Gorongosa in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Gorongosa sees average daytime highs around 29°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 690 mm of rain over about 57 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Summer is Gorongosa's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Gorongosa's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 29°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 21°C
- Rainfall
- 690 mm
- 57 wet days
- Avg wind
- 8 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.3
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Gorongosa in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C.
A typical summer day in Gorongosa reaches about 29°C and drops to 21°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest December.
How summer really feels in Gorongosa
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 11 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in summer is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Gorongosa weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29° / 21° | 253 | 21 | 13 | 4.1 |
| Feb | 29° / 21° | 197 | 17.6 | 12.6 | 4.4 |
| Mar | 28° / 20° | 158 | 17.9 | 12.1 | 5.1 |
| Apr | 27° / 18° | 70 | 11.2 | 11.6 | 6.6 |
| May | 26° / 16° | 22 | 6 | 11.1 | 7.9 |
| Jun | 24° / 14° | 21 | 4.7 | 10.9 | 8.3 |
| Jul | 23° / 13° | 27 | 6.2 | 11 | 8.0 |
| Aug | 26° / 14° | 23 | 5.1 | 11.4 | 8.1 |
| Sep | 29° / 16° | 34 | 5.6 | 11.9 | 6.9 |
| Oct | 30° / 18° | 56 | 8.6 | 12.4 | 5.6 |
| Nov | 30° / 20° | 116 | 12.3 | 12.9 | 4.6 |
| Dec | 29° / 21° | 240 | 18.2 | 13.1 | 4.3 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Gorongosa gets around 690 mm of rain over 57 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 8 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 13 hours in early December to 12 h 24 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 5.8 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Gorongosa
In summer, Gorongosa overlaps 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.
Is summer a good time to visit Gorongosa?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a reasonable time to visit Gorongosa for sightseeing.
What to pack for Gorongosa in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Gorongosa sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 57 days see rain.
UV index in Gorongosa in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages 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 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 15 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High | High | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 10 | Very high |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 7 | High |
| Jul | 7 | High |
| Aug | 7 | Very high |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Air quality in Gorongosa in Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 16 | 42 | 91 | 115 | 52 | 12 | 6 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | Good |
| Feb | 8 | Good |
| Mar | 7 | Good |
| Apr | 8 | Good |
| May | 13 | Moderate |
| Jun | 16 | Moderate |
| Jul | 42 | Poor |
| Aug | 91 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 115 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 52 | Poor |
| Nov | 12 | Moderate |
| Dec | 6 | Good |
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.
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.
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
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.