Ambarakaraka weather in December

In December, Ambarakaraka sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 296 mm of rain across 27.5 wet days and about 12.8 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 42 min at the start of December to 12 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Ambarakaraka's 9th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ambarakaraka's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
4th warmest
Overnight low
23°
10th coldest
Rainfall
296 mm
27.5 wet days
Daylight
12 h 48 min
5:17 AM – 6:04 PM
Cloud cover
71%
9th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.93 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.9
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month.

A typical December day in Ambarakaraka reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13023
23023
33023
43023
53023
63023
73023
83023
93023
103023
113023
123023
133023
143023
153023
163023
173023
183023
193023
203023
213023
223023
233023
243023
253023
263023
273023
283023
293023
303023
313023

How December really feels in Ambarakaraka

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 31 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
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in December is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Ambarakaraka weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 23°49329.312.72.8
Feb30° / 23°40226.212.42.8
Mar30° / 23°31627.612.12.9
Apr30° / 22°12619.811.73.8
May30° / 21°4711.511.45.2
Jun29° / 19°3310.111.26.0
Jul28° / 18°4012.211.35.9
Aug28° / 19°541511.65.5
Sep29° / 20°5815.911.94.9
Oct30° / 21°7817.112.34.4
Nov31° / 22°13020.812.63.6
Dec30° / 23°29627.512.82.9

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 67%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
24951
34852
44753
54654
64555
74357
84357
94060
104060
113862
123763
133664
143565
153367
163367
173169
183169
192971
202971
212773
222674
232575
242476
252278
262278
272080
282080
291882
301783
311783

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Ambarakaraka gets around 296 mm of rain over 27.5 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 88% and peaks near 94% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
181
281
382
482
583
683
784
884
985
1085
1186
1287
1387
1488
1589
1689
1790
1890
1991
2091
2191
2292
2392
2493
2593
2693
2794
2894
2994
3094
3194

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the oppressive band about 92% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
111890
210891
39901
49901
58911
67921
77912
87912
96922
106922
115923
125923
135923
144933
154933
164924
174924
183934
193934
203934
212944
222944
232944
242935
251945
261945
271945
281945
291945
301945
310955

Wind in December

Winds average 5 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 5 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 42 min at the start of December to 12 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:12 AM to 5:24 AM, and sunset from 5:56 PM to 6:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.75:125:56
212.75:125:57
312.75:135:58
412.85:135:58
512.85:135:59
612.85:135:59
712.85:146:00
812.85:146:00
912.85:146:01
1012.85:156:01
1112.85:156:02
1212.85:156:02
1312.85:166:03
1412.85:166:03
1512.85:176:04
1612.85:176:04
1712.85:176:05
1812.85:186:05
1912.85:186:06
2012.85:196:06
2112.85:196:07
2212.85:206:07
2312.85:206:08
2412.85:216:08
2512.85:216:09
2612.85:226:09
2712.85:226:10
2812.85:236:10
2912.85:236:10
3012.85:246:11
3112.85:246:11

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.93 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.77 kWh/m² to a high of 6.62 kWh/m² in October across the year — December's 5.93 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.3Intense
26.3Intense
36.2Intense
46.2Intense
56.2Intense
66.2Intense
76.2Intense
86.2Intense
96.1Intense
106.1Intense
116.1Intense
126.1Intense
136.0Intense
146.0Intense
156.0Bright
165.9Bright
175.9Bright
185.9Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.7Bright
245.7Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Ambarakaraka

In seasonPeak

In December, Ambarakaraka sits inside its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Ambarakaraka sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Ambarakaraka's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

Cyclone
Monsoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Ambarakaraka?

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

2.9
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
4.1
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Ambarakaraka.

What to pack for Ambarakaraka in December

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

In December, Ambarakaraka sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 28 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Ambarakaraka in December

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 30 km away) 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.

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar30Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun28Tropical
Jul27Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep27Warm
Oct28Warm
Nov28Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Ambarakaraka 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 Ambarakaraka peaks around February 12 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeFeb 12UV 15Jun 20UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Ambarakaraka 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 Ambarakaraka 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).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateNov 1223 µg/m³Jul 156 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb7Good
Mar7Good
Apr7Good
May6Good
Jun6Good
Jul6Good
Aug6Good
Sep12Good
Oct20Moderate
Nov23Moderate
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Ambarakaraka?

Ambarakaraka sits at 13.5°S, 48.9°E, 50 m above sea level, in Madagascar. The nearest listed city is Ambilobe, 39 km away.

MaromandiaBealananaIharan̈aAntsiranana

Topography around Ambarakaraka

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Ambarakaraka has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 268 m around an average of 69 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 764 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,861 m.

The land around Ambarakaraka is covered by trees (54%) and grassland (35%) within 3 km, trees (45%) and grassland (42%) within 16 km, and grassland (35%), trees (34%) and water (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
268 m
16 km
764 m
80 km
2,861 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandwatermangroves
December weather nearby: Ambilobe 39 km · Antsohimbondrona 46 km · Ambanja 49 km · Hell-Ville 66 km · Maromandia 116 km · Bealanana 117 km · Iharan̈a 124 km · Antsiranana 139 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
Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar/Malagasy Lutheran Church/Anglican Church 34%Roman Catholic 32%none 22%other Christian 8%

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 Ambarakaraka (-13.5°, 48.8667°, elevation 50 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).