |
| 2020 | 2,643 millimeters | -12.1% |
| 2021 | 2,654 millimeters | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 2,605 millimeters | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 2,557 millimeters | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 2,756 millimeters | +7.8% |
| 2025 | 2,951 millimeters | +7.1% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 2,951 millimeters is above the median for low income countries, which is 845.66 millimeters, 3.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 2,951 millimeters is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 970.56 millimeters, 3.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 2,396 millimeters | 2,109 millimeters | 2,729 millimeters | 10 |
| 1950s | 2,791 millimeters | 2,434 millimeters | 3,276 millimeters | 10 |
| 1960s | 2,661 millimeters | 2,333 millimeters | 3,120 millimeters | 10 |
| 1970s | 2,678 millimeters | 2,424 millimeters | 2,959 millimeters | 10 |
| 1980s | 2,624 millimeters | 2,349 millimeters | 3,191 millimeters | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,477 millimeters | 2,245 millimeters | 2,683 millimeters | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,521 millimeters | 2,269 millimeters | 2,696 millimeters | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,570 millimeters | 2,267 millimeters | 3,006 millimeters | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,695 millimeters | 2,557 millimeters | 2,951 millimeters | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More climate change data for Sierra Leone
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 3.65 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,547 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 538.77 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 36.02 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,431 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 201.66 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,229 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.761 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual precipitation in Sierra Leone?
- Annual precipitation in Sierra Leone was 2,951 millimeters in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual precipitation recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 3,276 millimeters in 1957.
- What is the lowest annual precipitation recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,109 millimeters in 1942.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for annual precipitation?
- Sierra Leone ranks 13th out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual precipitation rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual precipitation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total annual precipitation—rain and snow—calculated as the sum of daily averages, reported as the depth of water falling to Earth's surface, excluding fog and dew.