Antofagasta weather in December

In December, Antofagasta sees average daytime highs of 18°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 2 mm of rain across 0.1 wet days and about 13.4 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 17°C in the first days to 19°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 65% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 24 min at the start of December to 13 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Antofagasta's 6th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Antofagasta's year-round climate.

Daytime high
18°
4th warmest
Overnight low
16°
9th coldest
Rainfall
2 mm
0.1 wet days
Daylight
13 h 30 min
6:54 AM – 8:21 PM
Cloud cover
36%
6th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
8.34 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.6
out of 10

Antofagasta is city in Antofagasta Region, Chile.

Air quality
Moderate
PM2.5 12 µg/m³ · 2019
Density
7,147/km²
people per km²
Founded
1868

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 17°C in the first days to 19°C by the end.

A typical December day in Antofagasta reaches about 18°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 17°C and 19°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C warmer than November and about 2°C cooler than January.

10°13°15°18°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11715
21715
31715
41715
51716
61816
71816
81816
91816
101816
111816
121816
131816
141816
151816
161816
171816
181816
191816
201816
211817
221817
231917
241917
251917
261917
271917
281917
291917
301917
311917

Antofagasta weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan20° / 18°20.113.38.1
Feb20° / 18°20.512.88.2
Mar19° / 17°40.612.28.0
Apr18° / 16°92.811.57.1
May17° / 15°103.910.96.3
Jun16° / 14°13410.65.9
Jul15° / 13°103.810.75.6
Aug15° / 13°82.611.25.6
Sep15° / 13°51.811.95.8
Oct16° / 13°50.912.66.1
Nov17° / 15°40.713.16.8
Dec18° / 16°20.113.47.6

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 65% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 17%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18713
28713
38713
48713
58614
68614
78614
88515
98515
108416
118317
128317
138317
148317
158317
168317
178218
188218
198218
208218
218218
228218
238218
248119
258119
268119
277921
287921
297822
307822
317723

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Antofagasta gets around 2 mm of rain over 0.1 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 1% and peaks near 2% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
12
21
31
41
51
61
71
81
91
101
111
121
131
141
151
161
171
181
191
201
211
220
230
240
250
260
270
280
290
300
310

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the comfortable band about 54% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
188120
286140
385150
483170
581190
679210
776240
874260
972280
1070300
1168320
1266340
1364360
1461390
1559410
1657430
1754460
1852480
1949510
2046540
2143570
2240600
2337630
2434660
2531690
2628720
2725750
2823770
2921790
3019810
3117821

Wind in December

Winds average 13 km/h in December, the windiest month of the year.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 24 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 0 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:51 AM to 7:02 AM, and sunset from 8:12 PM to 8:28 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.46:518:12
213.46:518:13
313.46:518:13
413.46:518:14
513.46:518:15
613.46:518:15
713.46:528:16
813.46:528:17
913.46:528:17
1013.46:528:18
1113.46:538:18
1213.46:538:19
1313.46:538:20
1413.46:548:20
1513.46:548:21
1613.56:548:21
1713.56:558:22
1813.56:558:22
1913.56:558:23
2013.56:568:23
2113.56:568:24
2213.56:578:24
2313.56:578:25
2413.56:588:25
2513.56:588:26
2613.56:598:26
2713.56:598:27
2813.57:008:27
2913.47:008:27
3013.47:018:28
3113.47:028:28

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 8.34 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.95 kWh/m² to a high of 8.34 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 8.34 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
18.3Intense
28.3Intense
38.3Intense
48.3Intense
58.3Intense
68.3Intense
78.3Intense
88.3Intense
98.3Intense
108.3Intense
118.3Intense
128.3Intense
138.3Intense
148.3Intense
158.3Intense
168.3Intense
178.3Intense
188.3Intense
198.3Intense
208.3Intense
218.3Intense
228.3Intense
238.3Intense
248.3Intense
258.3Intense
268.3Intense
278.3Intense
288.3Intense
298.3Intense
308.2Intense
318.2Intense
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Antofagasta?

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

7.6
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
2.6
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

December is one of the better times to visit Antofagasta for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Antofagasta in December

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

In December, Antofagasta sees daytime highs around 18°C and nights near 16°C. Pack sun protection.

sun protection

Sea temperature near Antofagasta in December

The nearest coast averages about 19°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in January at about 20°C and coldest in August near 15°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jan 16 to Feb 17 — about 1.1 months when the water holds above 20°C.

14°16°18°20°22°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan20Refreshing
Feb20Refreshing
Mar19Cool
Apr18Cool
May17Cool
Jun16Cool
Jul15Cool
Aug15Cool
Sep15Cool
Oct16Cool
Nov18Cool
Dec19Cool

UV index in Antofagasta 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 Antofagasta peaks around February 10 at about 15 (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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeFeb 10UV 15Jul 10UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr9Very high
May7High
Jun6High
Jul5High
Aug8Very high
Sep10Very high
Oct12Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Antofagasta 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 Antofagasta is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (March, 7 µg/m³).

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Antofagasta's WHO annual average of 12 µg/m³.

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1719 µg/m³Mar 127 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb8Good
Mar7Good
Apr10Good
May16Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov10Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Antofagasta?

Antofagasta sits at 23.7°S, 70.4°W, 276 m above sea level, in Chile. The nearest listed city is Tocopilla, 175 km away.

Alto HospicioCalderaPozo AlmonteIquiqueCopiapó

Topography around Antofagasta

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Antofagasta has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 487 m around an average of 103 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,138 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,608 m.

The land around Antofagasta is covered by water (40%), artificial surfaces (30%) and bare terrain (30%) within 3 km, bare terrain (54%) and water (42%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (68%) and water (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
487 m
16 km
1,138 m
80 km
2,608 m
artificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Tocopilla 175 km · Calama 201 km · San Pedro de Atacama 239 km · Alto Hospicio 377 km · Caldera 382 km · Pozo Almonte 383 km · Iquique 383 km · Copiapó 413 km

Chile travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F / L
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 48% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$17,995
2025
Happiness
6.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
6.3
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
14.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 517
Religion
Catholic 57%none 26%Evangelical or Protestant 16%other Christians and traditions related to Christ 1%

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 Antofagasta (-23.6509°, -70.3975°, elevation 276 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).