Dar es Salaam in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Dar es Salaam sees average daytime highs around 30°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 199 mm of rain over about 36 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the 2nd-wettest season.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Summer is Dar es Salaam's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. Dar es Salaam has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Dar es Salaam's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 30°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 26°C
- Rainfall
- 199 mm
- 36 wet days
- Avg wind
- 13 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.7
- 3rd-best season
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Dar es Salaam in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C.
A typical summer day in Dar es Salaam reaches about 30°C and drops to 26°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
How summer really feels in Dar es Salaam
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 90 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in summer is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Dar es Salaam weather by month
How the three summer 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 | 30° / 26° | 53 | 10 | 12.4 | 5.0 |
| Feb | 30° / 26° | 52 | 8.4 | 12.2 | 4.8 |
| Mar | 30° / 25° | 156 | 21.7 | 12 | 3.8 |
| Apr | 29° / 25° | 229 | 26.3 | 11.9 | 3.5 |
| May | 28° / 24° | 152 | 20.4 | 11.7 | 5.0 |
| Jun | 27° / 23° | 39 | 11.4 | 11.6 | 6.4 |
| Jul | 27° / 22° | 25 | 8.2 | 11.6 | 6.9 |
| Aug | 27° / 22° | 25 | 8.6 | 11.8 | 7.0 |
| Sep | 28° / 22° | 23 | 7.4 | 12 | 7.1 |
| Oct | 28° / 23° | 57 | 11 | 12.2 | 5.9 |
| Nov | 29° / 24° | 92 | 17.5 | 12.3 | 4.7 |
| Dec | 30° / 25° | 94 | 18 | 12.4 | 4.4 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Dar es Salaam gets around 199 mm of rain over 36 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 13 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 24 min in early December to 12 h 06 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 6.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Dar es Salaam
In summer, Dar es Salaam overlaps 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.
Is summer a good time to visit Dar es Salaam?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a reasonable time to visit Dar es Salaam for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Dar es Salaam in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Dar es Salaam sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 36 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Dar es Salaam in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 29°C across summer — 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| Comfort | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | Tropical |
| Feb | 29 | Tropical |
| Mar | 29 | Tropical |
| Apr | 29 | Tropical |
| May | 28 | Warm |
| Jun | 27 | Warm |
| Jul | 26 | Warm |
| Aug | 25 | Warm |
| Sep | 26 | Warm |
| Oct | 27 | Warm |
| Nov | 28 | Warm |
| Dec | 29 | Tropical |
UV index in Dar es Salaam in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages 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 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 13 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Extreme |
| Feb | 14 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 10 | Extreme |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 10 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Air quality in Dar es Salaam in Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 21 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 17 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21 | Moderate |
| Feb | 20 | Moderate |
| Mar | 18 | Moderate |
| Apr | 16 | Moderate |
| May | 18 | Moderate |
| Jun | 21 | Moderate |
| Jul | 22 | Moderate |
| Aug | 20 | Moderate |
| Sep | 19 | Moderate |
| Oct | 17 | Moderate |
| Nov | 15 | Moderate |
| Dec | 17 | Moderate |
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.
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
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.