Pemba weather in December

In December, Pemba sees average daytime highs of 31°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 166 mm of rain across 20 wet days and about 12.7 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in December, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 42 min at the start of December to 12 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Pemba's 9th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Pemba's year-round climate.

Daytime high
31°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
25°
12th coldest
Rainfall
166 mm
20 wet days
Daylight
12 h 48 min
4:51 AM – 5:37 PM
Cloud cover
60%
9th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
6.36 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.6
out of 10

Pemba is city in Mozambique.

Founded
1904

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 31°C through the month.

A typical December day in Pemba reaches about 31°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13125
23125
33125
43125
53125
63125
73125
83125
93125
103125
113125
123125
133125
143125
153125
163125
173125
183125
193125
203125
213125
223125
233125
243125
253125
263125
273125
283125
293125
303125
313125

How December really feels in Pemba

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 31 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
31
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.

Pemba weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 2nd-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 25°25224.912.73.1
Feb30° / 25°21323.112.43.0
Mar30° / 25°20624.712.13.3
Apr30° / 24°9516.411.74.6
May29° / 23°23611.46.4
Jun28° / 21°103.411.37.6
Jul27° / 21°92.911.37.9
Aug28° / 21°114.211.67.7
Sep29° / 22°113.411.97.0
Oct30° / 23°185.212.36.0
Nov31° / 25°42912.64.9
Dec31° / 25°1662012.73.6

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 52%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17030
26832
36832
46634
56535
66337
76238
86040
95842
105644
115545
125347
135149
145050
154753
164555
174555
184456
194258
204159
214159
223961
233862
243664
253664
263466
273367
283268
293169
302971
312971

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Pemba gets around 166 mm of rain over 20 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 65% and peaks near 75% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
146
248
349
451
553
654
756
857
959
1060
1162
1263
1365
1466
1567
1668
1769
1870
1970
2071
2171
2271
2372
2472
2572
2673
2773
2874
2974
3075
3175

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels miserable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the miserable band about 57% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
137126
236928
336730
436433
536235
626038
725840
825543
925246
1015148
1114851
1214653
1314356
1414158
1513960
1603763
1703565
1803466
1903268
2003169
2103070
2202971
2302872
2402872
2502773
2602773
2702773
2802674
2902674
3002773
3102773

Wind in December

Winds average 10 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 11 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
510calm
610calm
710calm
810calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 42 min at the start of December to 12 h 48 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 4:46 AM to 4:58 AM, and sunset from 5:29 PM to 5:44 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.74:465:29
212.74:475:29
312.74:475:30
412.74:475:31
512.74:475:31
612.74:485:32
712.74:485:32
812.74:485:33
912.74:495:33
1012.74:495:34
1112.74:495:34
1212.84:505:35
1312.84:505:35
1412.84:505:36
1512.84:515:36
1612.84:515:37
1712.84:525:37
1812.84:525:38
1912.84:535:38
2012.84:535:39
2112.84:545:39
2212.84:545:40
2312.84:545:40
2412.84:555:41
2512.84:555:41
2612.84:565:42
2712.84:565:42
2812.84:575:43
2912.84:575:43
3012.84:585:43
3112.84:585:44

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.36 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.55 kWh/m² to a high of 6.91 kWh/m² in November across the year — December's 6.36 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.7Intense
26.7Intense
36.7Intense
46.7Intense
56.7Intense
66.6Intense
76.6Intense
86.6Intense
96.5Intense
106.5Intense
116.5Intense
126.5Intense
136.4Intense
146.4Intense
156.3Intense
166.3Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.2Intense
206.2Intense
216.2Intense
226.1Intense
236.1Intense
246.1Intense
256.1Intense
266.0Intense
276.0Intense
286.0Intense
296.0Bright
306.0Bright
315.9Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Pemba

In seasonPeak

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

Pemba sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Pemba's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Pemba?

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

3.6
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
5.2
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Pemba.

What to pack for Pemba in December

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

In December, Pemba sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 20 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Pemba in December

The nearest coast averages about 29°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 16 km away) is warmest in March at about 29°C and coldest in August near 26°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Tropical
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Pemba in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks 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 Pemba peaks around February 11 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeFeb 11UV 15Jun 21UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May10Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug10Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Pemba?

Pemba sits at 13.0°S, 40.5°E, 50 m above sea level, in Mozambique. The nearest listed city is Macomia, 92 km away.

Namapa-eratiMontepuezNacalaMuedaMocímboa da PraiaMocímboa

Topography around Pemba

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Pemba has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 105 m around an average of 24 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 142 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 672 m.

The land around Pemba is covered by water (41%) and artificial surfaces (37%) within 3 km, water (55%) and grassland (24%) within 16 km, and water (36%) and trees (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
105 m
16 km
142 m
80 km
672 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: Macomia 92 km · Chiúre 92 km · Namapa-erati 111 km · Montepuez 165 km · Nacala 178 km · Mueda 180 km · Mocímboa da Praia 181 km · Mocímboa 185 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 Pemba (-12.974°, 40.5177°, elevation 50 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).