Cartagena weather in December

In December, Cartagena sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 61 mm of rain across 10.9 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% of the time in December, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of December to 11 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Cartagena's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cartagena's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
9th warmest
Overnight low
25°
5th coldest
Rainfall
61 mm
10.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
6:16 AM – 5:40 PM
Cloud cover
51%
4th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.08 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.1
out of 10

Cartagena is place in Columbia.

Air quality
Elevated
PM2.5 24 µg/m³ · 2018

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 30°C through the month.

A typical December day in Cartagena reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and about 1°C cooler than January.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12926
23026
33026
43026
53026
63026
73026
83026
93026
103026
113026
123025
133025
143025
153025
163025
173025
183025
193025
203025
213025
223025
233025
243025
253025
263025
273025
283025
293025
303025
313025

How December really feels in Cartagena

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.

Cartagena weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 9th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan31° / 25°92.311.55.9
Feb31° / 25°61.611.75.6
Mar31° / 26°194.511.95.2
Apr31° / 26°7515.712.23.9
May30° / 26°18126.212.53.0
Jun30° / 26°17625.412.63.0
Jul30° / 26°15725.112.53.1
Aug30° / 26°18627.612.32.9
Sep29° / 26°21028.512.12.8
Oct29° / 25°26529.211.82.9
Nov29° / 25°20124.411.53.5
Dec30° / 25°6110.911.45.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% 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 41%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14555
24555
34654
44654
54654
64753
74852
84852
94852
104951
115149
125248
135347
145545
155743
165743
175941
186139
196337
206436
216634
226634
236832
246931
257030
267129
277228
287228
297327
307426
317426

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Cartagena gets around 61 mm of rain over 10.9 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 36% and peaks near 60% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
160
258
357
455
554
652
751
849
948
1046
1144
1243
1341
1439
1537
1635
1733
1831
1929
2027
2126
2224
2322
2421
2520
2619
2718
2817
2916
3016
3115

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the miserable band about 54% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
13070
23070
33169
43268
53268
63367
73466
83664
93763
103862
113961
124060
134159
144258
154357
164456
174654
184753
194852
205050
215149
225347
235446
245644
255743
265941
276139
286337
296535
306733
317030

Wind in December

Winds average 15 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112light breeze
212light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2015light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min at the start of December to 11 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 6:09 AM to 6:23 AM, and sunset from 5:35 PM to 5:47 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:095:35
211.46:095:35
311.46:105:35
411.46:105:36
511.46:115:36
611.46:115:36
711.46:125:37
811.46:125:37
911.46:135:37
1011.46:135:38
1111.46:145:38
1211.46:145:38
1311.46:155:39
1411.46:155:39
1511.46:165:40
1611.46:165:40
1711.46:175:40
1811.46:175:41
1911.46:185:41
2011.46:185:42
2111.46:195:42
2211.46:195:43
2311.46:205:43
2411.46:205:44
2511.46:215:44
2611.46:215:45
2711.46:215:45
2811.46:225:46
2911.46:225:46
3011.46:235:47
3111.46:235:47

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.08 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.58 kWh/m² to a high of 6.35 kWh/m² in March across the year — December's 5.08 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.8Bright
24.8Bright
34.8Bright
44.8Bright
54.9Bright
64.9Bright
74.9Bright
84.9Bright
94.9Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
135.0Bright
145.0Bright
155.0Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.3Bright
255.3Bright
265.3Bright
275.3Bright
285.3Bright
295.4Bright
305.4Bright
315.4Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Cartagena

In seasonPeak

None of Cartagena's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Cartagena's rainy season runs May–November, 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 Cartagena?

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

5.1
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
6.9
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Cartagena in December

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

In December, Cartagena sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 11 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Cartagena in December

The nearest coast averages about 29°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 15 km away) is warmest in June at about 30°C and coldest in March near 27°C.

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

26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr28Warm
May29Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Cartagena in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Cartagena peaks around June 11 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highJun 11UV 13Dec 13UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Cartagena 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 Cartagena is worst in July — around 35 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (November, 14 µg/m³).

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Cartagena's WHO annual average of 24 µg/m³.

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateJul 1034 µg/m³Nov 1315 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan17Moderate
Feb21Moderate
Mar26Moderate
Apr30Moderate
May33Moderate
Jun34Moderate
Jul35Moderate
Aug27Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec17Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Cartagena?

Cartagena sits at 10.4°N, 75.5°W, 20 m above sea level, in Colombia. The nearest listed city is Turbaco, 12 km away.

Topography around Cartagena

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Cartagena has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 57 m around an average of 10 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 231 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 811 m.

The land around Cartagena is covered by artificial surfaces (74%) within 3 km, water (40%), grassland (24%) and trees (22%) within 16 km, and water (44%), trees (26%) and grassland (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
57 m
16 km
231 m
80 km
811 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: Turbaco 12 km · Santa Rosa 14 km · Arjona 23 km · San Estanislao 37 km · Mahates 38 km · Repelón 42 km · Luruaco 45 km · San Pablo 46 km

Colombia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 / 240 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 38% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$8,562
2025
Happiness
6.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
74%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
24.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
15.4
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 480
Religion
Roman Catholic 64%Protestant 17%none 14%atheist 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 Cartagena (10.3982°, -75.4933°, 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. 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).