El Retén weather in December

In December, El Retén sees average daytime highs of 33°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 34 mm of rain across 5.8 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 33°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

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 El Retén's 4th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see El Retén's year-round climate.

Daytime high
33°
10th warmest
Overnight low
23°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
34 mm
5.8 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
6:12 AM – 5:35 PM
Cloud cover
52%
4th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
4.85 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.9
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 33°C through the month.

A typical December day in El Retén reaches about 33°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 30°C and 37°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and about 2°C cooler than January.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13223
23223
33223
43223
53223
63223
73223
83223
93223
103223
113323
123323
133323
143323
153323
163323
173323
183323
193323
203323
213323
223323
233323
243323
253323
263323
273423
283423
293423
303423
313423

How December really feels in El Retén

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.

El Retén weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan35° / 23°71.511.43.4
Feb36° / 24°71.611.62.6
Mar36° / 25°224.811.92.3
Apr35° / 25°7313.812.22.2
May34° / 25°16019.912.52.3
Jun33° / 25°8113.812.62.7
Jul35° / 25°508.312.62.6
Aug35° / 25°691212.32.4
Sep33° / 24°1311912.12.5
Oct32° / 24°24222.711.82.7
Nov32° / 23°17217.111.53.3
Dec33° / 23°345.811.43.9

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% 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 44%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14159
24159
34258
44258
54357
64456
74456
84555
94654
104555
114753
124852
134852
144951
155149
165347
175446
185644
195842
206040
216139
226337
236535
246733
256931
267129
277129
287327
297426
307525
317624

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

El Retén gets around 34 mm of rain over 5.8 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 19% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
137
235
334
432
531
629
728
827
926
1024
1123
1222
1321
1420
1519
1618
1717
1817
1916
2015
2114
2213
2311
2411
2510
269
278
288
298
308
317

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 59% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 98% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1045739
2045838
3055936
4056035
5066034
6066133
7076231
8076330
9186229
10196228
11196327
121106326
131116325
142126224
152136223
162146222
173156121
183166219
193186118
203196117
214205917
224225816
234235815
245245714
255265613
265275513
275285512
285295511
295305510
30530569
31531568

Wind in December

Winds average 5 km/h in December.

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

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

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 6:04 AM to 6:19 AM, and sunset from 5:30 PM to 5:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:045:30
211.46:055:30
311.46:055:30
411.46:065:30
511.46:065:31
611.46:075:31
711.46:075:31
811.46:085:32
911.46:085:32
1011.46:095:32
1111.46:095:33
1211.46:105:33
1311.46:105:33
1411.46:115:34
1511.46:115:34
1611.46:125:35
1711.46:125:35
1811.46:135:36
1911.46:135:36
2011.46:145:36
2111.46:145:37
2211.46:155:37
2311.46:155:38
2411.46:165:38
2511.46:165:39
2611.46:175:39
2711.46:175:40
2811.46:175:40
2911.46:185:41
3011.46:185:41
3111.46:195:42

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.85 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.49 kWh/m² to a high of 5.95 kWh/m² in March across the year — December's 4.85 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.6Bright
24.6Bright
34.6Bright
44.7Bright
54.7Bright
64.7Bright
74.7Bright
84.7Bright
94.7Bright
104.7Bright
114.8Bright
124.8Bright
134.8Bright
144.8Bright
154.8Bright
164.8Bright
174.9Bright
184.9Bright
194.9Bright
204.9Bright
214.9Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
245.0Bright
255.0Bright
265.0Bright
275.1Bright
285.1Bright
295.1Bright
305.1Bright
315.1Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for El Retén

In seasonPeak

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

El Retén's rainy season runs September–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 El Retén?

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

3.9
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
6.9
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in El Retén. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for El Retén in December

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

In December, El Retén sees daytime highs around 33°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 6 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near El Retén 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 32 km away) is warmest in September at about 29°C and coldest in February near 26°C.

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

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr27Warm
May28Warm
Jun29Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in El Retén 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 El Retén peaks around June 15 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 15UV 13Dec 13UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in El Retén 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 El Retén is worst in March — around 51 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 3.8× the cleanest month (December, 14 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateMar 1748 µg/m³Dec 1114 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan15Moderate
Feb26Moderate
Mar51Poor
Apr29Moderate
May25Moderate
Jun24Moderate
Jul24Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec14Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is El Retén?

El Retén sits at 10.6°N, 74.3°W, 24 m above sea level, in Colombia. The nearest listed city is Aracataca, 9.0 km away.

Topography around El Retén

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around El Retén has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 23 m around an average of 27 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 115 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,613 m.

The land around El Retén is covered by trees (75%) and grassland (20%) within 3 km, grassland (54%) and trees (41%) within 16 km, and trees (41%) and grassland (37%) within 80 km.

3 km
23 m
16 km
115 m
80 km
5,613 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: Aracataca 9.0 km · Fundación 14 km · Pivijay 42 km · Puebloviejo 43 km · Ciénaga 44 km · Ariguaní 50 km · Sitionuevo 53 km · Ponedera 53 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 El Retén (10.6113°, -74.2682°, elevation 24 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).