Zomba weather in December

In December, Zomba sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 180 mm of rain across 21.5 wet days and about 12.9 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 14% 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 Zomba's 10th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zomba's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
21°
11th coldest
Rainfall
180 mm
21.5 wet days
Daylight
12 h 54 min
5:08 AM – 6:02 PM
Cloud cover
73%
10th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.64 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.0
out of 10

Zomba is city in the southern parts of 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 29°C through the month.

A typical December day in Zomba reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C cooler than November and about 1°C warmer than January.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13021
23021
33021
43021
53021
62921
72921
82921
92921
102921
112921
122921
132921
142921
152921
162921
172921
182921
192921
202921
212921
222921
232821
242821
252821
262821
272821
282821
292821
302821
312821

Zomba weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 3rd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 21°27425.712.84.0
Feb28° / 20°16719.112.54.6
Mar28° / 20°12116.512.15.4
Apr27° / 18°265.311.77.3
May26° / 16°51.211.38.5
Jun24° / 14°20.411.18.9
Jul24° / 13°20.611.28.8
Aug26° / 15°20.411.58.8
Sep28° / 17°20.611.97.7
Oct30° / 19°162.712.35.9
Nov31° / 21°629.312.74.7
Dec29° / 21°18021.512.94.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 14% 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 70%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14753
24654
34654
44357
54258
64159
73862
83862
93565
103466
113268
123169
132971
142773
152773
162575
172476
182377
192377
202476
212476
222476
232476
242476
252476
262476
272476
282476
292377
302377
312377

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Zomba gets around 180 mm of rain over 21.5 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 69% and peaks near 79% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
148
250
352
453
555
657
759
861
962
1064
1166
1268
1370
1471
1573
1674
1775
1876
1977
2077
2178
2278
2378
2479
2579
2679
2779
2879
2979
3079
3179

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 74% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 81% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
111327581
211227591
311126611
411025631
511024641
60923662
70822682
80721702
90720712
100619732
110518743
120517753
130416764
140415774
150314785
160313795
170212806
180212797
190211807
200110818
210110809
22019819
230198010
240188011
250188011
260187912
270178012
280078013
290077914
300077914
310077815

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
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
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 5:03 AM to 5:15 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)
112.85:035:54
212.95:035:54
312.95:035:55
412.95:045:56
512.95:045:56
612.95:045:57
712.95:045:57
812.95:055:58
912.95:055:58
1012.95:055:59
1112.95:065:59
1212.95:066:00
1312.95:066:01
1412.95:076:01
1512.95:076:02
1612.95:086:02
1712.95:086:03
1812.95:086:03
1912.95:096:04
2012.95:096:04
2112.95:106:05
2212.95:106:05
2312.95:116:06
2412.95:116:06
2512.95:126:06
2612.95:126:07
2712.95:136:07
2812.95:136:08
2912.95:146:08
3012.95:146:09
3112.95:156:09

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.64 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.22 kWh/m² to a high of 6.46 kWh/m² in October across the year — December's 5.64 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.0Bright
25.9Bright
35.9Bright
45.9Bright
55.8Bright
65.8Bright
75.8Bright
85.7Bright
95.7Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.6Bright
135.6Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.5Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.5Bright
205.5Bright
215.5Bright
225.5Bright
235.5Bright
245.5Bright
255.5Bright
265.5Bright
275.5Bright
285.5Bright
295.4Bright
305.4Bright
315.4Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Zomba

In seasonPeak

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

Zomba'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 Zomba?

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

4.0
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
5.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Zomba for sightseeing.

What to pack for Zomba in December

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

In December, Zomba sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 22 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Zomba 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 Zomba 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 Zomba 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 Zomba is worst in September — around 65 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.1× the cleanest month (January, 21 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateSep 1064 µg/m³Jan 1321 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan21Moderate
Feb27Moderate
Mar31Moderate
Apr37Poor
May51Poor
Jun55Poor
Jul59Unhealthy
Aug62Unhealthy
Sep65Unhealthy
Oct43Poor
Nov27Moderate
Dec23Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Zomba?

Zomba sits at 15.4°S, 35.3°E, 949 m above sea level, in Malawi. The nearest listed city is Liwonde, 37 km away.

BlantyreBalakaMulanjeMwanzaMilangeNtcheuMangochi

Topography around Zomba

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Zomba has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 841 m around an average of 1,026 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,495 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,804 m.

The land around Zomba is covered by trees (45%) and shrubs (20%) within 3 km, cropland (57%) and shrubs (22%) within 16 km, and cropland (48%) and grassland (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
841 m
16 km
1,495 m
80 km
2,804 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: Liwonde 37 km · Blantyre 55 km · Balaka 60 km · Mulanje 74 km · Mwanza 88 km · Milange 93 km · Ntcheu 97 km · Mangochi 101 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 Zomba (-15.386°, 35.3188°, elevation 949 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).