Santa Marta weather in August

In August, Santa Marta sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 84 mm of rain across 11.9 wet days and about 12.4 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 6th-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 7% of the time in August, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of August to 12 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is Santa Marta's 11th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Santa Marta's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
26°
11th coldest
Rainfall
84 mm
11.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 24 min
5:50 AM – 6:12 PM
Cloud cover
82%
11th clearest
Wind
18 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
5.63 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.7
out of 10

Santa Marta is capital of the Colombian department of Magdalena.

Air quality
Moderate
PM2.5 13 µg/m³ · 2018
Density
1,700/km²
people per km²
Founded
1525

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

Temperature in August

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

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

A typical August day in Santa Marta reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, August runs on par with July and on par with September.

24°26°28°30°32°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12826
22826
32826
42826
52826
62826
72826
82826
92826
102826
112826
122826
132826
142826
152826
162826
172826
182826
192826
202826
212826
222826
232826
242826
252826
262826
272826
282826
292826
302826
312826

Santa Marta weather by month

How August compares with the rest of the year at a glance. August is the 3rd-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 25°40.311.48.7
Feb26° / 25°30.611.68.7
Mar26° / 25°51.111.98.3
Apr27° / 26°333.312.27.3
May27° / 26°12910.912.55.9
Jun28° / 26°9511.112.65.8
Jul28° / 26°788.412.66.2
Aug28° / 26°8411.912.45.7
Sep28° / 26°14016.412.15.0
Oct27° / 26°19919.811.74.8
Nov27° / 26°12912.111.56.0
Dec27° / 26°222.711.47.9

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in August.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 9% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 84%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11882
21882
31882
41981
51981
61882
71882
81882
91783
101783
111684
121684
131585
141684
151684
161585
171585
181585
191585
201486
211486
221486
231486
241486
251486
261486
271486
281486
291585
301585
311585

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

Santa Marta gets around 84 mm of rain over 11.9 wet days in August. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 38% and peaks near 45% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
128
228
329
430
530
631
732
833
934
1035
1136
1237
1337
1438
1539
1640
1740
1841
1942
2042
2143
2243
2344
2444
2544
2644
2744
2844
2945
3045
3145

Humidity in August

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, August lands in the oppressive band about 57% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
16337
26238
36139
46040
55941
65842
75842
85743
95743
105644
115644
125644
135644
145644
155743
165743
175743
185743
195842
205842
215842
225842
235743
245743
255743
265644
275644
285644
295644
305644
315644

Wind in August

Winds average 18 km/h in August.

Across August, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
120breezy
220breezy
320light breeze
420light breeze
520light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1418light breeze
1518light breeze
1618light breeze
1718light breeze
1818light breeze
1917light breeze
2017light breeze
2117light breeze
2217light breeze
2317light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2616light breeze
2716light breeze
2816light breeze
2916light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in August

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of August to 12 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 5:48 AM to 5:50 AM, and sunset from 6:18 PM to 6:04 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.55:486:18
212.55:486:18
312.55:486:17
412.55:486:17
512.55:486:17
612.55:496:16
712.55:496:16
812.45:496:16
912.45:496:15
1012.45:496:15
1112.45:496:14
1212.45:496:14
1312.45:496:13
1412.45:496:13
1512.45:506:13
1612.45:506:12
1712.45:506:12
1812.45:506:11
1912.35:506:11
2012.35:506:10
2112.35:506:10
2212.35:506:09
2312.35:506:08
2412.35:506:08
2512.35:506:07
2612.35:506:07
2712.35:506:06
2812.35:506:06
2912.25:506:05
3012.25:506:04
3112.25:506:04

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 5.63 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.84 kWh/m² to a high of 6.37 kWh/m² in March across the year — August's 5.63 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.7Bright
35.7Bright
45.7Bright
55.7Bright
65.7Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.6Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.6Bright
185.6Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
295.6Bright
305.6Bright
315.6Bright
Planning a trip in August

Hazard calendar for Santa Marta

In seasonPeak

In August, Santa Marta sits inside its atlantic hurricane season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

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

Santa Marta's monsoon runs September–November, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is August a good time to visit Santa Marta?

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

5.7
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
6.1
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

August is a reasonable time to visit Santa Marta for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Santa Marta in August

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

In August, Santa Marta sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Santa Marta in August

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in August — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 17 km away) 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
Jan26Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr26Warm
May28Warm
Jun28Warm
Jul28Warm
Aug28Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec27Warm

UV index in Santa Marta in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Santa Marta peaks around April 11 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 12 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 11UV 13Dec 12UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Santa Marta in August

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where August falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Santa Marta is worst in June — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Santa Marta's WHO annual average of 13 µg/m³.

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJun 1719 µg/m³Nov 208 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb12Good
Mar15Moderate
Apr16Moderate
May17Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct10Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Santa Marta?

Santa Marta sits at 11.2°N, 74.2°W, 14 m above sea level, in Colombia. The nearest listed city is Ciénaga, 26 km away.

Topography around Santa Marta

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Santa Marta has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 299 m around an average of 36 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,745 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,612 m.

The land around Santa Marta is covered by artificial surfaces (58%) within 3 km, water (50%) and trees (38%) within 16 km, and water (48%) and trees (33%) within 80 km.

3 km
299 m
16 km
1,745 m
80 km
5,612 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
August weather nearby: Ciénaga 26 km · Puebloviejo 29 km · El Retén 70 km · Barranquilla 71 km · Soledad 72 km · Aracataca 72 km · Malambo 76 km · Sitionuevo 77 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 Santa Marta (11.2386°, -74.1943°, elevation 14 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).