Pemba weather in December
December in Pemba: sweltering, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 19 rainy days.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#9 of 12 months in Pemba · #562 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 77/100 (tier B)
- Days
- 31°C
- Nights
- 25°C
- Wet days
- 19
- Sun
- 10.9 h
- Humidity
- 80%
- Daylight
- 13 h

Traveller notes on Pemba in December
Mozambique forum threads describe December in the Pemba/Cabo Delgado region as genuinely hot midsummer, commonly 30C+, with rain when it comes usually arriving as short, sharp storms in the late afternoon or early evening rather than settling in for the day. Several posters noted the heavier rainfall in this region typically doesn't arrive until mid-January into February, so December often means just the occasional rainy day breaking up a run of sunshine - locals described an odd rainy day as a welcome relief after a stretch of nonstop heat rather than a disruption. The consistent read: come prepared for real heat, with rain gear as a minor backup rather than the main concern.
Other months in Pemba
Forum posters name June as a strong pick for diving here, sitting inside the dry winter season (roughly June through September) that brings the clearest water of the year. Posters are consistent that March, April and May count as the genuine rainy season to avoid, with June marking a clean transition into the more reliable dry stretch. Pemba is consistently named as a strong base and springboard for exploring the wider Quirimbas Archipelago, with direct flights from Johannesburg and Maputo making it a practical gateway. Posters generally rate June through October, alongside December-February, as the two best windows overall for diving conditions here.
Add your own note from Pemba's card on the map.
Pemba climate normals — December
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Pemba in December
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Shoulder seasonschool holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Pemba's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Fair weatherPemba's best weather comes in June, July and September — separate windows, not one continuous season.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Pemba in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Sailfish season
25 Aug – 15 Dec · usuallyForaging seasonSailfish season at the offshore Lazarus Banks runs from late August to mid-December and is the main draw for the sport-fishing charters working out of Pemba's harbour; other game fish bite year-round. Source ↗
- Hazard
Cyclone season
1 Dec – 15 Apr · usuallyThe hot, rainy season from December to April brings irregular but sometimes heavy rain and strong winds, and this part of the coast lies within range of the South-West Indian Ocean's cyclone season. Source ↗
Where is Pemba?
Pemba in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Pemba?
- December in Pemba: sweltering, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 19 rainy days. It ranks #9 of 12 months for Pemba on SeasonMap's comfort score (77/100).
- What is the weather like in Pemba in December?
- In December, Pemba averages a daily high of 31.4°C and a low of 25°C, with about 168 mm of rain over roughly 18.8 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Pemba in December?
- Pemba has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 26 in December.