Arusha weather in December

In December, Arusha sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 108 mm of rain across 16.7 wet days and about 12.2 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 12 min at the start of December to 12 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Arusha's 7th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Arusha's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
4th warmest
Overnight low
15°
8th coldest
Rainfall
108 mm
16.7 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
6:24 AM – 6:35 PM
Cloud cover
65%
7th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
5.44 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.7
out of 10

Arusha is city in Arusha Region, Tanzania.

Density
388/km²
people per km²
Founded
1948

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 25°C through the month.

A typical December day in Arusha reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and about 1°C cooler than January.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12515
22515
32515
42515
52515
62515
72515
82515
92515
102515
112515
122515
132515
142515
152515
162515
172515
182515
192515
202515
212515
222515
232515
242515
252515
262515
272515
282515
292515
302515
312515

Arusha weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 15°8210.612.26.6
Feb27° / 15°738.912.16.5
Mar26° / 16°14316.7125.6
Apr24° / 16°14521.711.94.9
May22° / 14°5011.911.86.2
Jun21° / 12°72.311.87.3
Jul21° / 11°41.111.87.5
Aug22° / 11°41.111.97.8
Sep24° / 12°41.1128.3
Oct25° / 14°307.312.17.2
Nov25° / 15°10317.712.25.6
Dec25° / 15°10816.712.25.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 27% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 58%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13763
23763
33763
43763
53763
63862
73862
83862
93862
103961
114060
124060
134159
144159
154060
164060
174159
184159
194357
204357
214357
224456
234456
244555
254555
264654
274753
284753
294753
304753
314852

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Arusha gets around 108 mm of rain over 16.7 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 54% and peaks near 68% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
168
268
367
467
566
665
765
864
963
1062
1161
1260
1358
1457
1555
1654
1753
1851
1950
2049
2148
2246
2345
2444
2544
2643
2742
2842
2941
3041
3140

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 60% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
166430
266430
366430
466331
566331
676231
776231
886131
996031
10105931
11106030
12115930
13125929
14135928
15145927
16145927
17155926
18165925
19175924
20176023
21185923
22186022
23196021
24196021
25196120
26206020
27206020
28215920
29215920
30215920
31225820

Wind in December

Winds average 5 km/h in December.

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 12 min at the start of December to 12 h 12 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 6:18 AM to 6:31 AM, and sunset from 6:28 PM to 6:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.26:186:28
212.26:186:29
312.26:186:29
412.26:196:30
512.26:196:30
612.26:196:31
712.26:206:31
812.26:206:32
912.26:216:32
1012.26:216:32
1112.26:216:33
1212.26:226:33
1312.26:226:34
1412.26:236:34
1512.26:236:35
1612.26:246:35
1712.26:246:36
1812.26:256:36
1912.26:256:37
2012.26:256:37
2112.26:266:38
2212.26:266:38
2312.26:276:39
2412.26:276:39
2512.26:286:39
2612.26:286:40
2712.26:296:40
2812.26:296:41
2912.26:306:41
3012.26:306:42
3112.26:316:42

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.44 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.54 kWh/m² to a high of 6.33 kWh/m² in February across the year — December's 5.44 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.4Bright
135.4Bright
145.4Bright
155.4Bright
165.5Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.5Bright
205.5Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.7Bright
275.7Bright
285.7Bright
295.7Bright
305.7Bright
315.7Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Arusha

In seasonPeak

In December, Arusha sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Arusha's rainy season runs November–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Arusha?

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

5.7
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
5.2
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Arusha for sightseeing.

What to pack for Arusha in December

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

In December, Arusha sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 15°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 17 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

UV index in Arusha in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks 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 Arusha peaks around March 14 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 14UV 16Jun 19UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct14Extreme
Nov14Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Arusha 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 Arusha is worst in June — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.7× the cleanest month (November, 10 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodJun 2316 µg/m³Nov 1210 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan14Moderate
Feb13Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr12Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct11Good
Nov10Good
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Arusha?

Arusha sits at 3.4°S, 36.7°E, 1,415 m above sea level, in Tanzania. The nearest listed city is Usa River, 19 km away.

MoshiMto wa Mbu

Topography around Arusha

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Arusha has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 236 m around an average of 1,419 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,490 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,854 m.

The land around Arusha is covered by artificial surfaces (57%) and trees (36%) within 3 km, trees (30%), cropland (25%) and grassland (23%) within 16 km, and grassland (41%) and shrubs (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
236 m
16 km
3,490 m
80 km
4,854 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Usa River 19 km · Kingori 35 km · Mbuguni 37 km · Merelani 39 km · Boma la Ngombe 52 km · Makuyuni 68 km · Moshi 72 km · Mto wa Mbu 93 km

Tanzania travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type D / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 29% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,319
2025
Happiness
3.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
31%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
3.7
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
31.1
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 479
Religion
Christian 63%Muslim 34%folk religion 1%

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 Arusha (-3.3667°, 36.6833°, elevation 1,415 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).