Salima weather in December

In December, Salima sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 305 mm of rain across 24.5 wet days and about 12.8 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% 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 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Salima's 10th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Salima's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
24°
10th coldest
Rainfall
305 mm
24.5 wet days
Daylight
12 h 48 min
5:14 AM – 6:03 PM
Cloud cover
70%
10th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
5.89 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.1
out of 10

Salima is human settlement in Salima District, Malawi.

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 28°C through the month.

A typical December day in Salima reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C cooler than November and about 1°C warmer than January.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12925
22925
32925
42924
52924
62924
72824
82824
92824
102824
112824
122824
132824
142824
152824
162824
172824
182824
192824
202824
212824
222824
232824
242824
252824
262824
272824
282824
292724
302724
312724

Salima 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
Jan27° / 24°39928.712.73.6
Feb27° / 24°30723.812.54.0
Mar27° / 23°24322.912.14.6
Apr27° / 23°589.111.77.2
May25° / 21°51.211.48.9
Jun23° / 19°20.411.29.3
Jul23° / 18°20.511.39.1
Aug24° / 20°10.211.59.4
Sep27° / 22°10.211.98.9
Oct29° / 24°141.812.37.2
Nov30° / 25°769.812.65.5
Dec28° / 24°30524.512.84.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% 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 67%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25347
35248
45149
54951
64753
74555
84357
94159
103961
113664
123565
133367
143070
152971
162773
172674
182674
192476
202476
212476
222476
232377
242476
252476
262377
272377
282377
292377
302377
312278

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Salima gets around 305 mm of rain over 24.5 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 79% and peaks near 89% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
158
260
362
464
566
668
770
872
974
1076
1177
1278
1379
1480
1581
1682
1783
1883
1984
2084
2185
2285
2385
2486
2586
2687
2787
2888
2988
3089
3189

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 48% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 95% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
11126819
21116820
31116721
41106623
5096625
6096427
7086329
8076231
9075934
10065836
11055639
12055441
13045343
14045046
15044848
16034651
17034453
18034354
19024157
20024058
21023860
22023761
23023662
24013564
25013564
26013465
27013465
28013366
29013366
30013366
31013267

Wind in December

Winds average 9 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 9 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
710calm
810calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 48 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 0 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:09 AM to 5:21 AM, and sunset from 5:55 PM to 6:09 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.85:095:55
212.85:095:55
312.85:105:56
412.85:105:56
512.85:105:57
612.85:115:57
712.85:115:58
812.85:115:58
912.85:115:59
1012.85:125:59
1112.85:126:00
1212.85:126:01
1312.85:136:01
1412.85:136:02
1512.85:146:02
1612.85:146:03
1712.85:146:03
1812.85:156:04
1912.85:156:04
2012.85:166:05
2112.85:166:05
2212.85:176:06
2312.85:176:06
2412.85:186:06
2512.85:186:07
2612.85:196:07
2712.85:196:08
2812.85:206:08
2912.85:206:09
3012.85:216:09
3112.85:216:09

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.89 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.95 kWh/m² to a high of 7.12 kWh/m² in October across the year — December's 5.89 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.5Intense
26.5Intense
36.4Intense
46.4Intense
56.3Intense
66.3Intense
76.2Intense
86.2Intense
96.1Intense
106.1Intense
116.0Intense
126.0Bright
135.9Bright
145.9Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.5Bright
275.5Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Salima

In seasonPeak

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

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

Salima'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 Salima?

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

4.1
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
4.6
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Salima for sightseeing.

What to pack for Salima in December

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

In December, Salima sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 25 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Salima 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 Salima peaks around January 21 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 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 21UV 15Jun 18UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May9Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep11Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Salima 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 Salima is worst in September — around 31 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.0× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1331 µg/m³Dec 218 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar10Good
Apr10Good
May12Good
Jun15Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug28Moderate
Sep31Moderate
Oct24Moderate
Nov12Moderate
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Salima?

Salima sits at 13.8°S, 34.5°E, 512 m above sea level, in Malawi. The nearest listed city is Monkey Bay, 60 km away.

Monkey BayDedzaLilongweMponelaNkhotakotaLichingaUlonguéMangochi

Topography around Salima

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Salima has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 22 m around an average of 506 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 402 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,693 m.

The land around Salima is covered by cropland (51%) and artificial surfaces (27%) within 3 km, cropland (49%) and grassland (37%) within 16 km, and cropland (32%) and water (31%) within 80 km.

3 km
22 m
16 km
402 m
80 km
1,693 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Monkey Bay 60 km · Dedza 68 km · Lilongwe 75 km · Mponela 83 km · Nkhotakota 96 km · Lichinga 99 km · Ulongué 105 km · Mangochi 116 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 Salima (-13.7804°, 34.4587°, elevation 512 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). 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).