Balaka weather in December

In December, Balaka sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 167 mm of rain across 20.5 wet days and about 12.9 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 31°C in the first days to 29°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in December, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 48 min at the start of December to 12 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Balaka's 10th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Balaka's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
22°
11th coldest
Rainfall
167 mm
20.5 wet days
Daylight
12 h 54 min
5:10 AM – 6:03 PM
Cloud cover
70%
10th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
5.86 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.7
out of 10

Balaka is city in Malawi.

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

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 31°C in the first days to 29°C by the end.

A typical December day in Balaka reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 33°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13122
23122
33122
43122
53122
63122
73122
83122
93022
103022
113022
123022
133022
143022
153022
163022
173022
183022
193022
202922
212922
222922
232922
242922
252922
262922
272922
282922
292922
302922
312922

How December really feels in Balaka

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 6 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
6
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.

Balaka weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 3rd-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 21°27925.312.83.7
Feb28° / 21°19019.112.54.2
Mar29° / 21°12216.312.14.9
Apr28° / 19°255.311.77.2
May27° / 17°5111.38.4
Jun25° / 15°20.811.18.8
Jul24° / 14°30.911.28.9
Aug27° / 16°20.511.58.6
Sep30° / 18°20.511.96.8
Oct32° / 21°152.312.35.2
Nov32° / 22°598.312.74.1
Dec30° / 22°16720.512.93.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 68%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
24951
34753
44753
54456
64357
74159
83961
93862
103763
113565
123367
133169
143070
152872
162773
172773
182674
192674
202674
212674
222674
232674
242674
252674
262575
272575
282575
292575
302575
312575

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Balaka gets around 167 mm of rain over 20.5 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 66% and peaks near 76% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
146
248
350
451
553
655
757
859
961
1062
1164
1266
1367
1468
1570
1671
1772
1872
1973
2073
2173
2273
2374
2474
2574
2674
2775
2875
2976
3076
3176

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the muggy band about 61% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 85% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
121124594
221023605
31922626
41921636
51820647
61719649
717186410
816176511
915166612
1005156614
1104146715
1204136617
1303126718
1403116620
1503106522
160296524
170296326
180286228
190176230
200176032
210166033
220165835
230165736
240155638
250155539
260055540
270045541
280045442
290045343
300045343
310045244

Wind in December

Winds average 6 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 48 min at the start of December to 12 h 54 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 5:05 AM to 5:17 AM, and sunset from 5:55 PM to 6:10 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.85:055:55
212.85:055:55
312.85:065:56
412.85:065:56
512.85:065:57
612.95:065:57
712.95:075:58
812.95:075:59
912.95:075:59
1012.95:086:00
1112.95:086:00
1212.95:086:01
1312.95:096:01
1412.95:096:02
1512.95:096:02
1612.95:106:03
1712.95:106:03
1812.95:116:04
1912.95:116:04
2012.95:126:05
2112.95:126:05
2212.95:136:06
2312.95:136:06
2412.95:136:07
2512.95:146:07
2612.95:146:08
2712.95:156:08
2812.95:156:08
2912.95:166:09
3012.95:176:09
3112.95:176:10

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.86 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.41 kWh/m² to a high of 6.71 kWh/m² in October across the year — December's 5.86 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.2Intense
26.2Intense
36.2Intense
46.1Intense
56.1Intense
66.1Intense
76.0Intense
86.0Intense
96.0Bright
105.9Bright
115.9Bright
125.9Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.7Bright
225.7Bright
235.7Bright
245.7Bright
255.7Bright
265.7Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
295.6Bright
305.6Bright
315.6Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Balaka

In seasonPeak

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

Balaka's monsoon runs December–February, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Balaka?

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

3.7
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
5.1
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Balaka.

What to pack for Balaka in December

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

In December, Balaka sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 21 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Balaka 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 Balaka peaks around January 18 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 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 highExtremeJan 18UV 15Jun 19UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May9Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep11Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Balaka 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 Balaka is worst in August — around 46 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 3.3× the cleanest month (December, 14 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateAug 1746 µg/m³Dec 2014 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan15Moderate
Feb19Moderate
Mar22Moderate
Apr25Moderate
May32Moderate
Jun36Poor
Jul41Poor
Aug46Poor
Sep42Poor
Oct28Moderate
Nov17Moderate
Dec14Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Balaka?

Balaka sits at 15.0°S, 35.0°E, 633 m above sea level, in Malawi. The nearest listed city is Liwonde, 31 km away.

ZombaMangochiUlonguéMwanzaBlantyreDedza

Topography around Balaka

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Balaka has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 80 m around an average of 636 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 327 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,811 m.

The land around Balaka is covered by cropland (57%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 3 km, cropland (65%) within 16 km, and cropland (48%) and shrubs (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
80 m
16 km
327 m
80 km
1,811 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: Liwonde 31 km · Ntcheu 39 km · Zomba 60 km · Mangochi 65 km · Ulongué 70 km · Mwanza 83 km · Blantyre 90 km · Dedza 95 km

Malawi travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 53% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$672
2025
Happiness
3.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
18%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.8
per 100k, 2012
Road deaths
33.4
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 465
Religion
Protestant 34%other Christian 27%Roman Catholic 17%Muslim 14%

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 Balaka (-14.9793°, 34.9558°, elevation 633 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).