Santa Cruz in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Santa Cruz sees average daytime highs around 30°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 476 mm of rain over about 53 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Summer is Santa Cruz's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Santa Cruz's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 30°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 22°C
- Rainfall
- 476 mm
- 53 wet days
- Avg wind
- 13 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.9
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Santa Cruz in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C.
A typical summer day in Santa Cruz reaches about 30°C and drops to 22°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is January, the coolest February.
How summer really feels in Santa Cruz
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 90 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in summer is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Santa Cruz weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30° / 22° | 172 | 18.1 | 12.9 | 3.8 |
| Feb | 30° / 22° | 139 | 16.7 | 12.6 | 4.0 |
| Mar | 30° / 22° | 118 | 14.6 | 12.1 | 4.4 |
| Apr | 29° / 20° | 65 | 10.7 | 11.6 | 5.6 |
| May | 26° / 18° | 61 | 10.4 | 11.2 | 6.6 |
| Jun | 24° / 17° | 53 | 8.9 | 11 | 7.0 |
| Jul | 25° / 16° | 44 | 6.1 | 11 | 7.6 |
| Aug | 28° / 18° | 44 | 5.3 | 11.4 | 7.1 |
| Sep | 30° / 20° | 66 | 7 | 11.9 | 5.5 |
| Oct | 31° / 21° | 85 | 10.5 | 12.4 | 4.5 |
| Nov | 31° / 22° | 118 | 13.1 | 12.8 | 4.2 |
| Dec | 30° / 22° | 165 | 17.8 | 13 | 3.8 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Santa Cruz gets around 476 mm of rain over 53 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 13 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 13 hours in early December to 12 h 24 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 5.6 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Santa Cruz
In summer, Santa Cruz overlaps its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Santa Cruz's rainy season runs October–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Santa Cruz?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Santa Cruz.
What to pack for Santa Cruz in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Santa Cruz sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 53 days see rain.
UV index in Santa Cruz in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages 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 Santa Cruz peaks around January 18 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 14 at about 7 (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) | 15 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 14 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Extreme |
| Feb | 14 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 11 | Extreme |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 7 | Very high |
| Jul | 7 | High |
| Aug | 8 | Very high |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 8 | Very high |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 14 | Extreme |
Air quality in Santa Cruz in Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Santa Cruz is worst in September — around 37 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 4.8× the cleanest month (May, 8 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 11 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 21 | 37 | 29 | 18 | 11 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Good |
| Feb | 11 | Good |
| Mar | 10 | Good |
| Apr | 8 | Good |
| May | 8 | Good |
| Jun | 9 | Good |
| Jul | 11 | Good |
| Aug | 21 | Moderate |
| Sep | 37 | Poor |
| Oct | 29 | Moderate |
| Nov | 18 | Moderate |
| Dec | 11 | Good |
Where is Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz sits at 17.8°S, 63.2°W, 433 m above sea level, in Bolivia. The nearest listed city is Cotoca, 14 km away.
Topography around Santa Cruz
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Santa Cruz.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Santa Cruz has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 29 m around an average of 414 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 171 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,022 m.
The land around Santa Cruz is covered by artificial surfaces (89%) within 3 km, trees (36%), grassland (29%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 16 km, and trees (47%), grassland (25%) and cropland (24%) within 80 km.
Bolivia travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type A / B / C
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 40% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $5,148
- 2025
- Happiness
- 5.8 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Homicide rate
- 4.4
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 21.1
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- Moderate
- EF EPI 521
- 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 Cruz (-17.7863°, -63.1812°, elevation 433 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.