Gaza in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Gaza sees average daytime highs around 19°C and overnight lows near 12°C, with 189 mm of rain over about 25 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Over the season highs ease from about 21°C in early December to 19°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 46% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Gaza's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Gaza's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 19°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 12°C
- Rainfall
- 189 mm
- 25 wet days
- Avg wind
- 10 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.5
- 3rd-best season
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Gaza in Winter
Over the season highs ease from about 21°C in early December to 19°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Gaza reaches about 19°C and drops to 12°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Gaza
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Gaza weather by month
How the three winter 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 | 18° / 11° | 77 | 9.5 | 10.2 | 6.1 |
| Feb | 18° / 11° | 59 | 8.2 | 10.8 | 6.4 |
| Mar | 21° / 13° | 37 | 5.5 | 11.8 | 7.4 |
| Apr | 24° / 16° | 12 | 2.9 | 12.7 | 8.6 |
| May | 27° / 19° | 4 | 1 | 13.6 | 8.6 |
| Jun | 30° / 22° | 1 | 0.2 | 14 | 7.2 |
| Jul | 31° / 24° | 1 | 0.2 | 13.8 | 5.9 |
| Aug | 32° / 25° | 0 | 0 | 13.1 | 5.6 |
| Sep | 31° / 24° | 2 | 0.5 | 12.2 | 6.3 |
| Oct | 28° / 21° | 13 | 2.8 | 11.2 | 7.4 |
| Nov | 24° / 17° | 28 | 4.9 | 10.4 | 8.0 |
| Dec | 20° / 13° | 53 | 7.4 | 10 | 7.0 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 46% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Gaza gets around 189 mm of rain over 25 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 10 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 06 min in early December to 11 h 12 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 3.4 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Gaza
None of Gaza's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Gaza sees seasonal dust haze (May), heaviest in May.
Is winter a good time to visit Gaza?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a reasonable time to visit Gaza for sightseeing.
What to pack for Gaza in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Gaza sees daytime highs around 19°C and nights near 12°C. Worth packing: rain gear. About 25 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Gaza in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 19°C across winter — 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 August at about 28°C and coldest in February near 18°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from May 1 to Dec 26 — about 7.9 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 24 | 21 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19 | Cool |
| Feb | 18 | Cool |
| Mar | 18 | Cool |
| Apr | 19 | Cool |
| May | 21 | Refreshing |
| Jun | 25 | Warm |
| Jul | 27 | Warm |
| Aug | 28 | Tropical |
| Sep | 28 | Warm |
| Oct | 26 | Warm |
| Nov | 24 | Refreshing |
| Dec | 21 | Refreshing |
UV index in Gaza in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 3 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Gaza peaks around June 18 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 13 at about 3 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 3 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | High | High | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 3 | Moderate |
| Mar | 6 | High |
| Apr | 7 | High |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 10 | Extreme |
| Jul | 10 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 6 | High |
| Nov | 4 | Moderate |
| Dec | 3 | Moderate |
Air quality in Gaza in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Gaza is worst in February — around 64 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.4× the cleanest month (August, 27 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) | 61 | 64 | 60 | 56 | 48 | 35 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 35 | 54 | 60 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 64 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 60 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 56 | Unhealthy |
| May | 48 | Poor |
| Jun | 35 | Poor |
| Jul | 28 | Moderate |
| Aug | 27 | Moderate |
| Sep | 28 | Moderate |
| Oct | 35 | Moderate |
| Nov | 54 | Poor |
| Dec | 60 | Unhealthy |
Where is Gaza?
Gaza sits at 31.5°N, 34.5°E, 38 m above sea level, in Palestinian Territory. The nearest listed city is Jabālyā, 3.0 km away.
Topography around Gaza
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Gaza.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Gaza has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 73 m around an average of 45 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 167 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,017 m.
The land around Gaza is covered by artificial surfaces (69%) within 3 km, water (33%) and cropland (30%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (33%) and water (28%) within 80 km.
Palestinian Territory travel facts
- Power plugs
- Type C / H
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- GDP per capita
- $3,171
- 2025
- Happiness
- 4.7 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 81%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 0.6
- per 100k, 2022
- Road deaths
- 5.3
- per 100k/yr, 2016
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 463
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 Gaza (31.5016°, 34.4667°, elevation 38 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.