Matmata weather in December

In December, Matmata sees average daytime highs of 17°C and overnight lows near 9°C, with 16 mm of rain across 3 wet days and about 9.8 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 18°C in the first days to 16°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 65% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 54 min at the start of December to 9 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Matmata's 8th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Matmata's year-round climate.

Daytime high
17°
11th warmest
Overnight low
3rd coldest
Rainfall
16 mm
3 wet days
Daylight
9 h 48 min
7:23 AM – 5:10 PM
Cloud cover
32%
8th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
2.96 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.7
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 18°C in the first days to 16°C by the end.

A typical December day in Matmata reaches about 17°C in the afternoon and slips back to 9°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 13°C and 20°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 5°C cooler than November and about 1°C warmer than January.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11810
21810
31810
41810
5189
6189
7179
8179
9179
10179
11179
12179
13179
14179
15179
16178
17178
18168
19168
20168
21168
22168
23168
24168
25168
26168
27168
28168
29168
30168
31168

How December really feels in Matmata

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.

Matmata weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan16° / 142.6106.0
Feb17° / 122.210.87.1
Mar21° / 11°172.411.78.0
Apr25° / 14°122.412.88.6
May29° / 18°51.213.77.1
Jun33° / 21°10.214.24.8
Jul36° / 24°00.1142.9
Aug36° / 24°20.613.23.0
Sep32° / 22°142.412.25.0
Oct27° / 18°172.711.27.7
Nov21° / 13°132.510.38.1
Dec17° / 1639.86.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 65% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 22%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27723
37723
47822
57822
67822
77822
87822
97822
107822
117723
127723
137723
147723
157723
167723
177723
187723
197822
207822
217822
227822
237822
247822
257822
267822
277822
287822
297921
307921
317921

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Matmata gets around 16 mm of rain over 3 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 9% and peaks near 10% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
19
29
39
49
59
69
79
89
99
109
119
129
139
149
159
169
179
1810
1910
2010
2110
2210
2310
249
259
269
279
289
298
308
318

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1973
2982
3982
4982
5982
6991
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in December

Winds average 16 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2517light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 54 min at the start of December to 9 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:12 AM to 7:29 AM, and sunset from 5:08 PM to 5:17 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.97:125:08
29.97:135:08
39.97:135:08
49.97:145:08
59.97:155:08
69.97:165:08
79.97:175:08
89.87:175:08
99.87:185:08
109.87:195:08
119.87:195:09
129.87:205:09
139.87:215:09
149.87:215:09
159.87:225:10
169.87:235:10
179.87:235:10
189.87:245:11
199.87:245:11
209.87:255:11
219.87:255:12
229.87:265:12
239.87:265:13
249.87:275:13
259.87:275:14
269.87:285:14
279.87:285:15
289.87:285:15
299.87:295:16
309.87:295:17
319.87:295:17

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.96 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.96 kWh/m² to a high of 7.77 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 2.96 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.1Moderate
23.1Moderate
33.1Moderate
43.1Moderate
53.0Moderate
63.0Moderate
73.0Moderate
83.0Moderate
93.0Moderate
103.0Moderate
113.0Moderate
123.0Moderate
133.0Moderate
143.0Moderate
153.0Moderate
162.9Moderate
172.9Moderate
182.9Moderate
192.9Moderate
202.9Moderate
212.9Moderate
223.0Moderate
233.0Moderate
243.0Moderate
253.0Moderate
263.0Moderate
273.0Moderate
283.0Moderate
293.0Moderate
303.0Moderate
313.0Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Matmata

In seasonPeak

None of Matmata's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Matmata sees seasonal dust haze (March–July), heaviest in April.

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

Is December a good time to visit Matmata?

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

6.7
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
1.4
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Matmata for sightseeing.

What to pack for Matmata in December

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

In December, Matmata sees daytime highs around 17°C and nights near 9°C. Worth packing: a warm layer. About 3 days see rain.

a warm layer

Sea temperature near Matmata in December

The nearest coast averages about 17°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 39 km away) is warmest in August at about 29°C and coldest in February near 14°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 7 to Nov 24 — about 6.6 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan14Bracing
Feb14Bracing
Mar15Cool
Apr18Cool
May21Refreshing
Jun24Warm
Jul27Warm
Aug29Tropical
Sep28Warm
Oct25Warm
Nov21Refreshing
Dec17Cool

UV index in Matmata in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Matmata peaks around June 20 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 20UV 10Dec 23UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar7High
Apr6High
May7High
Jun11Extreme
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct7High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Matmata 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 Matmata is worst in April — around 59 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 1.9× the cleanest month (August, 31 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorUnhealthyPoorModeratePoorApr 1558 µg/m³Aug 1731 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan55Unhealthy
Feb46Poor
Mar51Poor
Apr59Unhealthy
May49Poor
Jun45Poor
Jul33Moderate
Aug31Moderate
Sep32Moderate
Oct34Moderate
Nov44Poor
Dec44Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Matmata?

Matmata sits at 33.5°N, 10.0°E, 0 m above sea level, in Tunisia. The nearest listed city is Mareth, 30 km away.

RhennouchMétouiaMedenine

Topography around Matmata

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Matmata has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 303 m around an average of 362 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 502 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 682 m.

The land around Matmata is covered by grassland (65%) and bare terrain (28%) within 3 km, bare terrain (55%) and grassland (40%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (71%) within 80 km.

3 km
303 m
16 km
502 m
80 km
682 m
shrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Mareth 30 km · Teboulbou 36 km · Chenini Nahal 37 km · Gabes 39 km · El Hamma 42 km · Rhennouch 45 km · Métouia 46 km · Medenine 54 km

Tunisia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / E
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 29% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$4,657
2025
Happiness
4.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
65%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
4.7
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
16.5
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 498
Religion
Muslim 99%

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 Matmata (33.5444°, 9.9716°, elevation 0 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. 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).