Ambanja in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Ambanja sees average daytime highs around 29°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 1314 mm of rain over about 86 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Summer is Ambanja's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Ambanja's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 29°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 22°C
- Rainfall
- 1314 mm
- 86 wet days
- Avg wind
- 4 km/h
- Travel score
- 2.8
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Ambanja in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C.
A typical summer day in Ambanja reaches about 29°C and drops to 22°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest December.
How summer really feels in Ambanja
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 90 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in summer is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Ambanja weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29° / 22° | 521 | 29.9 | 12.7 | 2.8 |
| Feb | 29° / 22° | 440 | 26.8 | 12.5 | 2.8 |
| Mar | 30° / 22° | 356 | 28.7 | 12.1 | 2.9 |
| Apr | 30° / 21° | 149 | 21.7 | 11.7 | 3.8 |
| May | 29° / 20° | 53 | 12.5 | 11.4 | 5.6 |
| Jun | 28° / 19° | 32 | 9.6 | 11.2 | 6.7 |
| Jul | 28° / 18° | 38 | 11.1 | 11.3 | 6.6 |
| Aug | 28° / 18° | 53 | 15.2 | 11.5 | 6.0 |
| Sep | 28° / 19° | 63 | 16.6 | 11.9 | 5.1 |
| Oct | 29° / 21° | 102 | 19.9 | 12.3 | 4.5 |
| Nov | 29° / 22° | 190 | 24.6 | 12.6 | 3.6 |
| Dec | 29° / 22° | 352 | 29.6 | 12.8 | 2.9 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Ambanja gets around 1314 mm of rain over 86 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 4 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 42 min in early December to 12 h 18 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 5.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Ambanja
In summer, Ambanja overlaps its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Ambanja sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.
Ambanja's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Ambanja?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Ambanja.
What to pack for Ambanja in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Ambanja sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 86 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Ambanja in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 29°C across summer — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in April at about 30°C and coldest in August near 27°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 29 |
| Comfort | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | Tropical |
| Feb | 29 | Tropical |
| Mar | 30 | Tropical |
| Apr | 30 | Tropical |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 28 | Tropical |
| Jul | 27 | Warm |
| Aug | 27 | Warm |
| Sep | 27 | Warm |
| Oct | 28 | Warm |
| Nov | 28 | Tropical |
| Dec | 29 | Tropical |
UV index in Ambanja in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages 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 Ambanja peaks around February 13 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 8 (very high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 10 | Extreme |
| Jun | 8 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 14 | Extreme |
Air quality in Ambanja in Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Ambanja is worst in November — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.1× the cleanest month (July, 6 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 20 | 23 | 10 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Good |
| Feb | 7 | Good |
| Mar | 7 | Good |
| Apr | 7 | Good |
| May | 6 | Good |
| Jun | 6 | Good |
| Jul | 6 | Good |
| Aug | 6 | Good |
| Sep | 12 | Good |
| Oct | 20 | Moderate |
| Nov | 23 | Moderate |
| Dec | 10 | Good |
Where is Ambanja?
Ambanja sits at 13.7°S, 48.5°E, 20 m above sea level, in Madagascar. The nearest listed city is Hell-Ville, 36 km away.
Topography around Ambanja
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Ambanja.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Ambanja has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 168 m around an average of 19 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 552 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,861 m.
The land around Ambanja is covered by trees (44%) and grassland (37%) within 3 km, trees (45%) and grassland (27%) within 16 km, and trees (38%), water (37%) and grassland (20%) within 80 km.
Madagascar travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type C / E
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 31% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $599
- 2025
- Happiness
- 4.2 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 22%
- of population, 2024
- Road deaths
- 29.2
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Low
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 457
- Religion
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 Ambanja (-13.669°, 48.453°, elevation 20 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.