Hurricanes in the Gambia
Hurricanes only occur occasionally in the Gambia. On average, they happen about 2 times a year. The hardest hit regions are Banjul.The hurricane season usually lasts from early June to late November.
The most severe hurricane to make landfall in the Gambia in the past 12 months was »Hermine«. It reached a wind speed of up to 46 km/h on September 22, 2022 at 3:00 pm local time near Bakau and was 83 kilometers in diameter at the time. According to the internationally accepted Saffir-Simpson classification, this corresponded to a tropical depression hurricane. On the open sea, speeds of up to 65 km/h were measured (tropical storm).
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Most violent hurricanes in the Gambia since 2018
Hermine: September 23-26, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 65 km/h
Diameter:
max. 370 km
Air pressure:
below 1003 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in the Gambia. On September 23rd, 2022 at 6:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 343 km northeast of Bakau in Banjul.
Hermine: September 21-25, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 65 km/h
on land:
max. 46 km/h
Diameter:
max. 333 km
Air pressure:
below 1002 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Banjul
Banjul
Larry: August 31 to September 11, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 204 km/h
Diameter:
max. 807 km
Air pressure:
below 953 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in the Gambia. On August 31st, 2021 at 6:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 257 km southeast of Gunjur in Western.
Larry: August 31 to September 11, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 204 km/h
Diameter:
max. 259 km
Air pressure:
below 953 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in the Gambia. On August 31st, 2021 at 6:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 367 km southeast of Gunjur in Western.
Rene: September 6-14, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 74 km/h
on land:
max. 56 km/h
Diameter:
max. 889 km
Air pressure:
below 1001 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Banjul
Banjul
Lorenzo: September 22 to October 4, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 259 km/h
Diameter:
max. 333 km
Air pressure:
below 925 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in the Gambia. On September 22nd, 2019 at 6:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 174 km southeast of Gunjur in Western.
These evaluations are based on data from the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Individual data have been summarized or translated.