Maputo in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Maputo sees average daytime highs around 29°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 312 mm of rain over about 33 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year 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 38% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Summer is Maputo's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Maputo's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 29°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 23°C
- Rainfall
- 312 mm
- 33 wet days
- Avg wind
- 15 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.3
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Maputo in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C.
A typical summer day in Maputo reaches about 29°C and drops to 23°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
How summer really feels in Maputo
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 36 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.
Maputo 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° / 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 Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Maputo gets around 312 mm of rain over 33 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 15 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 13 h 30 min in early December to 12 h 36 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 6.0 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Maputo
In summer, Maputo overlaps 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 summer a good time to visit Maputo?
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 Maputo for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Maputo in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Maputo sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 33 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Maputo in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 27°C across summer — 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 Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages 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 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 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 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.