Male weather in December

In December, Male sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 205 mm of rain across 18.2 wet days and about 11.8 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 48 min at the start of December to 11 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Male's 5th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Male's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
12th warmest
Overnight low
26°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
205 mm
18.2 wet days
Daylight
11 h 48 min
6:09 AM – 5:55 PM
Cloud cover
63%
5th clearest
Wind
17 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
5.15 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.2
out of 10

Male is capital of the Maldives.

Air quality
Good
PM10 20 µg/m³ · 2011
Density
17,878/km²
people per km²
Founded
~500 CE

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 27°C through the month.

A typical December day in Male reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

24°26°28°30°32°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12726
22726
32726
42726
52726
62726
72726
82726
92726
102726
112726
122726
132726
142726
152726
162726
172726
182726
192726
202726
212726
222726
232726
242726
252726
262726
272726
282726
292726
302726
312726

How December really feels in Male

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

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Male weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 12th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 26°7910.211.86.5
Feb28° / 27°366.511.96.9
Mar28° / 27°488.3126.3
Apr29° / 27°11015.912.14.9
May29° / 27°22723.912.23.8
Jun28° / 27°12517.612.24.5
Jul28° / 27°14017.612.24.6
Aug28° / 26°14115.812.15.2
Sep28° / 26°17618.7124.9
Oct28° / 26°19220.811.94.8
Nov27° / 26°22120.811.84.7
Dec27° / 26°20518.211.85.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 54%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13961
24060
34060
44159
54258
64258
74357
84456
94456
104456
114555
124555
134555
144555
154555
164555
174555
184555
194555
204654
214654
224753
234753
244852
254951
265050
275149
285149
295347
305446
315545

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Male gets around 205 mm of rain over 18.2 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 58% and peaks near 73% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
173
272
371
470
568
667
766
865
964
1063
1162
1261
1360
1460
1559
1658
1758
1857
1957
2056
2155
2255
2354
2453
2551
2650
2748
2847
2945
3044
3143

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 87% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
108911
208911
318811
418811
518910
618910
72899
82899
93889
103898
114888
124888
134897
145887
155887
165887
175887
186877
196868
206868
216868
227858
237858
247849
258839
268839
279829
289838
299838
3010828
3110828

Wind in December

Winds average 17 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 19 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
416light breeze
516light breeze
616light breeze
716light breeze
816light breeze
916light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1917light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2518light breeze
2618light breeze
2718light breeze
2819light breeze
2919light breeze
3019light breeze
3119light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 48 min at the start of December to 11 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 6:02 AM to 6:16 AM, and sunset from 5:49 PM to 6:02 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.86:025:49
211.86:035:49
311.86:035:50
411.86:045:50
511.86:045:50
611.86:055:51
711.86:055:51
811.86:065:52
911.86:065:52
1011.86:065:52
1111.86:075:53
1211.86:075:53
1311.86:085:54
1411.86:085:54
1511.86:095:54
1611.86:095:55
1711.86:105:55
1811.86:105:56
1911.86:115:56
2011.86:115:57
2111.86:125:57
2211.86:125:58
2311.86:135:58
2411.86:135:59
2511.86:145:59
2611.86:146:00
2711.86:156:00
2811.86:156:01
2911.86:156:01
3011.86:166:01
3111.86:166:02

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.15 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.14 kWh/m² to a high of 6.6 kWh/m² in March across the year — December's 5.15 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
35.0Bright
45.0Bright
55.1Bright
65.1Bright
75.1Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.3Bright
275.3Bright
285.3Bright
295.4Bright
305.4Bright
315.4Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Male

In seasonPeak

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

Male sits in the North Indian Ocean cyclone zone; the season peaks May and October–November.

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

Is December a good time to visit Male?

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

5.2
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
5.5
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Male for sightseeing.

What to pack for Male in December

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

In December, Male sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 18 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Male in December

The nearest coast averages about 28°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 14 km away) is warmest in April at about 30°C and coldest in January near 28°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
Jan28Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Male in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Male peaks around September 19 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 13 at about 10 (extreme).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeSep 19UV 14Jan 13UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb14Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Male 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 Male is worst in January — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.7× the cleanest month (November, 10 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodJan 2216 µg/m³Nov 1310 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan16Moderate
Feb16Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr12Good
May15Moderate
Jun12Moderate
Jul11Good
Aug11Good
Sep12Good
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Male?

Male sits at 4.2°N, 73.5°E, 8 m above sea level, in Maldives. The nearest listed city is Kulhudhuffushi, 276 km away.

Topography around Male

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Male has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 13 m around an average of 0 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 13 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 12 m.

The land around Male is covered by water (89%) within 3 km, water (99%) within 16 km, and water (100%) within 80 km.

3 km
13 m
16 km
13 m
80 km
12 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Kulhudhuffushi 276 km · Fuvahmulah 498 km · Alappuzha 668 km · Kochi 709 km · Ambalangoda 760 km · Bentota 761 km · Beruwala 761 km · Thaikattussery 761 km

Maldives travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type D / G / J / K / L
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 51% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$14,615
2025
Happiness
5.2 / 10
World Happiness, 2020
Homicide rate
0.6
per 100k, 2019
Road deaths
1.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank

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 Male (4.1752°, 73.5092°, elevation 8 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).