Manuel Antonio weather in December

In December, Manuel Antonio sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 491 mm of rain across 29.7 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-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 10% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of December to 11 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Manuel Antonio's 4th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Manuel Antonio's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
10th warmest
Overnight low
23°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
491 mm
29.7 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
5:49 AM – 5:16 PM
Cloud cover
68%
4th clearest
Wind
4 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
4.51 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.7
out of 10

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 Manuel Antonio reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°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)
12623
22623
32623
42623
52623
62623
72623
82623
92623
102623
112623
122623
132723
142723
152723
162723
172723
182723
192723
202723
212723
222723
232723
242723
252723
262723
272723
282723
292723
302723
312723

Manuel Antonio weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 23°21626.411.54.3
Feb27° / 23°12521.111.74.8
Mar28° / 24°13124.511.94.5
Apr27° / 24°34228.312.23.6
May27° / 24°80530.912.43.2
Jun27° / 24°81929.912.53.2
Jul27° / 23°9063112.53.2
Aug27° / 23°9583112.33.2
Sep27° / 23°80529.912.13.2
Oct26° / 23°96330.911.83.2
Nov26° / 23°8983011.63.3
Dec27° / 23°49129.711.53.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 25% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 66%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11684
21783
31882
41981
51981
62080
72080
82278
92278
102476
112575
122674
132773
143070
153268
163466
173664
183862
194060
204258
214357
224555
234753
244852
254951
265050
275149
285149
295149
305248
315248

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Manuel Antonio gets around 491 mm of rain over 29.7 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 96% and peaks near 99% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
199
299
399
499
599
699
799
899
999
1098
1198
1298
1397
1497
1597
1696
1796
1895
1995
2095
2194
2294
2393
2493
2592
2692
2792
2891
2991
3091
3191

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 98% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
11981
21981
31981
40991
50991
60991
70991
801000
901000
1001000
1101000
1201000
1301000
140991
150991
160991
170991
181981
191981
201981
211981
221981
231981
241981
251972
262962
272962
282962
292962
302971
312971

Wind in December

Winds average 4 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 4 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
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min at the start of December to 11 h 30 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 5:11 PM to 5:24 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.55:425:11
211.55:425:11
311.55:435:12
411.55:435:12
511.55:445:12
611.55:445:13
711.55:455:13
811.55:455:13
911.55:465:14
1011.55:465:14
1111.55:475:14
1211.55:475:15
1311.55:485:15
1411.55:485:16
1511.55:495:16
1611.55:495:16
1711.55:505:17
1811.55:505:17
1911.55:515:18
2011.55:515:18
2111.55:525:19
2211.55:525:19
2311.55:535:20
2411.55:535:20
2511.55:535:21
2611.55:545:21
2711.55:545:22
2811.55:555:22
2911.55:555:23
3011.55:565:23
3111.55:565:24

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.51 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.79 kWh/m² to a high of 6.26 kWh/m² in March across the year — December's 4.51 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.1Bright
24.1Bright
34.2Bright
44.2Bright
54.2Bright
64.2Bright
74.3Bright
84.3Bright
94.3Bright
104.3Bright
114.3Bright
124.4Bright
134.4Bright
144.4Bright
154.5Bright
164.5Bright
174.5Bright
184.5Bright
194.6Bright
204.6Bright
214.6Bright
224.7Bright
234.7Bright
244.7Bright
254.8Bright
264.8Bright
274.8Bright
284.8Bright
294.8Bright
304.9Bright
314.9Bright
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Manuel Antonio?

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

3.7
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
3.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Manuel Antonio.

What to pack for Manuel Antonio in December

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

In December, Manuel Antonio sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 23°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 30 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Manuel Antonio 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 offshore is warmest in March at about 30°C and coldest in November near 28°C.

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

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar30Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov28Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Manuel Antonio in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Manuel Antonio peaks around March 16 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 10 (extreme).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 16UV 15Dec 16UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May14Extreme
Jun14Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec10Extreme

Air quality in Manuel Antonio 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 Manuel Antonio is worst in May — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (January, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodMay 1718 µg/m³Jan 149 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar11Good
Apr17Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov12Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Manuel Antonio?

Manuel Antonio sits at 9.4°N, 84.2°W, 0 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is Tejar, 38 km away.

TejarSan Rafael AbajoSan IsidroAserríSan MiguelSan Rafael ArribaSan Juan de DiosPatarrá

Topography around Manuel Antonio

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Manuel Antonio has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 195 m around an average of 40 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 821 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,764 m.

The land around Manuel Antonio is covered by trees (58%) and water (36%) within 3 km, water (52%) and trees (39%) within 16 km, and trees (52%) and water (36%) within 80 km.

3 km
195 m
16 km
821 m
80 km
3,764 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
December weather nearby: Tejar 38 km · San Rafael Abajo 49 km · San Isidro 51 km · Aserrí 51 km · San Miguel 52 km · San Rafael Arriba 53 km · San Juan de Dios 53 km · Patarrá 54 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 Manuel Antonio (9.4087°, -84.1558°, elevation 0 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).