Santa Marta weather in December

In December, Santa Marta sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 22 mm of rain across 2.7 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% 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 Santa Marta's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Santa Marta's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
8th warmest
Overnight low
26°
5th coldest
Rainfall
22 mm
2.7 wet days
Daylight
11 h 18 min
6:13 AM – 5:33 PM
Cloud cover
44%
4th clearest
Wind
28 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.06 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.9
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 December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month.

A typical December day in Santa Marta reaches about 27°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 26°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12726
22726
32726
42726
52726
62726
72726
82726
92726
102726
112726
122726
132726
142726
152726
162726
172726
182726
192726
202726
212726
222726
232726
242726
252726
262726
272725
282725
292725
302725
312725

Santa Marta weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 8th-warmest and 9th-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 December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 34%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25545
35545
45644
55644
65743
75743
85842
95842
105941
116139
126139
136238
146337
156436
166535
176634
186733
196931
207030
217129
227228
237426
247426
257525
267723
277723
287822
297822
308020
318020

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Santa Marta gets around 22 mm of rain over 2.7 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 9% and peaks near 21% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
121
220
318
417
516
615
714
813
912
1012
1111
1210
139
149
158
168
177
187
196
206
215
225
235
244
254
264
273
283
293
303
313

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 94% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
11909
21918
31918
41927
51927
61936
71936
81945
91945
101945
111954
121954
131954
142944
152953
162953
172953
182953
193943
203943
213943
224933
234933
244942
254942
264942
274942
284942
294942
304951
314951

Wind in December

Winds average 28 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 23 km/h on the calmest days to 31 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
123breezy
224breezy
324breezy
425breezy
525breezy
625breezy
725breezy
826breezy
926breezy
1026breezy
1126breezy
1227breezy
1327breezy
1427breezy
1527breezy
1628breezy
1728breezy
1828breezy
1928breezy
2029breezy
2129breezy
2229windy
2329windy
2430windy
2530windy
2630windy
2730windy
2831windy
2931windy
3031windy
3131windy

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 6:05 AM to 6:19 AM, and sunset from 5:28 PM to 5:40 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:055:28
211.46:055:28
311.46:065:29
411.46:065:29
511.46:075:29
611.46:075:30
711.46:085:30
811.46:085:30
911.46:095:31
1011.46:105:31
1111.46:105:31
1211.46:115:32
1311.36:115:32
1411.36:125:32
1511.36:125:33
1611.36:135:33
1711.36:135:34
1811.36:145:34
1911.36:145:35
2011.36:155:35
2111.36:155:36
2211.36:165:36
2311.36:165:36
2411.36:165:37
2511.36:175:37
2611.36:175:38
2711.36:185:38
2811.36:185:39
2911.36:195:39
3011.36:195:40
3111.36:195:40

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.06 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 — December's 5.06 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.9Bright
24.9Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.9Bright
64.9Bright
75.0Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
135.0Bright
145.0Bright
155.0Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.1Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.3Bright
305.3Bright
315.3Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Santa Marta

In seasonPeak

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

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 December a good time to visit Santa Marta?

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

7.9
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
7.9
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

December is one of the better times to visit Santa Marta for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Santa Marta in December

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

In December, Santa Marta sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 26°C. Worth packing: light clothes, sun protection and a windbreaker.

light clothessun protectiona windbreaker

Sea temperature near Santa Marta 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 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 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 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 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 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
December 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).