Guápiles weather in December

In December, Guápiles sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 353 mm of rain across 21.4 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in December, and the air most often feels muggy.

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 Guápiles's 4th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Guápiles's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
10th warmest
Overnight low
20°
4th coldest
Rainfall
353 mm
21.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
5:49 AM – 5:13 PM
Cloud cover
63%
4th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
3.88 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 26°C through the month.

A typical December day in Guápiles reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 20°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C cooler than November and on par with January.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12620
22620
32620
42620
52620
62620
72620
82620
92620
102620
112620
122620
132620
142620
152620
162620
172619
182619
192619
202619
212619
222619
232619
242619
252619
262619
272619
282619
292619
302619
312619

Guápiles weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 19°26817.311.55.8
Feb26° / 19°16313.711.76.1
Mar27° / 19°13614.211.96.0
Apr28° / 20°11716.912.25.2
May28° / 21°33426.912.53.6
Jun28° / 21°30628.812.63.1
Jul28° / 21°28128.412.53.5
Aug28° / 21°24628.312.33.4
Sep28° / 21°27028.112.13.2
Oct28° / 21°36829.311.83.4
Nov27° / 20°42826.311.53.9
Dec26° / 20°35321.411.45.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 56%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13169
23268
33367
43367
53466
63565
73664
83763
93763
103961
113961
124060
134159
144258
154357
164456
174654
184753
194852
204951
215050
225149
235248
245347
255347
265446
275446
285545
295446
305545
315446

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Guápiles gets around 353 mm of rain over 21.4 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 70% and peaks near 79% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
179
279
378
477
576
675
775
874
973
1072
1171
1270
1370
1469
1568
1667
1767
1866
1966
2066
2165
2265
2365
2466
2566
2666
2766
2866
2966
3066
3166

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the muggy band about 77% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 90% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
146927
247026
347125
447323
557322
657520
767519
877518
977617
1087715
1187814
1297714
1397813
14107713
15107812
16117712
17117811
18127711
19127711
20137710
21137710
2213789
2313789
2413798
2513798
2613798
2713807
2813807
2913816
3013816
3113825

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 5:42 AM to 5:56 AM, and sunset from 5:08 PM to 5:21 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.45:425:08
211.45:425:09
311.45:435:09
411.45:435:09
511.45:445:09
611.45:445:10
711.45:455:10
811.45:455:10
911.45:465:11
1011.45:465:11
1111.45:475:11
1211.45:475:12
1311.45:485:12
1411.45:485:13
1511.45:495:13
1611.45:495:13
1711.45:505:14
1811.45:505:14
1911.45:515:15
2011.45:515:15
2111.45:525:16
2211.45:525:16
2311.45:535:17
2411.45:535:17
2511.45:535:18
2611.45:545:18
2711.45:545:19
2811.45:555:19
2911.45:555:20
3011.45:565:20
3111.45:565:21

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 3.88 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.5 kWh/m² to a high of 5.54 kWh/m² in March across the year — December's 3.88 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.6Moderate
23.6Moderate
33.6Moderate
43.6Moderate
53.7Moderate
63.7Moderate
73.7Moderate
83.7Moderate
93.7Moderate
103.8Moderate
113.8Moderate
123.8Moderate
133.8Moderate
143.8Moderate
153.9Moderate
163.9Moderate
173.9Moderate
183.9Moderate
193.9Moderate
203.9Moderate
214.0Moderate
224.0Moderate
234.0Bright
244.0Bright
254.0Bright
264.0Bright
274.1Bright
284.1Bright
294.1Bright
304.1Bright
314.1Bright
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Guápiles?

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

5.0
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
4.7
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Guápiles for sightseeing.

What to pack for Guápiles in December

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

In December, Guápiles sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 20°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes. About 21 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothes

Sea temperature near Guápiles 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 48 km away) is warmest in September at about 29°C and coldest in January 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
Jan27Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar28Warm
Apr28Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Guápiles 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 Guápiles peaks around March 20 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 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 highMar 20UV 13Dec 16UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Guápiles 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 Guápiles is worst in July — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (January, 10 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1423 µg/m³Jan 1210 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb11Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr22Moderate
May23Moderate
Jun22Moderate
Jul23Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep18Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov12Moderate
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Guápiles?

Guápiles sits at 10.2°N, 83.8°W, 254 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is Siquirres, 33 km away.

SiquirresTurrialbaIpísPurralSan Vicente de MoraviaSan VicenteCartagoSan Pablo

Topography around Guápiles

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Guápiles has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 190 m around an average of 253 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,700 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,471 m.

The land around Guápiles is covered by trees (48%) and grassland (34%) within 3 km, trees (70%) and grassland (26%) within 16 km, and trees (70%) within 80 km.

3 km
190 m
16 km
1,700 m
80 km
3,471 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Siquirres 33 km · Turrialba 37 km · Ipís 38 km · Purral 40 km · San Vicente de Moravia 41 km · San Vicente 41 km · Cartago 42 km · San Pablo 42 km

Costa Rica travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 59% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$19,970
2025
Happiness
7.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
81%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
17.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
14.8
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 516
Religion
Roman Catholic 48%none 27%Evangelical and Pentecostal 20%other 3%

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 Guápiles (10.2168°, -83.7848°, elevation 254 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).