Maputo weather in December
In December, Maputo sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 103 mm of rain across 10.3 wet days and about 13.6 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-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 29% of the time in December, and the air most often feels muggy.
Daylight stretches from about 13 h 30 min at the start of December to 13 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Maputo's 11th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Maputo's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 29°
- 4th warmest
- Overnight low
- 23°
- 9th coldest
- Rainfall
- 103 mm
- 10.3 wet days
- Daylight
- 13 h 36 min
- 4:57 AM – 6:34 PM
- Cloud cover
- 60%
- 11th clearest
- Wind
- 15 km/h
- 4th windiest
- Solar energy
- 6.04 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 5.6
- out of 10
Maputo is capital and chief port of Mozambique.
- Density
- 3,619/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1781
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in December
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month.
A typical December day in Maputo reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and on par with January.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| Avg low (°C) | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | 22 |
| 2 | 28 | 22 |
| 3 | 28 | 22 |
| 4 | 28 | 22 |
| 5 | 28 | 22 |
| 6 | 28 | 22 |
| 7 | 28 | 22 |
| 8 | 28 | 22 |
| 9 | 28 | 22 |
| 10 | 28 | 22 |
| 11 | 28 | 22 |
| 12 | 29 | 22 |
| 13 | 29 | 22 |
| 14 | 29 | 22 |
| 15 | 29 | 23 |
| 16 | 29 | 23 |
| 17 | 29 | 23 |
| 18 | 29 | 23 |
| 19 | 29 | 23 |
| 20 | 29 | 23 |
| 21 | 29 | 23 |
| 22 | 29 | 23 |
| 23 | 29 | 23 |
| 24 | 29 | 23 |
| 25 | 29 | 23 |
| 26 | 29 | 23 |
| 27 | 29 | 23 |
| 28 | 29 | 23 |
| 29 | 29 | 23 |
| 30 | 29 | 23 |
| 31 | 29 | 23 |
How December really feels in Maputo
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.
December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Maputo weather by month
How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29° / 23° | 115 | 11.9 | 13.4 | 5.2 |
| Feb | 30° / 24° | 95 | 10.6 | 12.9 | 5.2 |
| Mar | 29° / 23° | 73 | 10.2 | 12.2 | 5.7 |
| Apr | 28° / 21° | 42 | 6.5 | 11.4 | 7.2 |
| May | 26° / 19° | 23 | 3.3 | 10.7 | 8.3 |
| Jun | 25° / 16° | 12 | 2.5 | 10.4 | 8.9 |
| Jul | 24° / 16° | 11 | 2.6 | 10.5 | 9.0 |
| Aug | 25° / 17° | 13 | 2.5 | 11.1 | 8.6 |
| Sep | 26° / 19° | 31 | 3.8 | 11.8 | 8.0 |
| Oct | 27° / 20° | 51 | 6.8 | 12.6 | 7.1 |
| Nov | 28° / 21° | 91 | 10 | 13.3 | 6.3 |
| Dec | 29° / 23° | 103 | 10.3 | 13.6 | 5.6 |
Cloud cover in December
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in December.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 52%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 51 | 51 | 52 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 55 | 56 |
| Cloudier (%) | 57 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 53 | 52 | 51 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 49 | 49 | 48 | 48 | 47 | 46 | 45 | 45 | 44 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 43 | 57 |
| 2 | 43 | 57 |
| 3 | 43 | 57 |
| 4 | 43 | 57 |
| 5 | 43 | 57 |
| 6 | 43 | 57 |
| 7 | 43 | 57 |
| 8 | 44 | 56 |
| 9 | 44 | 56 |
| 10 | 44 | 56 |
| 11 | 44 | 56 |
| 12 | 44 | 56 |
| 13 | 46 | 54 |
| 14 | 46 | 54 |
| 15 | 46 | 54 |
| 16 | 47 | 53 |
| 17 | 48 | 52 |
| 18 | 49 | 51 |
| 19 | 50 | 50 |
| 20 | 50 | 50 |
| 21 | 50 | 50 |
| 22 | 50 | 50 |
| 23 | 51 | 49 |
| 24 | 51 | 49 |
| 25 | 52 | 48 |
| 26 | 52 | 48 |
| 27 | 53 | 47 |
| 28 | 54 | 46 |
| 29 | 55 | 45 |
| 30 | 55 | 45 |
| 31 | 56 | 44 |
Chance of precipitation in December
Maputo gets around 103 mm of rain over 10.3 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 33% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 33 |
| 2 | 33 |
| 3 | 33 |
| 4 | 33 |
| 5 | 33 |
| 6 | 34 |
| 7 | 34 |
| 8 | 34 |
| 9 | 35 |
| 10 | 35 |
| 11 | 35 |
| 12 | 34 |
| 13 | 34 |
| 14 | 34 |
| 15 | 33 |
| 16 | 33 |
| 17 | 32 |
| 18 | 32 |
| 19 | 32 |
| 20 | 32 |
| 21 | 32 |
| 22 | 32 |
| 23 | 32 |
| 24 | 32 |
| 25 | 32 |
| 26 | 32 |
| 27 | 32 |
| 28 | 32 |
| 29 | 33 |
| 30 | 33 |
| 31 | 33 |
Humidity in December
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 41% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 84% of them.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Comfortable (%) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Humid (%) | 22 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Muggy (%) | 42 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 45 | 45 | 44 | 43 | 42 | 42 | 41 | 40 | 39 | 39 | 38 | 38 | 37 | 37 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 35 | 35 | 35 |
| Oppressive (%) | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 53 | 53 | 53 |
| Miserable (%) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | Miserable (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 42 | 29 | 0 |
| 2 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 42 | 30 | 0 |
| 3 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 43 | 30 | 1 |
| 4 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 44 | 30 | 1 |
| 5 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 44 | 30 | 1 |
| 6 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 45 | 31 | 1 |
| 7 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 46 | 32 | 1 |
| 8 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 46 | 33 | 1 |
| 9 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 46 | 33 | 1 |
| 10 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 46 | 34 | 1 |
| 11 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 46 | 35 | 1 |
| 12 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 45 | 36 | 1 |
| 13 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 45 | 37 | 1 |
| 14 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 44 | 39 | 1 |
| 15 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 43 | 40 | 1 |
| 16 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 42 | 41 | 2 |
| 17 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 42 | 42 | 2 |
| 18 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 41 | 43 | 2 |
| 19 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 40 | 44 | 2 |
| 20 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 39 | 45 | 3 |
| 21 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 39 | 47 | 3 |
| 22 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 38 | 47 | 3 |
| 23 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 38 | 48 | 3 |
| 24 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 37 | 49 | 4 |
| 25 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 37 | 50 | 4 |
| 26 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 36 | 52 | 4 |
| 27 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 36 | 52 | 4 |
| 28 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 36 | 52 | 4 |
| 29 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 35 | 53 | 4 |
| 30 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 35 | 53 | 4 |
| 31 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 35 | 53 | 4 |
Wind in December
Winds average 15 km/h in December.
Across December, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Feels | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | light breeze |
| 2 | 15 | light breeze |
| 3 | 15 | light breeze |
| 4 | 15 | light breeze |
| 5 | 15 | light breeze |
| 6 | 15 | light breeze |
| 7 | 15 | light breeze |
| 8 | 15 | light breeze |
| 9 | 15 | light breeze |
| 10 | 15 | light breeze |
| 11 | 15 | light breeze |
| 12 | 15 | light breeze |
| 13 | 15 | light breeze |
| 14 | 15 | light breeze |
| 15 | 15 | light breeze |
| 16 | 15 | light breeze |
| 17 | 15 | light breeze |
| 18 | 15 | light breeze |
| 19 | 15 | light breeze |
| 20 | 15 | light breeze |
| 21 | 15 | light breeze |
| 22 | 15 | light breeze |
| 23 | 15 | light breeze |
| 24 | 15 | light breeze |
| 25 | 15 | light breeze |
| 26 | 15 | light breeze |
| 27 | 15 | light breeze |
| 28 | 15 | light breeze |
| 29 | 15 | light breeze |
| 30 | 15 | light breeze |
| 31 | 15 | light breeze |
Sunrise & sunset in December
Daylight runs from about 13 h 30 min at the start of December to 13 h 36 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 4:54 AM to 5:05 AM, and sunset from 6:25 PM to 6:41 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 13.5 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 4:54 | 4:54 | 4:54 | 4:54 | 4:55 | 4:55 | 4:55 | 4:55 | 4:55 | 4:56 | 4:56 | 4:56 | 4:56 | 4:57 | 4:57 | 4:57 | 4:58 | 4:58 | 4:59 | 4:59 | 4:59 | 5:00 | 5:00 | 5:01 | 5:01 | 5:02 | 5:02 | 5:03 | 5:04 | 5:04 | 5:05 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:25 | 6:25 | 6:26 | 6:27 | 6:27 | 6:28 | 6:29 | 6:29 | 6:30 | 6:31 | 6:31 | 6:32 | 6:33 | 6:33 | 6:34 | 6:34 | 6:35 | 6:35 | 6:36 | 6:36 | 6:37 | 6:37 | 6:38 | 6:38 | 6:39 | 6:39 | 6:40 | 6:40 | 6:40 | 6:41 | 6:41 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13.5 | 4:54 | 6:25 |
| 2 | 13.5 | 4:54 | 6:25 |
| 3 | 13.5 | 4:54 | 6:26 |
| 4 | 13.5 | 4:54 | 6:27 |
| 5 | 13.5 | 4:55 | 6:27 |
| 6 | 13.6 | 4:55 | 6:28 |
| 7 | 13.6 | 4:55 | 6:29 |
| 8 | 13.6 | 4:55 | 6:29 |
| 9 | 13.6 | 4:55 | 6:30 |
| 10 | 13.6 | 4:56 | 6:31 |
| 11 | 13.6 | 4:56 | 6:31 |
| 12 | 13.6 | 4:56 | 6:32 |
| 13 | 13.6 | 4:56 | 6:33 |
| 14 | 13.6 | 4:57 | 6:33 |
| 15 | 13.6 | 4:57 | 6:34 |
| 16 | 13.6 | 4:57 | 6:34 |
| 17 | 13.6 | 4:58 | 6:35 |
| 18 | 13.6 | 4:58 | 6:35 |
| 19 | 13.6 | 4:59 | 6:36 |
| 20 | 13.6 | 4:59 | 6:36 |
| 21 | 13.6 | 4:59 | 6:37 |
| 22 | 13.6 | 5:00 | 6:37 |
| 23 | 13.6 | 5:00 | 6:38 |
| 24 | 13.6 | 5:01 | 6:38 |
| 25 | 13.6 | 5:01 | 6:39 |
| 26 | 13.6 | 5:02 | 6:39 |
| 27 | 13.6 | 5:02 | 6:40 |
| 28 | 13.6 | 5:03 | 6:40 |
| 29 | 13.6 | 5:04 | 6:40 |
| 30 | 13.6 | 5:04 | 6:41 |
| 31 | 13.6 | 5:05 | 6:41 |
Solar energy in December
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.04 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.47 kWh/m² to a high of 6.07 kWh/m² in January across the year — December's 6.04 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 2 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 3 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 4 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 5 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 6 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 7 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 8 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 9 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 10 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 11 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 12 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 13 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 14 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 15 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 16 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 17 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 18 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 19 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 20 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 21 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 22 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 23 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 24 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 25 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 26 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 27 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 28 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 29 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 30 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 31 | 6.2 | Intense |
Hazard calendar for Maputo
In December, Maputo sits inside its cyclone and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Maputo sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.
Maputo's rainy season runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is December a good time to visit Maputo?
Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
December is a reasonable time to visit Maputo for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Maputo in December
From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In December, Maputo sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Maputo in December
The nearest coast averages about 26°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 31 km away) is warmest in February at about 28°C and coldest in August near 22°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 27 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 26 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Warm | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Warm |
| Feb | 28 | Warm |
| Mar | 27 | Warm |
| Apr | 26 | Warm |
| May | 24 | Warm |
| Jun | 23 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 22 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 22 | Refreshing |
| Sep | 22 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 23 | Refreshing |
| Nov | 24 | Warm |
| Dec | 26 | Warm |
UV index in Maputo in December
Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Maputo peaks around January 18 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 5 (moderate).
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) | 13 | 13 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | High | High | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 11 | Extreme |
| Apr | 7 | High |
| May | 6 | High |
| Jun | 5 | Moderate |
| Jul | 5 | Moderate |
| Aug | 6 | High |
| Sep | 8 | Very high |
| Oct | 9 | Very high |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Air quality in Maputo in December
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Maputo is worst in July — around 42 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 5.2× the cleanest month (January, 8 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) | 8 | 10 | 15 | 23 | 35 | 41 | 42 | 37 | 30 | 19 | 13 | 11 |
| Level | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Good |
| Feb | 10 | Good |
| Mar | 15 | Moderate |
| Apr | 23 | Moderate |
| May | 35 | Moderate |
| Jun | 41 | Poor |
| Jul | 42 | Poor |
| Aug | 37 | Poor |
| Sep | 30 | Moderate |
| Oct | 19 | Moderate |
| Nov | 13 | Moderate |
| Dec | 11 | Good |
Where is Maputo?
Maputo sits at 26.0°S, 32.6°E, 70 m above sea level, in Mozambique. The nearest listed city is Matola, 12 km away.
Topography around Maputo
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Maputo.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Maputo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 71 m around an average of 24 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 71 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 794 m.
The land around Maputo is covered by artificial surfaces (58%) and water (33%) within 3 km, water (37%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 16 km, and grassland (32%), water (29%) and trees (27%) 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 Maputo (-25.9655°, 32.5832°, elevation 70 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).