Masvingo weather in December

In December, Masvingo sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 145 mm of rain across 16.1 wet days and about 13.2 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 1st-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 24% of the time in December, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 06 min at the start of December to 13 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Masvingo's 12th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Masvingo's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
4th warmest
Overnight low
18°
11th coldest
Rainfall
145 mm
16.1 wet days
Daylight
13 h 12 min
5:17 AM – 6:29 PM
Cloud cover
65%
12th clearest
Wind
11 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.13 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.3
out of 10

Masvingo is formerly known as Fort Victoria until 1982, is a city in southeastern Zimbabwe and the capital of Masvingo Province.

Density
2,376/km²
people per km²
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 28°C through the month.

A typical December day in Masvingo reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C cooler than November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12818
22818
32818
42818
52818
62818
72818
82818
92818
102818
112818
122818
132818
142818
152818
162818
172818
182818
192818
202818
212818
222818
232818
242818
252818
262818
272819
282819
292819
302818
312818

Masvingo weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 18°12715.413.15.6
Feb27° / 18°10612.812.75.8
Mar27° / 17°8411.512.16.5
Apr26° / 14°27511.67.8
May24° / 11°92.211.18.9
Jun22° / 61.110.88.7
Jul22° / 71.710.98.5
Aug25° / 11°20.711.39.1
Sep28° / 14°51.211.97.8
Oct29° / 16°224.612.56.3
Nov29° / 18°9311.4135.3
Dec28° / 18°14516.113.25.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 60%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14258
24258
34258
44159
54060
63961
73961
83862
93862
103763
113763
123763
133763
143862
153862
163961
173961
184060
194060
204159
214060
224060
234159
244060
254159
264060
274060
284159
294159
304159
314159

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Masvingo gets around 145 mm of rain over 16.1 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 52% and peaks near 54% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
147
247
348
448
549
650
751
852
953
1053
1154
1254
1354
1454
1554
1654
1753
1853
1952
2052
2152
2252
2352
2452
2552
2653
2753
2852
2952
3052
3151

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 40% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 26% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
121254114
220254015
319254016
418253917
517263918
616263919
715253920
814253922
913253923
1012253924
1112253925
1211253926
1310243927
1410243928
159243928
169243829
179243829
188243830
198233830
208233831
218233931
227223931
237224032
247214032
256214132
266214232
276204232
286204232
296204232
306204232
316204232

Wind in December

Winds average 11 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 11 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1511calm
1611calm
1711calm
1811calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 06 min at the start of December to 13 h 12 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 5:13 AM to 5:24 AM, and sunset from 6:20 PM to 6:36 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.15:136:20
213.15:136:21
313.15:136:21
413.25:136:22
513.25:136:23
613.25:146:23
713.25:146:24
813.25:146:25
913.25:146:25
1013.25:156:26
1113.25:156:26
1213.25:156:27
1313.25:166:27
1413.25:166:28
1513.25:166:29
1613.25:176:29
1713.25:176:30
1813.25:176:30
1913.25:186:31
2013.25:186:31
2113.25:196:32
2213.25:196:32
2313.25:206:33
2413.25:206:33
2513.25:216:33
2613.25:216:34
2713.25:226:34
2813.25:226:35
2913.25:236:35
3013.25:236:35
3113.25:246:36

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 4.18 kWh/m² to a high of 6.61 kWh/m² in October across the year — December's 6.13 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.1Intense
26.1Intense
36.1Intense
46.1Intense
56.1Intense
66.0Intense
76.0Intense
86.0Intense
96.0Intense
106.0Intense
116.0Intense
126.0Intense
136.1Intense
146.1Intense
156.1Intense
166.1Intense
176.1Intense
186.1Intense
196.2Intense
206.2Intense
216.2Intense
226.2Intense
236.2Intense
246.2Intense
256.2Intense
266.2Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Masvingo

In seasonPeak

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

Masvingo's rainy season runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Masvingo?

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

5.3
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
5.9
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Masvingo for sightseeing.

What to pack for Masvingo in December

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

In December, Masvingo sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 16 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Masvingo 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 Masvingo peaks around January 17 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highVery highExtremeJan 17UV 15Jun 18UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr10Very high
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul7Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep10Very high
Oct12Extreme
Nov14Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Masvingo 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 Masvingo is worst in September — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.9× the cleanest month (December, 4 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1617 µg/m³Dec 244 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan5Good
Feb6Good
Mar6Good
Apr7Good
May9Good
Jun10Good
Jul11Good
Aug13Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct13Moderate
Nov7Good
Dec4Good
Location & terrain

Where is Masvingo?

Masvingo sits at 20.1°S, 30.8°E, 1,091 m above sea level, in Zimbabwe. The nearest listed city is Zvishavane, 85 km away.

ZvishavaneShurugwiGweruChiredziRedcliffKwekweChipingeGwanda

Topography around Masvingo

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Masvingo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 72 m around an average of 1,081 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 548 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,028 m.

The land around Masvingo is covered by grassland (41%) and artificial surfaces (24%) within 3 km, shrubs (45%), trees (26%) and grassland (22%) within 16 km, and shrubs (39%), trees (24%) and grassland (22%) within 80 km.

3 km
72 m
16 km
548 m
80 km
1,028 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Zvishavane 85 km · Shurugwi 96 km · Gweru 126 km · Chiredzi 140 km · Redcliff 158 km · Kwekwe 165 km · Chipinge 188 km · Gwanda 213 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 Masvingo (-20.0637°, 30.8277°, elevation 1,091 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).