Mbeya weather in December

In December, Mbeya sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 374 mm of rain across 25.9 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 24°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of December to 12 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Mbeya's 9th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mbeya's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
4th warmest
Overnight low
15°
12th coldest
Rainfall
374 mm
25.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
6:27 AM – 6:58 PM
Cloud cover
82%
9th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
5.78 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.3
out of 10

Mbeya is city in Tanzania.

Founded
2005

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 24°C through the month.

A typical December day in Mbeya reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°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 26°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)
12515
22415
32415
42415
52415
62415
72415
82415
92415
102415
112415
122415
132415
142415
152415
162415
172415
182415
192415
202415
212415
222415
232316
242316
252316
262316
272316
282316
292316
302316
312316

Mbeya 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
Jan23° / 15°42628.112.53.8
Feb23° / 15°34624.212.34.0
Mar23° / 15°40028.212.13.9
Apr22° / 14°19823.711.84.4
May22° / 13°338.211.66.9
Jun21° / 11°30.711.58.1
Jul21° / 10°10.111.58.2
Aug23° / 11°3111.78.6
Sep25° / 13°92.111.98.4
Oct26° / 15°499.712.26.9
Nov25° / 15°1791812.45.4
Dec24° / 15°37425.912.54.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 85%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12575
22476
32476
42377
52278
62179
72080
81981
91882
101882
111684
121684
131585
141585
151585
161486
171387
181387
191387
201387
211387
221387
231387
241387
251288
261288
271189
281189
291090
301090
311090

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Mbeya gets around 374 mm of rain over 25.9 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 83% and peaks near 88% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
172
273
374
475
576
677
778
879
980
1081
1182
1283
1384
1485
1586
1686
1786
1887
1987
2087
2187
2287
2387
2487
2587
2687
2787
2887
2987
3087
3188

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 62% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
128639
2276310
3266311
4256312
5236413
6226414
7216415
8206416
9196417
10186418
11176419
12166420
13156322
14156223
15146224
16136225
17136126
18126127
19126028
20126028
21116029
22116029
23115930
24106030
25106030
2696031
2796031
2886131
2986032
3076132
3176033

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
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 30 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 0 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:21 AM to 6:34 AM, and sunset from 6:50 PM to 7:05 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.56:216:50
212.56:226:51
312.56:226:51
412.56:226:52
512.56:236:52
612.56:236:53
712.56:236:53
812.56:246:54
912.56:246:54
1012.56:246:55
1112.56:256:55
1212.56:256:56
1312.56:266:56
1412.56:266:57
1512.56:266:57
1612.56:276:58
1712.56:276:58
1812.56:286:59
1912.56:286:59
2012.56:297:00
2112.56:297:00
2212.56:307:01
2312.56:307:01
2412.56:317:02
2512.56:317:02
2612.56:327:03
2712.56:327:03
2812.56:337:03
2912.56:337:04
3012.56:337:04
3112.56:347:05

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.78 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.21 kWh/m² to a high of 6.97 kWh/m² in October across the year — December's 5.78 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.2Intense
26.1Intense
36.1Intense
46.1Intense
56.0Intense
66.0Intense
76.0Bright
86.0Bright
95.9Bright
105.9Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.7Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
295.6Bright
305.6Bright
315.6Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Mbeya

In seasonPeak

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

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

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

Is December a good time to visit Mbeya?

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

4.3
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
3.6
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Mbeya for sightseeing.

What to pack for Mbeya in December

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

In December, Mbeya sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 15°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 26 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

UV index in Mbeya 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 Mbeya peaks around February 22 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeFeb 22UV 16Jun 17UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct14Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Mbeya 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 Mbeya is worst in October — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.6× the cleanest month (May, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateGoodOct 1219 µg/m³May 198 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar11Good
Apr9Good
May7Good
Jun8Good
Jul11Good
Aug15Moderate
Sep18Moderate
Oct19Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Mbeya?

Mbeya sits at 8.9°S, 33.5°E, 1,697 m above sea level, in Tanzania. The nearest listed city is Utengule, 13 km away.

Topography around Mbeya

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Mbeya has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 534 m around an average of 1,747 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,503 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,454 m.

The land around Mbeya is covered by artificial surfaces (56%) and trees (26%) within 3 km, cropland (35%) and trees (30%) within 16 km, and trees (34%), cropland (33%) and shrubs (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
534 m
16 km
1,503 m
80 km
2,454 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
December weather nearby: Utengule 13 km · Kiwira 32 km · Katumba 41 km · Igurusi 44 km · Tukuyu 45 km · Mlowo 52 km · Matundasi 53 km · Vwawa 61 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 Mbeya (-8.9°, 33.45°, elevation 1,697 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).