Santa María weather in December
In December, Santa María sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 11°C, with 32 mm of rain across 7.4 wet days and about 13.6 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 13 h 36 min at the start of December to 13 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Santa María's 10th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Santa María's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 23°
- 1st warmest
- Overnight low
- 11°
- 11th coldest
- Rainfall
- 32 mm
- 7.4 wet days
- Daylight
- 13 h 42 min
- 6:30 AM – 8:10 PM
- Cloud cover
- 50%
- 10th clearest
- Wind
- 6 km/h
- 6th windiest
- Solar energy
- 7.12 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 7.4
- out of 10
Santa María is human settlement in Catamarca province, Argentina.
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in December
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month.
A typical December day in Santa María reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 11°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and on par with January.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Avg low (°C) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | 11 |
| 2 | 22 | 11 |
| 3 | 22 | 11 |
| 4 | 22 | 11 |
| 5 | 22 | 11 |
| 6 | 22 | 11 |
| 7 | 23 | 11 |
| 8 | 23 | 11 |
| 9 | 23 | 11 |
| 10 | 23 | 11 |
| 11 | 23 | 11 |
| 12 | 23 | 11 |
| 13 | 23 | 11 |
| 14 | 23 | 11 |
| 15 | 23 | 11 |
| 16 | 23 | 12 |
| 17 | 23 | 12 |
| 18 | 23 | 12 |
| 19 | 23 | 12 |
| 20 | 23 | 12 |
| 21 | 23 | 12 |
| 22 | 23 | 12 |
| 23 | 23 | 12 |
| 24 | 23 | 12 |
| 25 | 23 | 12 |
| 26 | 23 | 12 |
| 27 | 23 | 12 |
| 28 | 23 | 12 |
| 29 | 23 | 12 |
| 30 | 23 | 12 |
| 31 | 23 | 12 |
How December really feels in Santa María
Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.
December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Santa María weather by month
How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 1st-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23° / 12° | 68 | 11.6 | 13.5 | 6.5 |
| Feb | 22° / 11° | 44 | 8.8 | 12.9 | 6.8 |
| Mar | 22° / 10° | 30 | 6.3 | 12.2 | 7.5 |
| Apr | 21° / 7° | 11 | 2.5 | 11.4 | 8.1 |
| May | 19° / 4° | 4 | 1 | 10.7 | 7.9 |
| Jun | 17° / 1° | 2 | 0.6 | 10.4 | 7.5 |
| Jul | 17° / -0° | 2 | 0.6 | 10.5 | 7.2 |
| Aug | 18° / 1° | 3 | 1 | 11.1 | 8.0 |
| Sep | 20° / 4° | 5 | 1.3 | 11.8 | 8.2 |
| Oct | 21° / 8° | 11 | 2.8 | 12.6 | 8.1 |
| Nov | 22° / 10° | 18 | 4.5 | 13.3 | 7.8 |
| Dec | 23° / 11° | 32 | 7.4 | 13.6 | 7.4 |
Cloud cover in December
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in December.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 32% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 30%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 81 | 79 | 79 | 78 | 77 | 76 | 76 | 75 | 75 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 69 | 67 | 67 | 66 | 64 | 64 | 63 | 61 | 60 | 59 | 58 | 58 | 57 |
| Cloudier (%) | 19 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 36 | 36 | 37 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 42 | 43 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 81 | 19 |
| 2 | 79 | 21 |
| 3 | 79 | 21 |
| 4 | 78 | 22 |
| 5 | 77 | 23 |
| 6 | 76 | 24 |
| 7 | 76 | 24 |
| 8 | 75 | 25 |
| 9 | 75 | 25 |
| 10 | 74 | 26 |
| 11 | 74 | 26 |
| 12 | 74 | 26 |
| 13 | 72 | 28 |
| 14 | 72 | 28 |
| 15 | 72 | 28 |
| 16 | 70 | 30 |
| 17 | 70 | 30 |
| 18 | 70 | 30 |
| 19 | 69 | 31 |
| 20 | 67 | 33 |
| 21 | 67 | 33 |
| 22 | 66 | 34 |
| 23 | 64 | 36 |
| 24 | 64 | 36 |
| 25 | 63 | 37 |
| 26 | 61 | 39 |
| 27 | 60 | 40 |
| 28 | 59 | 41 |
| 29 | 58 | 42 |
| 30 | 58 | 42 |
| 31 | 57 | 43 |
Chance of precipitation in December
Santa María gets around 32 mm of rain over 7.4 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 24% and peaks near 32% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 32 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 20 |
| 2 | 20 |
| 3 | 21 |
| 4 | 21 |
| 5 | 21 |
| 6 | 21 |
| 7 | 22 |
| 8 | 22 |
| 9 | 22 |
| 10 | 21 |
| 11 | 21 |
| 12 | 22 |
| 13 | 22 |
| 14 | 22 |
| 15 | 22 |
| 16 | 22 |
| 17 | 23 |
| 18 | 23 |
| 19 | 24 |
| 20 | 24 |
| 21 | 25 |
| 22 | 25 |
| 23 | 26 |
| 24 | 27 |
| 25 | 27 |
| 26 | 28 |
| 27 | 29 |
| 28 | 30 |
| 29 | 30 |
| 30 | 31 |
| 31 | 32 |
Humidity in December
Most of December feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Dry (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 100 |
| 2 | 100 |
| 3 | 100 |
| 4 | 100 |
| 5 | 100 |
| 6 | 100 |
| 7 | 100 |
| 8 | 100 |
| 9 | 100 |
| 10 | 100 |
| 11 | 100 |
| 12 | 100 |
| 13 | 100 |
| 14 | 100 |
| 15 | 100 |
| 16 | 100 |
| 17 | 100 |
| 18 | 100 |
| 19 | 100 |
| 20 | 100 |
| 21 | 100 |
| 22 | 100 |
| 23 | 100 |
| 24 | 100 |
| 25 | 100 |
| 26 | 100 |
| 27 | 100 |
| 28 | 100 |
| 29 | 100 |
| 30 | 100 |
| 31 | 100 |
Wind in December
Winds average 6 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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | calm |
| 2 | 7 | calm |
| 3 | 6 | calm |
| 4 | 6 | calm |
| 5 | 6 | calm |
| 6 | 6 | calm |
| 7 | 6 | calm |
| 8 | 6 | calm |
| 9 | 6 | calm |
| 10 | 6 | calm |
| 11 | 6 | calm |
| 12 | 6 | calm |
| 13 | 6 | calm |
| 14 | 6 | calm |
| 15 | 6 | calm |
| 16 | 6 | calm |
| 17 | 6 | calm |
| 18 | 6 | calm |
| 19 | 6 | calm |
| 20 | 6 | calm |
| 21 | 6 | calm |
| 22 | 6 | calm |
| 23 | 6 | calm |
| 24 | 6 | calm |
| 25 | 6 | calm |
| 26 | 6 | calm |
| 27 | 6 | calm |
| 28 | 6 | calm |
| 29 | 6 | calm |
| 30 | 6 | calm |
| 31 | 6 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in December
Daylight runs from about 13 h 36 min at the start of December to 13 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 6:27 AM to 6:38 AM, and sunset from 8:01 PM to 8:17 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:27 | 6:27 | 6:27 | 6:27 | 6:28 | 6:28 | 6:28 | 6:28 | 6:28 | 6:28 | 6:29 | 6:29 | 6:29 | 6:30 | 6:30 | 6:30 | 6:31 | 6:31 | 6:31 | 6:32 | 6:32 | 6:33 | 6:33 | 6:34 | 6:34 | 6:35 | 6:35 | 6:36 | 6:36 | 6:37 | 6:38 |
| Sunset (PM) | 8:01 | 8:01 | 8:02 | 8:03 | 8:03 | 8:04 | 8:05 | 8:05 | 8:06 | 8:07 | 8:07 | 8:08 | 8:09 | 8:09 | 8:10 | 8:10 | 8:11 | 8:12 | 8:12 | 8:13 | 8:13 | 8:14 | 8:14 | 8:14 | 8:15 | 8:15 | 8:16 | 8:16 | 8:16 | 8:17 | 8:17 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13.6 | 6:27 | 8:01 |
| 2 | 13.6 | 6:27 | 8:01 |
| 3 | 13.6 | 6:27 | 8:02 |
| 4 | 13.6 | 6:27 | 8:03 |
| 5 | 13.6 | 6:28 | 8:03 |
| 6 | 13.6 | 6:28 | 8:04 |
| 7 | 13.6 | 6:28 | 8:05 |
| 8 | 13.6 | 6:28 | 8:05 |
| 9 | 13.6 | 6:28 | 8:06 |
| 10 | 13.6 | 6:28 | 8:07 |
| 11 | 13.6 | 6:29 | 8:07 |
| 12 | 13.7 | 6:29 | 8:08 |
| 13 | 13.7 | 6:29 | 8:09 |
| 14 | 13.7 | 6:30 | 8:09 |
| 15 | 13.7 | 6:30 | 8:10 |
| 16 | 13.7 | 6:30 | 8:10 |
| 17 | 13.7 | 6:31 | 8:11 |
| 18 | 13.7 | 6:31 | 8:12 |
| 19 | 13.7 | 6:31 | 8:12 |
| 20 | 13.7 | 6:32 | 8:13 |
| 21 | 13.7 | 6:32 | 8:13 |
| 22 | 13.7 | 6:33 | 8:14 |
| 23 | 13.7 | 6:33 | 8:14 |
| 24 | 13.7 | 6:34 | 8:14 |
| 25 | 13.7 | 6:34 | 8:15 |
| 26 | 13.7 | 6:35 | 8:15 |
| 27 | 13.7 | 6:35 | 8:16 |
| 28 | 13.7 | 6:36 | 8:16 |
| 29 | 13.7 | 6:36 | 8:16 |
| 30 | 13.7 | 6:37 | 8:17 |
| 31 | 13.7 | 6:38 | 8:17 |
Solar energy in December
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 7.12 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.33 kWh/m² to a high of 7.25 kWh/m² in November across the year — December's 7.12 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.8 |
| Level | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 2 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 3 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 4 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 5 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 6 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 7 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 8 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 9 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 10 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 11 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 12 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 13 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 14 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 15 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 16 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 17 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 18 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 19 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 20 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 21 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 22 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 23 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 24 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 25 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 26 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 27 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 28 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 29 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 30 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 31 | 6.8 | Intense |
Is December a good time to visit Santa María?
Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
December is one of the better times to visit Santa María for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Santa María in December
From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In December, Santa María sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 11°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 7 days see rain.
UV index in Santa María in December
Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 16 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Santa María peaks around January 17 at about 17 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 10 at about 5 (high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 17 | 16 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 15 | 16 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | High | High | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 17 | Extreme |
| Feb | 16 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 9 | Very high |
| May | 7 | High |
| Jun | 6 | High |
| Jul | 5 | High |
| Aug | 8 | Very high |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 15 | Extreme |
| Nov | 15 | Extreme |
| Dec | 16 | Extreme |
Where is Santa María?
Santa María sits at 26.7°S, 66.0°W, 1,877 m above sea level, in Argentina. The nearest listed city is Cafayate, 69 km away.
Topography around Santa María
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Santa María.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Santa María has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 142 m around an average of 1,895 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,775 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,170 m.
The land around Santa María is covered by bare terrain (46%) within 3 km, grassland (33%), bare terrain (33%) and shrubs (30%) within 16 km, and grassland (39%), bare terrain (30%) and trees (22%) within 80 km.
Argentina travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type C / I
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 46% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $14,898
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.4 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Homicide rate
- 4.5
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 14.1
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- High
- EF EPI 575
- Religion
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 Santa María (-26.6946°, -66.0481°, elevation 1,877 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).