Petrópolis weather in December

In December, Petrópolis sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 296 mm of rain across 23.3 wet days and about 13.4 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in December, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 18 min at the start of December to 13 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Petrópolis's 11th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Petrópolis's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
4th warmest
Overnight low
21°
10th coldest
Rainfall
296 mm
23.3 wet days
Daylight
13 h 24 min
6:08 AM – 7:30 PM
Cloud cover
76%
11th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.51 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.1
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical December day in Petrópolis reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C warmer than November and about 1°C cooler than January.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12720
22720
32720
42820
52820
62820
72820
82820
92820
102820
112820
122820
132821
142821
152821
162821
172821
182821
192821
202921
212921
222921
232921
242921
252921
262921
272921
282921
292921
302921
312921

How December really feels in Petrópolis

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.

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

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Petrópolis weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 21°31522.813.23.7
Feb30° / 21°23118.512.83.9
Mar29° / 21°24422.112.24.2
Apr27° / 19°10514.111.55.8
May25° / 16°701110.96.8
Jun24° / 15°41710.67.6
Jul24° / 15°406.610.87.8
Aug25° / 15°427.211.27.6
Sep26° / 17°8810.711.96.6
Oct26° / 18°13715.112.55.7
Nov27° / 19°2522013.14.8
Dec28° / 21°29623.313.44.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 74%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12377
22278
32278
42278
52278
62278
72278
82179
92278
102278
112377
122377
132575
142674
152674
162872
172872
182971
193070
203070
213169
223169
233169
243169
253070
263070
272971
282872
292872
302872
312773

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Petrópolis gets around 296 mm of rain over 23.3 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 75% and peaks near 80% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
169
269
369
470
570
670
771
871
972
1072
1172
1273
1373
1474
1574
1675
1775
1876
1976
2077
2178
2278
2379
2479
2579
2680
2780
2880
2979
3079
3179

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the muggy band about 53% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 91% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
12185921
21176022
31166023
41155925
51155826
61145827
71135828
81135630
91125631
100115732
110105733
120105634
13095536
14085537
15085438
16075439
17075340
18075241
19065341
20065242
21065143
22065044
23055045
24054946
25054846
26054847
27054748
28054649
29054649
30054550
31054550

Wind in December

Winds average 6 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 18 min at the start of December to 13 h 24 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 6:04 AM to 6:15 AM, and sunset from 7:21 PM to 7:37 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.36:047:21
213.36:047:22
313.36:047:22
413.36:047:23
513.36:057:23
613.36:057:24
713.36:057:25
813.36:057:25
913.36:057:26
1013.36:067:27
1113.46:067:27
1213.46:067:28
1313.46:077:28
1413.46:077:29
1513.46:077:29
1613.46:087:30
1713.46:087:31
1813.46:097:31
1913.46:097:32
2013.46:097:32
2113.46:107:33
2213.46:107:33
2313.46:117:34
2413.46:117:34
2513.46:127:34
2613.46:127:35
2713.46:137:35
2813.46:137:36
2913.46:147:36
3013.46:147:36
3113.46:157:37

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.51 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.35 kWh/m² to a high of 5.87 kWh/m² in February across the year — December's 5.51 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.4Bright
125.4Bright
135.4Bright
145.4Bright
155.5Bright
165.5Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.5Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
295.6Bright
305.6Bright
315.7Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Petrópolis

In seasonPeak

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

Petrópolis's rainy season runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Petrópolis?

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

4.1
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
4.7
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Petrópolis for sightseeing.

What to pack for Petrópolis in December

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

In December, Petrópolis sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 23 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Petrópolis in December

The nearest coast averages about 24°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 69 km away) is warmest in March at about 25°C and coldest in August near 21°C.

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

20°22°24°26°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan25Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar25Warm
Apr25Warm
May24Refreshing
Jun23Refreshing
Jul22Refreshing
Aug21Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct22Refreshing
Nov23Refreshing
Dec24Warm

UV index in Petrópolis in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks 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 Petrópolis peaks around January 24 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 12 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeJan 24UV 15Jul 12UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr9Very high
May7High
Jun6High
Jul6High
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct12Extreme
Nov14Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Petrópolis 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 Petrópolis is worst in July — around 38 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.0× the cleanest month (December, 19 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateModerateJul 1237 µg/m³Dec 2319 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan19Moderate
Feb19Moderate
Mar21Moderate
Apr24Moderate
May31Moderate
Jun36Poor
Jul38Poor
Aug32Moderate
Sep37Poor
Oct24Moderate
Nov20Moderate
Dec19Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Petrópolis?

Petrópolis sits at 22.5°S, 43.2°W, 819 m above sea level, in Brazil. The nearest listed city is Guapimirim, 21 km away.

Topography around Petrópolis

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Petrópolis has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 611 m around an average of 927 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,242 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,252 m.

The land around Petrópolis is covered by trees (70%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 3 km, trees (81%) within 16 km, and trees (47%) and grassland (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
611 m
16 km
2,242 m
80 km
2,252 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: Guapimirim 21 km · Magé 22 km · Teresópolis 23 km · São Pedro 24 km · Paty do Alferes 26 km · Miguel Pereira 30 km · Duque de Caxias 34 km · Belford Roxo 37 km

Brazil travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / N
127 / 220 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 46% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$10,713
2025
Happiness
6.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
89%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
19.3
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
16
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 482
Religion
Roman Catholic 57%Evangelical 27%none 9%other 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 Petrópolis (-22.505°, -43.1786°, elevation 819 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. 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).