Nungwi weather in December

In December, Nungwi sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 82 mm of rain across 18.8 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 18 min at the start of December to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Nungwi's 4th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Nungwi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
4th warmest
Overnight low
26°
9th coldest
Rainfall
82 mm
18.8 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
6:09 AM – 6:29 PM
Cloud cover
40%
4th clearest
Wind
19 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
6.13 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.5
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical December day in Nungwi reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12726
22726
32726
42726
52726
62726
72726
82726
92726
102826
112826
122826
132826
142826
152826
162826
172826
182826
192826
202826
212826
222826
232826
242826
252826
262826
272826
282826
292826
302826
312826

How December really feels in Nungwi

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 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
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Nungwi weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 26°348.412.36.9
Feb28° / 27°286.612.26.9
Mar28° / 26°13119.8124.8
Apr28° / 26°2782711.93.9
May27° / 25°23324.411.74.5
Jun26° / 25°6619.411.75.3
Jul26° / 24°4616.411.75.9
Aug25° / 24°3311.211.86.9
Sep26° / 24°278127.5
Oct26° / 25°6912.512.16.7
Nov27° / 25°8818.712.35.5
Dec28° / 26°8218.812.35.5

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 25%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27723
37723
47723
57723
67723
77723
87723
97723
107723
117723
127723
137624
147624
157624
167525
177525
187525
197426
207426
217327
227327
237327
247327
257228
267228
277228
287228
297228
307228
317228

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Nungwi gets around 82 mm of rain over 18.8 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 59% and peaks near 68% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
167
267
367
468
568
668
768
868
967
1067
1167
1266
1366
1465
1564
1663
1762
1861
1960
2058
2157
2255
2353
2451
2549
2647
2745
2843
2942
3040
3138

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 67% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
18317
28317
38218
48119
57921
67822
77723
87525
97426
107228
117129
126931
136832
146634
156535
166337
176238
186139
196040
206040
215941
225941
235941
245941
255941
265941
275941
285941
295941
306040
316040

Wind in December

Winds average 19 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 23 km/h at its breeziest. Calmer and breezier days trade off through the month.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
716light breeze
816light breeze
916light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1318light breeze
1418light breeze
1518light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1819light breeze
1920light breeze
2020light breeze
2120breezy
2221breezy
2321breezy
2421breezy
2521breezy
2622breezy
2722breezy
2822breezy
2922breezy
3023breezy
3123breezy

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min at the start of December to 12 h 18 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 6:03 AM to 6:16 AM, and sunset from 6:22 PM to 6:36 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.36:036:22
212.36:046:22
312.36:046:23
412.36:046:23
512.36:056:24
612.36:056:24
712.36:056:25
812.36:066:25
912.36:066:26
1012.36:076:26
1112.36:076:26
1212.36:076:27
1312.36:086:27
1412.36:086:28
1512.36:096:28
1612.36:096:29
1712.36:106:29
1812.36:106:30
1912.36:106:30
2012.36:116:31
2112.36:116:31
2212.36:126:32
2312.36:126:32
2412.36:136:33
2512.36:136:33
2612.36:146:34
2712.36:146:34
2812.36:156:34
2912.36:156:35
3012.36:166:35
3112.36:166:36

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.13 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.29 kWh/m² to a high of 6.44 kWh/m² in February across the year — December's 6.13 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.0Bright
26.0Bright
36.0Bright
46.0Bright
56.0Bright
66.0Intense
76.0Intense
86.0Intense
96.0Intense
106.1Intense
116.1Intense
126.1Intense
136.1Intense
146.1Intense
156.1Intense
166.2Intense
176.2Intense
186.2Intense
196.2Intense
206.2Intense
216.2Intense
226.2Intense
236.2Intense
246.2Intense
256.3Intense
266.3Intense
276.3Intense
286.3Intense
296.3Intense
306.3Intense
316.3Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Nungwi

In seasonPeak

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

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

Nungwi's monsoon runs March–May, 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 Nungwi?

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

5.5
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
5.9
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Nungwi for sightseeing.

What to pack for Nungwi in December

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

In December, Nungwi sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 19 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Nungwi in December

The nearest coast averages about 28°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 14 km away) is warmest in March at about 29°C and coldest in August near 26°C.

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

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Tropical
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Nungwi 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 Nungwi peaks around March 17 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 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 17UV 15Jun 18UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Nungwi 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 Nungwi is worst in January — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateGoodJan 2018 µg/m³Nov 118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan18Moderate
Feb16Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Nungwi?

Nungwi sits at 5.7°S, 39.3°E, 8 m above sea level, in Tanzania. The nearest listed city is Zanzibar, 50 km away.

Chake ChakeTangaSokoniMuhezaWeteBagamoyo

Topography around Nungwi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Nungwi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 41 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 85 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 626 m.

The land around Nungwi is covered by water (69%) within 3 km, water (85%) within 16 km, and water (69%) within 80 km.

3 km
41 m
16 km
85 m
80 km
626 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
December weather nearby: Zanzibar 50 km · Mkoani 56 km · Chake Chake 74 km · Tanga 76 km · Sokoni 83 km · Muheza 84 km · Wete 89 km · Bagamoyo 91 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 Nungwi (-5.7265°, 39.2987°, elevation 8 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).