Matai weather in December

In December, Matai sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 340 mm of rain across 24 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 24 min at the start of December to 12 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Matai's 10th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Matai's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
10th warmest
Overnight low
14°
10th coldest
Rainfall
340 mm
24 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
6:36 AM – 7:05 PM
Cloud cover
84%
10th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
5.31 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.4
out of 10

Matai is human settlement in Tanzania.

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 23°C through the month.

A typical December day in Matai reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C cooler than November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12415
22415
32415
42415
52415
62315
72315
82315
92315
102315
112315
122315
132315
142315
152314
162314
172314
182314
192314
202314
212314
222314
232314
242314
252314
262314
272314
282314
292314
302314
312214

Matai weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan22° / 14°31927.612.43.8
Feb23° / 14°25622.912.34.2
Mar23° / 14°29124.612.14.4
Apr23° / 14°1561611.85.7
May23° / 13°263.911.68.0
Jun23° / 11°10.111.58.8
Jul23° / 11°00.111.68.9
Aug25° / 12°10.211.78.8
Sep26° / 14°60.8128.2
Oct26° / 16°334.612.27.3
Nov25° / 15°13313.112.46.0
Dec23° / 14°3402412.54.4

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 6% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 86%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12377
22377
32278
42080
52080
61981
71783
81684
91684
101486
111486
121387
131288
141189
151189
161189
171189
181189
191189
201189
211189
221189
231189
241090
251090
261090
271090
281090
291090
301090
311090

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Matai gets around 340 mm of rain over 24 wet days in December, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 77% and peaks near 85% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
163
264
365
466
567
669
770
872
973
1075
1176
1277
1378
1479
1580
1681
1781
1882
1982
2082
2183
2283
2383
2483
2583
2683
2784
2884
2984
3084
3185

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 63% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
1295318
2285418
3275419
4265519
5255520
6235720
7225721
8215821
9205822
10186022
11176023
12166123
13156223
14146323
15136324
16126424
17126424
18116524
19106624
20106624
2196724
2296724
2396724
2486824
2586824
2676924
2776924
2876924
2967024
3067024
3167123

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 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
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 24 min at the start of December to 12 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:30 AM to 6:43 AM, and sunset from 6:57 PM to 7:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.46:306:57
212.56:316:58
312.56:316:58
412.56:316:59
512.56:316:59
612.56:327:00
712.56:327:00
812.56:327:01
912.56:337:01
1012.56:337:02
1112.56:347:02
1212.56:347:03
1312.56:347:03
1412.56:357:04
1512.56:357:04
1612.56:367:05
1712.56:367:05
1812.56:377:05
1912.56:377:06
2012.56:377:06
2112.56:387:07
2212.56:387:07
2312.56:397:08
2412.56:397:08
2512.56:407:09
2612.56:407:09
2712.56:417:10
2812.56:417:10
2912.56:427:11
3012.56:427:11
3112.56:437:11

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.31 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.12 kWh/m² to a high of 6.73 kWh/m² in September across the year — December's 5.31 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.4Bright
105.4Bright
115.4Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.2Bright
305.2Bright
315.2Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Matai

In seasonPeak

In December, Matai sits inside its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Matai sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Matai's monsoon runs December–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Matai?

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

4.4
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
3.5
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Matai for sightseeing.

What to pack for Matai in December

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

In December, Matai sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 14°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 24 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

UV index in Matai in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Matai peaks around February 17 at about 17 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 11 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeFeb 17UV 17Jun 18UV 11
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb17Extreme
Mar17Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct14Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Matai 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 Matai is worst in September — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.8× the cleanest month (May, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1223 µg/m³May 146 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb11Good
Mar9Good
Apr7Good
May6Good
Jun9Good
Jul15Moderate
Aug21Moderate
Sep23Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov11Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Matai?

Matai sits at 8.3°S, 31.5°E, 1,706 m above sea level, in Tanzania. The nearest listed city is Sumbawanga, 39 km away.

ChalaNamanyereUseviaKirando

Topography around Matai

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Matai has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 87 m around an average of 1,702 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 752 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,666 m.

The land around Matai is covered by cropland (55%) and grassland (24%) within 3 km, cropland (48%) and grassland (30%) within 16 km, and cropland (35%) and water (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
87 m
16 km
752 m
80 km
1,666 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: Sumbawanga 39 km · Mbala 62 km · Laela 66 km · Mpulungu 68 km · Chala 84 km · Namanyere 101 km · Usevia 137 km · Kirando 141 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 Matai (-8.3°, 31.5167°, elevation 1,706 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). 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).