Gisenyi weather in December

In December, Gisenyi sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 319 mm of rain across 29.2 wet days and about 12.1 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 20°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 2% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 06 min at the start of December to 12 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Gisenyi's 8th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gisenyi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
7th warmest
Overnight low
17°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
319 mm
29.2 wet days
Daylight
12 h 06 min
5:56 AM – 6:02 PM
Cloud cover
81%
8th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
4.62 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.5
out of 10

Gisenyi is city in Rubavu district, Western Province, Rwanda.

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 20°C through the month.

A typical December day in Gisenyi reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 21°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

15°18°20°23°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12017
22017
32017
42017
52017
62017
72017
82017
92017
102017
112017
122017
132017
142017
152017
162017
172017
182017
192017
202017
212017
222017
232017
242017
252017
262017
272017
282017
292117
302117
312117

Gisenyi weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 7th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan21° / 17°23126.212.13.9
Feb21° / 17°22123.712.13.9
Mar21° / 17°33529.4123.5
Apr21° / 17°25727123.6
May21° / 18°15521.811.94.6
Jun20° / 17°7814.211.95.6
Jul20° / 17°317.911.96.6
Aug20° / 17°7213.511.95.7
Sep21° / 17°17322.9124.3
Oct20° / 17°33128.9123.5
Nov20° / 17°37229.312.13.3
Dec20° / 17°31929.212.13.5

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 2% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 9% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 89%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1694
2694
3793
4793
5793
6892
7892
8892
9991
10991
111090
121189
131288
141288
151387
161387
171387
181387
191486
201486
211486
221486
231486
241387
251387
261387
271387
281387
291486
301486
311486

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Gisenyi gets around 319 mm of rain over 29.2 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 94% and peaks near 98% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
197
298
398
498
598
698
798
897
997
1097
1197
1296
1396
1495
1595
1694
1794
1893
1993
2092
2192
2292
2391
2491
2591
2690
2790
2890
2990
3090
3189

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the comfortable band about 89% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
18218
28317
38317
48416
58515
68515
78614
88713
98812
108911
118911
129010
139010
14919
15919
16928
17928
18928
19928
20928
21928
22928
23928
24928
25919
26919
27919
289010
299010
309010
319010

Wind in December

Winds average 5 km/h in December, the calmest month.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 5 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 06 min at the start of December to 12 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 0 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:50 AM to 6:03 AM, and sunset from 5:55 PM to 6:09 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.15:505:55
212.15:505:56
312.15:515:56
412.15:515:57
512.15:515:57
612.15:525:58
712.15:525:58
812.15:535:58
912.15:535:59
1012.15:545:59
1112.15:546:00
1212.15:546:00
1312.15:556:01
1412.15:556:01
1512.15:566:02
1612.15:566:02
1712.15:576:03
1812.15:576:03
1912.15:586:03
2012.15:586:04
2112.15:596:04
2212.15:596:05
2312.15:596:05
2412.16:006:06
2512.16:006:06
2612.16:016:07
2712.16:016:07
2812.16:026:08
2912.16:026:08
3012.16:036:09
3112.16:036:09

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.62 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.5 kWh/m² to a high of 5.08 kWh/m² in August across the year — December's 4.62 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.6Bright
24.6Bright
34.6Bright
44.6Bright
54.6Bright
64.6Bright
74.6Bright
84.6Bright
94.6Bright
104.6Bright
114.6Bright
124.6Bright
134.6Bright
144.6Bright
154.6Bright
164.6Bright
174.6Bright
184.6Bright
194.7Bright
204.7Bright
214.7Bright
224.7Bright
234.7Bright
244.7Bright
254.7Bright
264.7Bright
274.7Bright
284.7Bright
294.7Bright
304.7Bright
314.7Bright
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Gisenyi?

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

3.5
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
1.9
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Gisenyi.

What to pack for Gisenyi in December

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

In December, Gisenyi sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 17°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 29 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

UV index in Gisenyi in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Gisenyi peaks around March 21 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 21UV 16Jun 21UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr16Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec10Extreme

Air quality in Gisenyi in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Gisenyi is worst in July — around 106 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyJul 16105 µg/m³Apr 1877 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan92Unhealthy
Feb96Unhealthy
Mar82Unhealthy
Apr77Unhealthy
May80Unhealthy
Jun100Unhealthy
Jul106Unhealthy
Aug100Unhealthy
Sep89Unhealthy
Oct82Unhealthy
Nov83Unhealthy
Dec88Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Gisenyi?

Gisenyi sits at 1.7°S, 29.3°E, 1,461 m above sea level, in Rwanda. The nearest listed city is Goma, 4.0 km away.

KoraSakeMukamiraBusogoMukingoKibuyeNgororero

Topography around Gisenyi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Gisenyi has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 377 m around an average of 1,524 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,450 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,494 m.

The land around Gisenyi is covered by water (37%) and artificial surfaces (32%) within 3 km, water (37%) and trees (22%) within 16 km, and trees (39%) and grassland (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
377 m
16 km
1,450 m
80 km
3,494 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Goma 4.0 km · Kora 23 km · Sake 28 km · Mukamira 29 km · Busogo 36 km · Mukingo 38 km · Kibuye 41 km · Ngororero 45 km

Rwanda travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type C / E / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 27% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,124
2025
Happiness
3.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2021
Homicide rate
3.6
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
29.4
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 417
Religion
Catholic 40%Pentecostal 21%Protestant 15%Adventist 12%

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 Gisenyi (-1.7028°, 29.2564°, elevation 1,461 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. 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).