Karratha weather in December

In December, Karratha sees average daytime highs of 31°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 20 mm of rain across 1.2 wet days and about 13.2 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 83% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 12 min at the start of December to 13 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Karratha's 6th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Karratha's year-round climate.

Daytime high
31°
4th warmest
Overnight low
26°
9th coldest
Rainfall
20 mm
1.2 wet days
Daylight
13 h 18 min
5:31 AM – 6:46 PM
Cloud cover
19%
6th clearest
Wind
21 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
7.94 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

Karratha is town in Western Australia.

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 31°C through the month.

A typical December day in Karratha reaches about 31°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and on par with January.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13126
23126
33126
43126
53126
63126
73126
83126
93126
103126
113126
123126
133126
143126
153126
163126
173126
183127
193127
203127
213127
223127
233127
243127
253227
263227
273227
283227
293227
303227
313227

How December really feels in Karratha

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 31 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in December is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Karratha weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 27°453.913.15.0
Feb32° / 28°814.912.74.8
Mar32° / 28°683.412.14.8
Apr31° / 26°251.711.55.8
May28° / 22°252.6117.8
Jun25° / 19°312.710.88.7
Jul24° / 18°121.310.99.3
Aug25° / 19°30.511.39.5
Sep27° / 20°20.211.99.1
Oct29° / 23°10.212.57.7
Nov30° / 25°10.2136.8
Dec31° / 26°201.213.25.8

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 83% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 6% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 11%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1946
2946
3946
4937
5937
6919
7919
89010
99010
108911
118911
128812
138812
148812
158713
168713
178713
188713
198713
208713
218713
228713
238713
248713
258713
268713
278713
288713
298713
308713
318713

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Karratha gets around 20 mm of rain over 1.2 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 4% and peaks near 6% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
11
22
32
42
52
63
73
83
93
104
114
124
134
144
154
164
174
184
194
204
214
224
234
244
254
265
275
285
295
306
316

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the oppressive band about 37% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 80% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
11102938202
21102739222
3192639232
4192539252
5182439263
6182238283
7172138303
8162037324
9161937335
10151836355
11151735366
12151634376
13141633397
14141533408
15041432419
160414314110
170313304211
180313304212
190312294313
200312294314
210211284315
220211284316
230210284317
240210274318
25029264319
26029264320
27028254421
28028244422
29027244523
30027234523
31027224624

Wind in December

Winds average 21 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 20 km/h on the calmest days to 21 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
121breezy
221breezy
321breezy
421breezy
521breezy
621breezy
721breezy
821breezy
921breezy
1021breezy
1121breezy
1221breezy
1321breezy
1421breezy
1521breezy
1621breezy
1721breezy
1821breezy
1921breezy
2021breezy
2121breezy
2221breezy
2320breezy
2420breezy
2520breezy
2620breezy
2720breezy
2820breezy
2920breezy
3020breezy
3120breezy

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 12 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 0 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:27 AM to 5:38 AM, and sunset from 6:37 PM to 6:53 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.25:276:37
213.25:276:38
313.25:286:39
413.25:286:39
513.25:286:40
613.25:286:41
713.25:286:41
813.25:296:42
913.25:296:42
1013.25:296:43
1113.25:296:44
1213.25:306:44
1313.25:306:45
1413.25:306:45
1513.25:316:46
1613.35:316:46
1713.35:326:47
1813.35:326:47
1913.35:326:48
2013.35:336:48
2113.35:336:49
2213.35:346:49
2313.35:346:50
2413.35:356:50
2513.35:356:51
2613.35:366:51
2713.35:366:52
2813.35:376:52
2913.25:376:52
3013.25:386:53
3113.25:386:53

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 7.94 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.19 kWh/m² to a high of 8.16 kWh/m² in November across the year — December's 7.94 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
18.1Intense
28.1Intense
38.1Intense
48.1Intense
58.0Intense
68.0Intense
78.0Intense
88.0Intense
98.0Intense
108.0Intense
118.0Intense
128.0Intense
138.0Intense
148.0Intense
158.0Intense
167.9Intense
177.9Intense
188.0Intense
198.0Intense
208.0Intense
218.0Intense
228.0Intense
238.0Intense
248.0Intense
258.0Intense
268.0Intense
278.0Intense
288.0Intense
298.0Intense
308.0Intense
318.0Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Karratha

In seasonPeak

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

Karratha sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

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

Is December a good time to visit Karratha?

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

5.8
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
8.6
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Karratha for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Karratha in December

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

In December, Karratha sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: a windbreaker.

light clothessun protectiona windbreaker

Sea temperature near Karratha in December

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 13 km away) is warmest in March at about 30°C and coldest in August near 23°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb30Tropical
Mar30Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May27Warm
Jun24Warm
Jul23Refreshing
Aug23Refreshing
Sep24Refreshing
Oct25Warm
Nov27Warm
Dec28Warm

UV index in Karratha in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Karratha peaks around December 23 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeDec 23UV 15Jun 19UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr10Very high
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul7Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep10Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec15Extreme

Air quality in Karratha 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 Karratha is worst in December — around 49 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 7.0× the cleanest month (July, 7 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorModerateGoodModeratePoorDec 2048 µg/m³Jul 207 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan43Poor
Feb31Moderate
Mar23Moderate
Apr11Good
May9Good
Jun8Good
Jul7Good
Aug7Good
Sep11Good
Oct20Moderate
Nov32Moderate
Dec49Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Karratha?

Karratha sits at 20.7°S, 116.8°E, 20 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Port Hedland, 190 km away.

BroomeGeraldtonKalgoorlieEllenbrookLandsdaleBallajuraDuncraig

Topography around Karratha

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Karratha has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 123 m around an average of 23 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 170 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 377 m.

The land around Karratha is covered by grassland (54%) within 3 km, grassland (51%) and water (31%) within 16 km, and grassland (48%) and water (44%) within 80 km.

3 km
123 m
16 km
170 m
80 km
377 m
shrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: Port Hedland 190 km · Broome 645 km · Geraldton 922 km · Kalgoorlie 1,205 km · Ellenbrook 1,230 km · Landsdale 1,235 km · Ballajura 1,238 km · Duncraig 1,238 km

Australia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type I
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 90% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$65,130
2025
Happiness
6.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
0.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
4.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
none 38%Roman Catholic 20%Protestant 18%other Christian 4%

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 Karratha (-20.7376°, 116.8463°, elevation 20 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).