Pointe-Noire's seasons are determined by the cold Benguela current rather than by latitude, so the weather here is less tropical than its position three degrees south of the equator would suggest. The dry season (June to September) is cool and grey — daytime temperatures around 24°C, almost always overcast — and is the most comfortable time to be in the city.
The rainy season (October to May) is hotter, more humid, and brings short heavy downpours, usually in the late afternoon. December and January can be unpleasantly muggy. The driest months — July and August — are when the city feels best, with cool sea breezes and clear nights.
There is no major festival worth timing a visit around, but the Independence Day celebrations on 15 August fill the streets with parades and the seafront with music.