Harare weather in December

In December, Harare sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 179 mm of rain across 20.1 wet days and about 13 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 2nd-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 15% of the time in December, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 13 hours at the start of December to 13 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Harare's 11th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Harare's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
4th warmest
Overnight low
17°
11th coldest
Rainfall
179 mm
20.1 wet days
Daylight
13 h 06 min
5:20 AM – 6:24 PM
Cloud cover
71%
11th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.92 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.0
out of 10

Harare is capital and largest city of Zimbabwe.

Founded
1890

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 Harare reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C cooler than November and on par with January.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12717
22717
32717
42717
52617
62617
72617
82617
92617
102617
112617
122617
132617
142617
152617
162617
172617
182617
192617
202617
212617
222617
232617
242617
252617
262617
272617
282617
292617
302617
312617

Harare weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 17°21820.512.95.0
Feb26° / 17°1441612.65.4
Mar26° / 16°9312.512.16.4
Apr25° / 14°284.911.67.9
May23° / 11°61.411.28.8
Jun21° / 20.4118.7
Jul21° / 10.2118.7
Aug24° / 10°10.211.49.3
Sep27° / 13°30.911.98.5
Oct29° / 16°224.112.46.8
Nov28° / 17°8212.512.85.7
Dec26° / 17°17920.1135.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% 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 68%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24357
34258
44159
54060
63862
73763
83664
93466
103367
113169
122971
132971
142872
152872
162872
172872
182872
192773
202872
212872
222872
232872
242971
252971
262971
272971
282872
292971
303070
313070

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Harare gets around 179 mm of rain over 20.1 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 65% and peaks near 69% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
151
252
353
455
556
658
759
861
963
1064
1165
1267
1368
1468
1569
1669
1769
1869
1969
2069
2169
2269
2369
2468
2568
2668
2768
2867
2967
3067
3166

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the humid band about 60% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
12633401
22532421
32432431
42331451
52231461
62130481
71929511
81829521
91728541
101527571
111426582
121326592
131125622
141024642
151024642
16923662
17823672
18822673
19722683
20722683
21621703
22621703
23621694
24521704
25522694
26522694
27422695
28423685
29423685
30424675
31424675

Wind in December

Winds average 9 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 10 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
110calm
210calm
310calm
410calm
510calm
610calm
710calm
810calm
910calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 hours at the start of December to 13 h 06 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 5:16 AM to 5:27 AM, and sunset from 6:15 PM to 6:31 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.05:166:15
213.05:166:16
313.05:166:16
413.05:166:17
513.05:176:18
613.05:176:18
713.05:176:19
813.05:176:19
913.05:186:20
1013.05:186:21
1113.05:186:21
1213.15:196:22
1313.15:196:22
1413.15:196:23
1513.15:206:23
1613.15:206:24
1713.15:206:24
1813.15:216:25
1913.15:216:25
2013.15:226:26
2113.15:226:26
2213.15:236:27
2313.15:236:27
2413.15:246:28
2513.15:246:28
2613.15:256:29
2713.15:256:29
2813.15:266:29
2913.15:266:30
3013.15:276:30
3113.15:276:31

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.92 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.67 kWh/m² to a high of 7.02 kWh/m² in October across the year — December's 5.92 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.2Intense
26.2Intense
36.1Intense
46.1Intense
56.1Intense
66.0Intense
76.0Bright
86.0Bright
95.9Bright
105.9Bright
115.9Bright
125.9Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.9Bright
215.9Bright
225.9Bright
235.9Bright
245.9Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
275.8Bright
285.8Bright
295.8Bright
305.8Bright
315.8Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Harare

In seasonPeak

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

Harare's monsoon runs December–February, 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 Harare?

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

5.0
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
4.9
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Harare for sightseeing.

What to pack for Harare in December

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

In December, Harare sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 17°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 20 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

UV index in Harare in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Harare peaks around January 16 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeJan 16UV 16Jun 20UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May9Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep10Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov14Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Harare 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 Harare is worst in August — around 53 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 4.7× the cleanest month (January, 11 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateAug 1452 µg/m³Jan 1111 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar17Moderate
Apr23Moderate
May34Moderate
Jun39Poor
Jul48Poor
Aug53Poor
Sep43Poor
Oct29Moderate
Nov17Moderate
Dec12Good
Location & terrain

Where is Harare?

Harare sits at 17.8°S, 31.1°E, 1,494 m above sea level, in Zimbabwe. The nearest listed city is Epworth, 12 km away.

BinduraMarondera

Topography around Harare

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Harare has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 89 m around an average of 1,481 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 219 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 831 m.

The land around Harare is covered by artificial surfaces (50%) and trees (31%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (28%), trees (25%) and cropland (25%) within 16 km, and grassland (42%) and cropland (23%) within 80 km.

3 km
89 m
16 km
219 m
80 km
831 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Epworth 12 km · Mount Hampden 15 km · Harare Western Suburbs 19 km · Chitungwiza 21 km · Ruwa 21 km · Norton 38 km · Bindura 65 km · Marondera 66 km

Zimbabwe travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type D / G
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 56% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$3,021
2025
Happiness
3.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
25%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
6.8
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
41.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Very high
EF EPI 602
Religion
Apostolic Sect 40%Pentecostal 17%Protestant 14%none 8%

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 Harare (-17.8277°, 31.0534°, elevation 1,494 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).