Matai in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Matai sees average daytime highs around 23°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 914 mm of rain over about 75 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 23°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels comfortable.
Summer is Matai's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Matai's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 23°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 14°C
- Rainfall
- 914 mm
- 75 wet days
- Avg wind
- 5 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.1
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Matai in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 23°C.
A typical summer day in Matai reaches about 23°C and drops to 14°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
Matai 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 | 22° / 14° | 319 | 27.6 | 12.4 | 3.8 |
| Feb | 23° / 14° | 256 | 22.9 | 12.3 | 4.2 |
| Mar | 23° / 14° | 291 | 24.6 | 12.1 | 4.4 |
| Apr | 23° / 14° | 156 | 16 | 11.8 | 5.7 |
| May | 23° / 13° | 26 | 3.9 | 11.6 | 8.0 |
| Jun | 23° / 11° | 1 | 0.1 | 11.5 | 8.8 |
| Jul | 23° / 11° | 0 | 0.1 | 11.6 | 8.9 |
| Aug | 25° / 12° | 1 | 0.2 | 11.7 | 8.8 |
| Sep | 26° / 14° | 6 | 0.8 | 12 | 8.2 |
| Oct | 26° / 16° | 33 | 4.6 | 12.2 | 7.3 |
| Nov | 25° / 15° | 133 | 13.1 | 12.4 | 6.0 |
| Dec | 23° / 14° | 340 | 24 | 12.5 | 4.4 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Matai gets around 914 mm of rain over 75 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 5 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 24 min in early December to 12 h 12 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 5.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Matai
In summer, Matai overlaps 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.
Is summer a good time to visit Matai?
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 Matai for sightseeing.
What to pack for Matai in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Matai sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 14°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 75 days see rain.
UV index in Matai in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 16 (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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Extreme |
| Feb | 17 | Extreme |
| Mar | 17 | Extreme |
| Apr | 15 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 14 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 14 | Extreme |
Air quality in Matai 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 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 11 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 21 | 23 | 18 | 11 | 8 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Good |
| Feb | 11 | Good |
| Mar | 9 | Good |
| Apr | 7 | Good |
| May | 6 | Good |
| Jun | 9 | Good |
| Jul | 15 | Moderate |
| Aug | 21 | Moderate |
| Sep | 23 | Moderate |
| Oct | 18 | Moderate |
| Nov | 11 | Good |
| Dec | 8 | Good |
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.
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.
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 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.