Nungwi in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Nungwi sees average daytime highs around 28°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 144 mm of rain over about 34 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the driest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 28°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Summer is Nungwi's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. Nungwi 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 Nungwi's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 28°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 26°C
- Rainfall
- 144 mm
- 34 wet days
- Avg wind
- 21 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.4
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Nungwi in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 28°C.
A typical summer day in Nungwi reaches about 28°C and drops to 26°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
How summer really feels in Nungwi
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
summer 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 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 | 28° / 26° | 34 | 8.4 | 12.3 | 6.9 |
| Feb | 28° / 27° | 28 | 6.6 | 12.2 | 6.9 |
| Mar | 28° / 26° | 131 | 19.8 | 12 | 4.8 |
| Apr | 28° / 26° | 278 | 27 | 11.9 | 3.9 |
| May | 27° / 25° | 233 | 24.4 | 11.7 | 4.5 |
| Jun | 26° / 25° | 66 | 19.4 | 11.7 | 5.3 |
| Jul | 26° / 24° | 46 | 16.4 | 11.7 | 5.9 |
| Aug | 25° / 24° | 33 | 11.2 | 11.8 | 6.9 |
| Sep | 26° / 24° | 27 | 8 | 12 | 7.5 |
| Oct | 26° / 25° | 69 | 12.5 | 12.1 | 6.7 |
| Nov | 27° / 25° | 88 | 18.7 | 12.3 | 5.5 |
| Dec | 28° / 26° | 82 | 18.8 | 12.3 | 5.5 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Nungwi gets around 144 mm of rain over 34 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 21 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 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 Nungwi
In summer, Nungwi overlaps 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.
Is summer a good time to visit Nungwi?
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 Nungwi for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Nungwi in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Nungwi sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: a windbreaker. About 34 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Nungwi in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 28°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 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 |
| Comfort | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | Tropical |
| Feb | 28 | Tropical |
| Mar | 29 | Tropical |
| Apr | 29 | Tropical |
| May | 28 | Tropical |
| Jun | 27 | Warm |
| Jul | 26 | Warm |
| Aug | 26 | Warm |
| Sep | 26 | Warm |
| Oct | 27 | Warm |
| Nov | 28 | Warm |
| Dec | 28 | Tropical |
UV index in Nungwi 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 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 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 | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 10 | Very high |
| Jul | 10 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Air quality in Nungwi 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 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 18 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 13 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18 | Moderate |
| Feb | 16 | Moderate |
| Mar | 13 | Moderate |
| Apr | 11 | Good |
| May | 14 | Moderate |
| Jun | 16 | Moderate |
| Jul | 17 | Moderate |
| Aug | 15 | Moderate |
| Sep | 13 | Moderate |
| Oct | 9 | Good |
| Nov | 8 | Good |
| Dec | 13 | Moderate |
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.
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.
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 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.