Samfya weather in December

In December, Samfya sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 298 mm of rain across 27.9 wet days and about 12.7 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in December, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 36 min at the start of December to 12 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Samfya's 10th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Samfya's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
5th warmest
Overnight low
20°
10th coldest
Rainfall
298 mm
27.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 42 min
5:38 AM – 6:18 PM
Cloud cover
80%
10th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
5.46 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.8
out of 10

Samfya is human settlement in Zambia.

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 26°C through the month.

A typical December day in Samfya reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 20°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 3°C cooler than November and on par with January.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12720
22720
32720
42720
52720
62720
72720
82720
92720
102620
112620
122620
132620
142620
152620
162620
172620
182620
192620
202620
212620
222620
232620
242620
252620
262620
272620
282620
292620
302620
312620

Samfya weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 20°29628.912.63.6
Feb26° / 20°24324.112.43.9
Mar26° / 20°21125.112.14.4
Apr26° / 19°517.911.87.1
May26° / 17°20.411.58.8
Jun25° / 15°0011.39.4
Jul24° / 14°0011.49.5
Aug27° / 16°0011.68.9
Sep30° / 19°10.311.96.9
Oct31° / 21°183.212.35.5
Nov29° / 21°13515.812.54.7
Dec26° / 20°29827.912.73.8

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 9% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 82%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13268
23169
32971
42971
52773
62674
72476
82476
92278
102179
111981
121882
131783
141684
151585
161486
171486
181387
191288
201288
211288
221288
231387
241387
251387
261288
271288
281288
291288
301090
311090

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Samfya gets around 298 mm of rain over 27.9 wet days in December, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 90% and peaks near 93% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
180
281
382
483
584
685
786
887
988
1089
1190
1291
1391
1491
1592
1692
1792
1892
1992
2092
2192
2292
2392
2492
2592
2692
2792
2893
2993
3093
3193

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the muggy band about 86% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 86% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
132572
232473
322375
422177
522078
611980
711782
811683
911584
1011485
1111386
1201288
1301288
1401189
1501189
1601090
1701090
1801090
1901090
2001090
2101090
2201090
2301090
240991
250991
260892
270892
280892
290793
300793
310793

Wind in December

Winds average 7 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 36 min at the start of December to 12 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:33 AM to 5:45 AM, and sunset from 6:10 PM to 6:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.65:336:10
212.65:336:11
312.65:336:11
412.65:346:12
512.65:346:12
612.65:346:13
712.65:356:13
812.65:356:14
912.65:356:14
1012.75:366:15
1112.75:366:15
1212.75:366:16
1312.75:376:16
1412.75:376:17
1512.75:386:17
1612.75:386:18
1712.75:386:18
1812.75:396:19
1912.75:396:19
2012.75:406:20
2112.75:406:20
2212.75:416:21
2312.75:416:21
2412.75:426:22
2512.75:426:22
2612.75:436:23
2712.75:436:23
2812.75:446:23
2912.75:446:24
3012.75:456:24
3112.75:456:25

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.46 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.15 kWh/m² to a high of 7.13 kWh/m² in October across the year — December's 5.46 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.0Bright
25.9Bright
35.9Bright
45.9Bright
55.8Bright
65.8Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.5Bright
145.4Bright
155.4Bright
165.4Bright
175.3Bright
185.3Bright
195.3Bright
205.3Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.2Bright
305.2Bright
315.2Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Samfya

In seasonPeak

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

Samfya's monsoon runs November–March, 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 Samfya?

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

3.8
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
3.8
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Samfya.

What to pack for Samfya in December

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

In December, Samfya sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 20°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 28 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

UV index in Samfya 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 Samfya peaks around February 21 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 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 highExtremeFeb 21UV 16Jun 17UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug11Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Samfya 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 Samfya is worst in August — around 76 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 11.5× the cleanest month (May, 7 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateUnhealthyModerateAug 2376 µg/m³May 127 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb11Good
Mar9Good
Apr8Good
May7Good
Jun10Good
Jul30Moderate
Aug76Unhealthy
Sep74Unhealthy
Oct39Poor
Nov18Moderate
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Samfya?

Samfya sits at 11.4°S, 29.6°E, 1,183 m above sea level, in Zambia. The nearest listed city is Mansa, 75 km away.

MansaLuwinguMokamboKawambwaMwansabombweMufuliraMapaloNdola

Topography around Samfya

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Samfya has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 39 m around an average of 1,175 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 96 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 327 m.

The land around Samfya is covered by water (34%) and cropland (20%) within 3 km, water (38%) within 16 km, and trees (24%) and wetland (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
39 m
16 km
96 m
80 km
327 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: Mansa 75 km · Luwingu 129 km · Mokambo 177 km · Kawambwa 183 km · Mwansabombwe 192 km · Mufulira 195 km · Mapalo 199 km · Ndola 203 km

Zambia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / D / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 30% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,318
2025
Happiness
4.1 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
5.2
per 100k, 2015
Road deaths
20.5
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
High
EF EPI 573
Religion
Protestant 75%Roman Catholic 20%other 3%none 2%

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 Samfya (-11.3649°, 29.5565°, elevation 1,183 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).