Liwonde weather in December

In December, Liwonde sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 188 mm of rain across 22.6 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 32°C in the first days to 30°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

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 Liwonde's 10th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Liwonde's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
22°
11th coldest
Rainfall
188 mm
22.6 wet days
Daylight
12 h 54 min
5:09 AM – 6:02 PM
Cloud cover
72%
10th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
6.03 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.3
out of 10

Liwonde 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 32°C in the first days to 30°C by the end.

A typical December day in Liwonde 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 34°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 3°C cooler than November and about 1°C warmer than January.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13223
23222
33222
43222
53122
63122
73122
83122
93122
103122
113122
123122
133122
143122
153022
163022
173022
183022
193022
203022
213022
223022
233022
243022
253022
263022
273022
283022
293022
303022
313022

How December really feels in Liwonde

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.

Liwonde 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
Jan29° / 22°27925.812.83.4
Feb29° / 22°19219.612.53.9
Mar29° / 21°13717.412.14.5
Apr29° / 19°285.511.76.5
May27° / 17°40.711.38.2
Jun25° / 15°20.411.18.7
Jul25° / 14°20.311.28.7
Aug27° / 16°10.411.58.3
Sep30° / 18°20.311.96.4
Oct32° / 21°142.412.34.7
Nov33° / 23°689.412.73.7
Dec30° / 22°18822.612.93.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% 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
24852
34753
44654
54456
64357
74159
83961
93763
103664
113466
123169
133169
142971
152872
162674
172575
182575
192476
202476
212575
222575
232575
242476
252476
262476
272476
282476
292476
302476
312476

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Liwonde gets around 188 mm of rain over 22.6 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 73% and peaks near 82% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
151
253
355
457
558
660
763
865
967
1069
1170
1272
1374
1476
1577
1678
1779
1880
1981
2081
2181
2282
2382
2482
2582
2682
2782
2882
2981
3081
3181

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 49% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 89% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
119205317
218195418
317185420
417175322
506175324
605165326
705155228
804145131
904134934
1003124836
1103114739
1202104542
130294445
140284248
150184150
160173953
170163855
180153658
190053560
200043462
210033364
220033265
230033166
240023167
250023068
260013069
270013069
280013069
290013069
300013069
310013069

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
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
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 5:04 AM to 5:16 AM, and sunset from 5:54 PM to 6:09 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.85:045:54
212.85:045:54
312.85:045:55
412.85:055:55
512.95:055:56
612.95:055:57
712.95:055:57
812.95:065:58
912.95:065:58
1012.95:065:59
1112.95:075:59
1212.95:076:00
1312.95:076:00
1412.95:086:01
1512.95:086:01
1612.95:096:02
1712.95:096:02
1812.95:096:03
1912.95:106:03
2012.95:106:04
2112.95:116:04
2212.95:116:05
2312.95:126:05
2412.95:126:06
2512.95:136:06
2612.95:136:07
2712.95:146:07
2812.95:146:08
2912.95:156:08
3012.95:156:08
3112.95:166:09

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.03 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.39 kWh/m² to a high of 6.72 kWh/m² in November across the year — December's 6.03 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.3Intense
26.3Intense
36.3Intense
46.3Intense
56.3Intense
66.2Intense
76.2Intense
86.2Intense
96.1Intense
106.1Intense
116.1Intense
126.0Intense
136.0Intense
146.0Bright
156.0Bright
165.9Bright
175.9Bright
185.9Bright
195.9Bright
205.9Bright
215.9Bright
225.9Bright
235.9Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.8Bright
285.8Bright
295.8Bright
305.8Bright
315.8Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Liwonde

In seasonPeak

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

Liwonde's monsoon runs December–March, 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 Liwonde?

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

3.3
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
4.7
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Liwonde.

What to pack for Liwonde in December

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

In December, Liwonde sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 23 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Liwonde 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 Liwonde peaks around January 17 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 highExtremeJan 17UV 15Jun 20UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May9Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep11Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Liwonde 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 Liwonde 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 Liwonde?

Liwonde sits at 15.1°S, 35.2°E, 499 m above sea level, in Malawi. The nearest listed city is Balaka, 31 km away.

MangochiNtcheuBlantyreMandimbaMwanzaUlongué

Topography around Liwonde

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Liwonde has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 63 m around an average of 488 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 808 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,804 m.

The land around Liwonde is covered by cropland (33%) and grassland (20%) within 3 km, shrubs (32%), cropland (32%) and grassland (23%) within 16 km, and cropland (47%) within 80 km.

3 km
63 m
16 km
808 m
80 km
1,804 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: Balaka 31 km · Zomba 37 km · Mangochi 66 km · Ntcheu 69 km · Blantyre 83 km · Mandimba 92 km · Mwanza 96 km · Ulongué 100 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 Liwonde (-15.0666°, 35.2254°, elevation 499 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).