São Tomé weather in December
December in São Tomé: hot, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 26 rainy days.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#10 of 12 months in São Tomé · #632 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 74/100 (tier B)
- Days
- 28°C
- Nights
- 26°C
- Wet days
- 26
- Sun
- 9.6 h
- Humidity
- 83%
- Daylight
- 12 h

Traveller notes on São Tomé in December
Other months in São Tomé
Forum posters describing December-into-January visits report notably dry, sunny stretches: one visitor saw only about a day's worth of rain across their whole trip, and another spanning two weeks of January reported no rain at all except one roughly hour-long shower early on. Posters consistently cite daytime temperatures around 30C as typical for this window. It is worth noting that the full 12-month climate record shows January is actually one of São Tomé and Príncipe's wetter months overall (around 24 rainy days), with the islands' genuine short dry season (locally the "gravana") falling June through September instead - these travelers' good fortune with dry conditions may reflect normal day-to-day variability within a wetter month rather than the seasonal norm. Posters generally rate January as warm and humid for São Tomé, with a real chance of a lucky dry stretch but no guarantee of one given the time of year.
Forum posters name July, alongside August and January, as part of the islands' dry season, though posters are direct that conditions vary meaningfully by location even within Sao Tome itself - dry in the north, rain most of the day in the center, and a genuine 50/50 mix in the south. Posters describe the overall climate as equatorial and consistently warm and humid regardless of season, with even 'dry season' rain typically limited to an hour or so rather than an all-day event when it does happen. Posters describe skies as often cloudy generally, but flag Ilheu das Rolas specifically as a reliable spot for sunnier days. Posters generally rate July as a reasonable time to visit, provided visitors understand 'dry season' here is relative and location-dependent rather than a guarantee of sunshine everywhere on the islands.
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São Tomé climate normals — December
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in São Tomé 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.
Quietschool holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for São Tomé'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).
Toughest weatherSão Tomé's weather peaks June–August, best around July.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in São Tomé in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Nature
Sea turtle nesting
1 Nov – 28 Feb · usuallyGreen, hawksbill and olive ridley turtles nest on the beaches around the island through the wet months, monitored nightly by the Programa Tato patrols. Watching is guided only and torches are kept off the sand. Source ↗
- Season
Gravanito, the little dry spell
15 Dec – 10 Feb · usuallyDry seasonA short break in the middle of the wet season with clearer skies and calmer sea. It is unreliable in both timing and length, but when it lands it is the best diving and boat weather of the first half of the year.
Where is São Tomé?
São Tomé in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit São Tomé?
- December in São Tomé: hot, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 26 rainy days. It ranks #10 of 12 months for São Tomé on SeasonMap's comfort score (74/100).
- What is the weather like in São Tomé in December?
- In December, São Tomé averages a daily high of 27.7°C and a low of 25.8°C, with about 196.3 mm of rain over roughly 25.7 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in São Tomé in December?
- São Tomé has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 34 in December.