Gorongosa weather in December

In December, Gorongosa sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 240 mm of rain across 18.2 wet days and about 13.1 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 25% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 13 hours at the start of December to 13 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Gorongosa's 11th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gorongosa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
21°
10th coldest
Rainfall
240 mm
18.2 wet days
Daylight
13 h 06 min
5:06 AM – 6:13 PM
Cloud cover
65%
11th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
5.9 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.3
out of 10

Gorongosa is Town in Mozambique.

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 Gorongosa reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 33°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C cooler than November and on par with January.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13020
23020
33020
42920
52920
62920
72920
82921
92921
102921
112921
122921
132921
142921
152921
162921
172921
182921
192921
202921
212921
223021
233021
243021
253021
263021
273021
282921
292921
302921
312921

How December really feels in Gorongosa

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 10 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
10
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.

Gorongosa 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
Jan29° / 21°25321134.1
Feb29° / 21°19717.612.64.4
Mar28° / 20°15817.912.15.1
Apr27° / 18°7011.211.66.6
May26° / 16°22611.17.9
Jun24° / 14°214.710.98.3
Jul23° / 13°276.2118.0
Aug26° / 14°235.111.48.1
Sep29° / 16°345.611.96.9
Oct30° / 18°568.612.45.6
Nov30° / 20°11612.312.94.6
Dec29° / 21°24018.213.14.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% 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 59%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
25050
34852
44852
54753
64555
74456
84357
94258
104159
114060
123961
133961
143862
153763
163763
173763
183763
193862
203961
213961
223961
233862
243961
253961
263961
273862
283862
293862
303862
313862

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Gorongosa gets around 240 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 59% and peaks near 64% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
149
249
350
450
551
653
754
855
956
1058
1159
1260
1360
1461
1561
1662
1762
1862
1962
2062
2162
2262
2362
2462
2562
2663
2763
2863
2964
3064
3164

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 86% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
115234031
205234032
304224033
404224034
504214036
603204037
703194038
802183940
902173941
1002163942
1102153944
1201143945
1301133946
1401133947
1501123948
1601113850
1701103851
1801103752
190193654
200093556
210083557
220083458
230073459
240073360
250073360
260063262
270063262
280063262
290053263
300053263
310053263

Wind in December

Winds average 7 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 hours at the start of December to 13 h 06 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 5:02 AM to 5:14 AM, and sunset from 6:05 PM to 6:20 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.05:026:05
213.05:026:05
313.15:036:06
413.15:036:07
513.15:036:07
613.15:036:08
713.15:036:08
813.15:046:09
913.15:046:09
1013.15:046:10
1113.15:056:11
1213.15:056:11
1313.15:056:12
1413.15:066:12
1513.15:066:13
1613.15:066:13
1713.15:076:14
1813.15:076:14
1913.15:086:15
2013.15:086:15
2113.15:096:16
2213.15:096:16
2313.15:096:17
2413.15:106:17
2513.15:106:18
2613.15:116:18
2713.15:116:19
2813.15:126:19
2913.15:136:19
3013.15:136:20
3113.15:146:20

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.9 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.91 kWh/m² to a high of 6.28 kWh/m² in November across the year — December's 5.9 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.0Intense
26.0Intense
36.0Bright
46.0Bright
56.0Bright
65.9Bright
75.9Bright
85.9Bright
95.9Bright
105.9Bright
115.9Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.9Bright
235.9Bright
245.9Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
275.9Bright
285.8Bright
295.8Bright
305.8Bright
315.8Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Gorongosa

In seasonPeak

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

Gorongosa's monsoon runs November–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 Gorongosa?

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

4.3
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
5.6
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Gorongosa for sightseeing.

What to pack for Gorongosa in December

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

In December, Gorongosa sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 18 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Gorongosa in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Gorongosa peaks around January 17 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeJan 17UV 14Jun 21UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr10Very high
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul7High
Aug7Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct12Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Gorongosa 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 Gorongosa is worst in September — around 115 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 19.8× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateUnhealthyGoodSep 13111 µg/m³Dec 236 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar7Good
Apr8Good
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul42Poor
Aug91Unhealthy
Sep115Unhealthy
Oct52Poor
Nov12Moderate
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Gorongosa?

Gorongosa sits at 18.7°S, 34.1°E, 329 m above sea level, in Mozambique. The nearest listed city is Gondola, 64 km away.

MessicaCatandicaDondoManicaBúzi

Topography around Gorongosa

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Gorongosa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 163 m around an average of 358 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 900 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,822 m.

The land around Gorongosa is covered by trees (30%), cropland (25%) and shrubs (24%) within 3 km, trees (45%) and cropland (20%) within 16 km, and trees (54%) and grassland (26%) within 80 km.

3 km
163 m
16 km
900 m
80 km
1,822 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswetland
December weather nearby: Gondola 64 km · Nhamatanda 68 km · Chimoio 79 km · Messica 110 km · Catandica 117 km · Dondo 125 km · Manica 129 km · Búzi 139 km

Mozambique travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F / M
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 37% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$627
2025
Happiness
5.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
28%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
3.6
per 100k, 2011
Road deaths
30
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 465
Religion
Catholic 27%Islam 19%Pentecostal 17%Saio/Zione 16%

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 Gorongosa (-18.6756°, 34.0728°, elevation 329 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).