Maseru weather in December

In December, Maseru sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 142 mm of rain across 14 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 46% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 42 min at the start of December to 13 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Maseru's 12th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Maseru's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
14°
10th coldest
Rainfall
142 mm
14 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
5:10 AM – 7:02 PM
Cloud cover
46%
12th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
7.48 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
out of 10

Maseru is capital of Lesotho.

Density
2,607/km²
people per km²
Founded
1869

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month.

A typical December day in Maseru reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 22°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and on par with January.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12613
22613
32613
42613
52613
62613
72613
82713
92713
102713
112713
122713
132714
142714
152714
162714
172714
182714
192714
202714
212714
222714
232714
242714
252714
262714
272714
282714
292814
302814
312815

How December really feels in Maseru

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Maseru weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 2nd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 15°14315.613.75.9
Feb27° / 14°11613.713.16.1
Mar25° / 12°10713.112.26.7
Apr22° / 688.611.37.2
May19° / 29410.67.5
Jun16° / -1°172.510.26.5
Jul16° / -1°10210.36.7
Aug19° / 253.310.97.7
Sep23° / 243.911.88.3
Oct25° / 10°849.212.77.4
Nov26° / 12°11211.213.56.8
Dec27° / 14°1421413.86.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 46% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 30%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16733
26733
36733
46634
56634
66634
76634
86733
96733
106832
116832
126832
136931
146931
156931
167030
177030
187129
197129
207228
217228
227129
237129
247129
257228
267228
277228
287327
297327
307327
317426

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Maseru gets around 142 mm of rain over 14 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 45% and peaks near 47% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
143
244
345
445
546
646
747
847
947
1047
1147
1247
1347
1447
1546
1646
1746
1845
1945
2044
2144
2244
2344
2444
2544
2644
2744
2844
2944
3044
3144

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 69% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
183161
282171
381181
480191
580191
679201
778211
877221
976231
1075241
1175241
1274251
1373261
1473261
1571272
1670282
1769292
1869292
1967303
2066313
2164324
2264324
2363334
2461345
2560355
2658366
2757376
2857376
2955387
3054397
3154397

Wind in December

Winds average 10 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 11 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
810calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 42 min at the start of December to 13 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:08 AM to 5:18 AM, and sunset from 6:52 PM to 7:09 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.75:086:52
213.85:086:53
313.85:086:54
413.85:086:54
513.85:086:55
613.85:086:56
713.85:086:56
813.85:086:57
913.85:086:58
1013.85:096:59
1113.85:096:59
1213.85:097:00
1313.95:097:00
1413.95:107:01
1513.95:107:02
1613.95:107:02
1713.95:117:03
1813.95:117:03
1913.95:117:04
2013.95:127:04
2113.95:127:05
2213.95:137:05
2313.95:137:06
2413.95:147:06
2513.95:147:07
2613.95:157:07
2713.95:157:08
2813.95:167:08
2913.95:167:08
3013.95:177:09
3113.95:187:09

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 7.48 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.56 kWh/m² to a high of 7.48 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 7.48 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.4Intense
27.4Intense
37.4Intense
47.4Intense
57.4Intense
67.4Intense
77.4Intense
87.4Intense
97.4Intense
107.5Intense
117.5Intense
127.5Intense
137.5Intense
147.5Intense
157.5Intense
167.5Intense
177.5Intense
187.5Intense
197.5Intense
207.5Intense
217.5Intense
227.5Intense
237.5Intense
247.5Intense
257.5Intense
267.5Intense
277.5Intense
287.5Intense
297.5Intense
307.5Intense
317.5Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Maseru

In seasonPeak

In December, Maseru sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Maseru's rainy season runs October–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Maseru?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.2
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
6.2
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Maseru for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Maseru in December

From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In December, Maseru sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 14°C. Pack rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 14 days see rain.

rain gearsun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Maseru in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Maseru peaks around January 14 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 5 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 14UV 15Jun 22UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun5Moderate
Jul5Moderate
Aug7High
Sep9Very high
Oct11Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Maseru in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Maseru is worst in July — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.1× the cleanest month (December, 5 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1420 µg/m³Dec 195 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar10Good
Apr12Moderate
May16Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul20Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov6Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Maseru?

Maseru sits at 29.3°S, 27.5°E, 1,552 m above sea level, in Lesotho. The nearest listed city is Mabote, 6.0 km away.

LadybrandTeyateyanengHlohlolwaneMafetengFicksburgMaputsoe

Topography around Maseru

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Maseru.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Maseru has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 383 m around an average of 1,543 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 509 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,748 m.

The land around Maseru is covered by grassland (44%) and artificial surfaces (39%) within 3 km, grassland (57%) and cropland (27%) within 16 km, and grassland (70%) and cropland (26%) within 80 km.

3 km
383 m
16 km
509 m
80 km
1,748 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Mabote 6.0 km · Ladybrand 14 km · Teyateyaneng 32 km · Hlohlolwane 45 km · Mafeteng 61 km · Ficksburg 62 km · Maputsoe 63 km · Thaba Nchu 64 km

Lesotho travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type M
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 34% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,089
2025
Happiness
4.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
31%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
38.2
per 100k, 2008
Road deaths
31.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 48%Roman Catholic 39%other Christian 9%none 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Maseru (-29.3167°, 27.4833°, elevation 1,552 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).