Dar es Salaam weather in December

In December, Dar es Salaam sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 94 mm of rain across 18 wet days and about 12.4 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 24 min at the start of December to 12 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Dar es Salaam's 7th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Dar es Salaam's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
4th warmest
Overnight low
25°
9th coldest
Rainfall
94 mm
18 wet days
Daylight
12 h 24 min
6:07 AM – 6:31 PM
Cloud cover
52%
7th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
6.18 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.4
out of 10

Dar es Salaam is largest city in Tanzania and capital of Dar es Salaam Region.

Density
3,865/km²
people per km²
Founded
1862

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 30°C through the month.

A typical December day in Dar es Salaam reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 31°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)
12925
22925
32925
42925
52925
62925
72925
82925
92925
102925
113025
123025
133025
143025
153025
163025
173025
183025
193025
203025
213025
223025
233025
243026
253026
263026
273026
283026
293026
303026
313026

How December really feels in Dar es Salaam

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.

Dar es Salaam weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 26°531012.45.0
Feb30° / 26°528.412.24.8
Mar30° / 25°15621.7123.8
Apr29° / 25°22926.311.93.5
May28° / 24°15220.411.75.0
Jun27° / 23°3911.411.66.4
Jul27° / 22°258.211.66.9
Aug27° / 22°258.611.87.0
Sep28° / 22°237.4127.1
Oct28° / 23°571112.25.9
Nov29° / 24°9217.512.34.7
Dec30° / 25°941812.44.4

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 37%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16733
26634
36634
46535
56535
66535
76436
86436
96436
106436
116436
126436
136436
146436
156436
166337
176436
186337
196337
206238
216238
226238
236238
246238
256238
266238
276139
286139
296040
306040
316040

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Dar es Salaam gets around 94 mm of rain over 18 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 57% and peaks near 66% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
165
265
365
465
565
666
766
865
965
1065
1165
1264
1364
1463
1562
1661
1760
1859
1958
2056
2155
2253
2351
2450
2548
2646
2745
2843
2942
3041
3140

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the oppressive band about 76% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
118514
218514
318415
418316
518316
608317
708119
808020
907921
1007822
1107723
1207525
1307426
1407426
1507327
1607228
1707228
1807228
1907228
2007228
2107228
2207228
2307327
2407327
2507327
2607426
2707426
2807525
2907525
3007624
3107723

Wind in December

Winds average 12 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812light breeze
1912light breeze
2012light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 24 min at the start of December to 12 h 24 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 6:02 AM to 6:14 AM, and sunset from 6:24 PM to 6:38 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.46:026:24
212.46:026:24
312.46:026:25
412.46:036:25
512.46:036:26
612.46:036:26
712.46:046:27
812.46:046:27
912.46:046:27
1012.46:056:28
1112.46:056:28
1212.46:066:29
1312.46:066:29
1412.46:066:30
1512.46:076:30
1612.46:076:31
1712.46:086:31
1812.46:086:32
1912.46:096:32
2012.46:096:33
2112.46:106:33
2212.46:106:34
2312.46:106:34
2412.46:116:35
2512.46:116:35
2612.46:126:36
2712.46:126:36
2812.46:136:37
2912.46:136:37
3012.46:146:37
3112.46:146:38

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.18 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.67 kWh/m² to a high of 6.41 kWh/m² in October across the year — December's 6.18 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.2Intense
26.2Intense
36.2Intense
46.2Intense
56.2Intense
66.2Intense
76.2Intense
86.2Intense
96.2Intense
106.2Intense
116.2Intense
126.2Intense
136.2Intense
146.2Intense
156.2Intense
166.2Intense
176.2Intense
186.2Intense
196.2Intense
206.2Intense
216.2Intense
226.2Intense
236.2Intense
246.2Intense
256.2Intense
266.2Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Dar es Salaam

In seasonPeak

In December, Dar es Salaam sits inside its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Dar es Salaam sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Dar es Salaam's rainy season runs March–May, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Dar es Salaam?

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

4.4
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
5.9
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Dar es Salaam for sightseeing.

What to pack for Dar es Salaam in December

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

In December, Dar es Salaam sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 18 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Dar es Salaam 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 13 km away) is warmest in March at about 29°C and coldest in August near 25°C.

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

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Warm
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug25Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Dar es Salaam in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Dar es Salaam peaks around March 15 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeMar 15UV 14Jun 17UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Dar es Salaam 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 Dar es Salaam is worst in July — around 22 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateJul 1522 µg/m³Nov 1515 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan21Moderate
Feb20Moderate
Mar18Moderate
Apr16Moderate
May18Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul22Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct17Moderate
Nov15Moderate
Dec17Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Dar es Salaam?

Dar es Salaam sits at 6.8°S, 39.3°E, 24 m above sea level, in Tanzania. The nearest listed city is Magomeni, 3.0 km away.

Topography around Dar es Salaam

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Dar es Salaam has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 43 m around an average of 16 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 162 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 449 m.

The land around Dar es Salaam is covered by artificial surfaces (77%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (37%) and water (30%) within 16 km, and water (47%), grassland (26%) and trees (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
43 m
16 km
162 m
80 km
449 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
December weather nearby: Magomeni 3.0 km · Mwandege 17 km · Vikindu 21 km · Mkuranga 33 km · Mapinga 33 km · Kibaha 39 km · Sokoni 53 km · Bagamoyo 59 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 Dar es Salaam (-6.8235°, 39.2695°, elevation 24 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. 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).