Riohacha weather in December

In December, Riohacha sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 45 mm of rain across 9.9 wet days and about 11.3 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-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 40% 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 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Riohacha's 3rd-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Riohacha's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
11th warmest
Overnight low
25°
4th coldest
Rainfall
45 mm
9.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 18 min
6:08 AM – 5:28 PM
Cloud cover
52%
3rd clearest
Wind
18 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
4.85 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.0
out of 10

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 Riohacha reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13025
23025
33025
43025
53025
63025
73025
83025
93025
103025
113025
123025
133025
143025
153025
163025
173025
183025
193025
203025
213025
223025
233025
243025
253024
263024
273024
283024
293024
303024
313024

How December really feels in Riohacha

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.

Riohacha weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 24°133.711.45.7
Feb31° / 24°102.511.65.6
Mar31° / 25°174.211.95.1
Apr31° / 25°489.512.24.1
May31° / 26°13917.612.53.3
Jun32° / 26°8112.512.73.4
Jul33° / 26°498.812.63.5
Aug32° / 26°9715.712.43.1
Sep31° / 25°16522.412.12.9
Oct30° / 25°18925.411.73.0
Nov30° / 25°12719.811.53.7
Dec30° / 25°459.911.35.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 40% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 42%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24852
34852
44852
55050
65050
75050
85149
95149
105248
115248
125347
135446
145446
155545
165644
175743
185842
195941
206040
216139
226337
236337
246436
256634
266634
276733
286931
296931
307030
317228

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Riohacha gets around 45 mm of rain over 9.9 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 32% and peaks near 48% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
148
247
345
444
542
641
740
838
937
1036
1135
1234
1333
1432
1531
1630
1730
1829
1928
2028
2127
2226
2326
2425
2524
2623
2723
2822
2921
3020
3119

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 79% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
138017
238116
348115
458114
558213
668212
778211
888111
998110
1010819
1110828
1211818
1312817
1412817
1513816
1614806
1714806
1815805
1915805
2016795
2116795
2217785
2318784
2419774
2519774
2620764
2721763
2822753
2923743
3024742
3126722

Wind in December

Winds average 18 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 19 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
316light breeze
416light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1318light breeze
1418light breeze
1518light breeze
1618light breeze
1718light breeze
1818light breeze
1918light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2319light breeze
2419light breeze
2519light breeze
2619light breeze
2719light breeze
2819light breeze
2919light breeze
3019light breeze
3119light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min at the start of December to 11 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:00 AM to 6:15 AM, and sunset from 5:23 PM to 5:35 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:005:23
211.46:015:23
311.46:015:23
411.46:025:23
511.46:025:24
611.46:035:24
711.36:035:24
811.36:045:25
911.36:045:25
1011.36:055:25
1111.36:055:26
1211.36:065:26
1311.36:065:26
1411.36:075:27
1511.36:075:27
1611.36:085:28
1711.36:085:28
1811.36:095:28
1911.36:095:29
2011.36:105:29
2111.36:105:30
2211.36:115:30
2311.36:115:31
2411.36:125:31
2511.36:125:32
2611.36:135:32
2711.36:135:33
2811.36:145:33
2911.36:145:34
3011.36:145:34
3111.36:155:35

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 4.79 kWh/m² to a high of 6.23 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 4.85 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.7Bright
24.7Bright
34.8Bright
44.8Bright
54.8Bright
64.8Bright
74.8Bright
84.8Bright
94.8Bright
104.8Bright
114.8Bright
124.8Bright
134.8Bright
144.8Bright
154.8Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.9Bright
194.9Bright
204.9Bright
214.9Bright
224.9Bright
234.9Bright
244.9Bright
254.9Bright
265.0Bright
275.0Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Riohacha

In seasonPeak

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

Riohacha sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

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

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

Is December a good time to visit Riohacha?

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

5.0
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
6.9
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Riohacha in December

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

In December, Riohacha sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Riohacha in December

The nearest coast averages about 27°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 September at about 29°C and coldest in February near 25°C.

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

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan25Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar25Warm
Apr26Warm
May27Warm
Jun28Warm
Jul27Warm
Aug28Warm
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec27Warm

UV index in Riohacha 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 Riohacha peaks around April 13 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 highApr 13UV 13Dec 13UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Riohacha 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 Riohacha is worst in June — around 30 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (January, 11 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJun 1530 µg/m³Jan 1011 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar22Moderate
Apr25Moderate
May28Moderate
Jun30Moderate
Jul27Moderate
Aug28Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov13Moderate
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Riohacha?

Riohacha sits at 11.5°N, 72.9°W, 7 m above sea level, in Colombia. The nearest listed city is Albania, 55 km away.

VillanuevaValledupar

Topography around Riohacha

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Riohacha has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 25 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 46 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,978 m.

The land around Riohacha is covered by artificial surfaces (39%) and water (31%) within 3 km, water (43%) and shrubs (34%) within 16 km, and water (36%), trees (32%) and shrubs (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
25 m
16 km
46 m
80 km
3,978 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
December weather nearby: Albania 55 km · Hatonuevo 55 km · Barrancas 66 km · Fonseca 73 km · Maicao 75 km · San Juan del Cesar 87 km · Villanueva 104 km · Valledupar 126 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 Riohacha (11.5444°, -72.9072°, elevation 7 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).