Nicoya weather in December

In December, Nicoya sees average daytime highs of 31°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 21 mm of rain across 3.6 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% 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 Nicoya's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Nicoya's year-round climate.

Daytime high
31°
6th warmest
Overnight low
22°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
21 mm
3.6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
5:56 AM – 5:20 PM
Cloud cover
40%
4th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.13 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.1
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month.

A typical December day in Nicoya reaches about 31°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 33°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and about 1°C cooler than January.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13122
23122
33122
43122
53122
63122
73122
83122
93122
103122
113122
123122
133122
143122
153122
163122
173222
183222
193222
203222
213222
223222
233222
243222
253222
263222
273222
283222
293222
303222
313222

How December really feels in Nicoya

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.

Nicoya weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 6th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan33° / 22°61.311.54.6
Feb34° / 23°71.911.73.9
Mar35° / 23°7211.93.1
Apr36° / 24°38712.22.2
May33° / 24°25120.512.52.4
Jun31° / 23°31926.212.62.6
Jul31° / 23°22622.412.53.0
Aug31° / 23°25724.412.32.8
Sep31° / 23°34728.112.12.5
Oct30° / 23°3592811.82.8
Nov30° / 22°14315.611.54.1
Dec31° / 22°213.611.45.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 28%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15644
25842
35941
46040
56139
66238
76436
86436
96535
106634
116634
126733
136832
146931
157030
167129
177228
187426
197525
207624
217723
227921
238020
248119
258119
268317
278317
288317
298317
308317
318317

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Nicoya gets around 21 mm of rain over 3.6 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 13% and peaks near 28% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
128
226
324
423
521
620
718
817
916
1015
1114
1213
1313
1412
1512
1611
1710
1810
199
209
218
228
237
247
257
266
276
286
296
306
316

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 62% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 95% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
123365
223563
323761
424058
524256
624553
724751
824948
935146
1035443
1135641
1235839
1346036
1446234
1546432
1656530
1756728
1856827
1966925
2067123
2167222
2277320
2377419
2487418
2587616
2687715
2797714
2897813
29107812
30107911
31117811

Wind in December

Winds average 12 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
110calm
210calm
310calm
410calm
510calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912light breeze
2012light breeze
2112light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

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 5:48 AM to 6:03 AM, and sunset from 5:15 PM to 5:27 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.45:485:15
211.45:495:15
311.45:495:16
411.45:505:16
511.45:505:16
611.45:515:16
711.45:515:17
811.45:525:17
911.45:525:18
1011.45:535:18
1111.45:535:18
1211.45:545:19
1311.45:545:19
1411.45:555:19
1511.45:555:20
1611.45:565:20
1711.45:565:21
1811.45:575:21
1911.45:575:22
2011.45:585:22
2111.45:585:22
2211.45:595:23
2311.45:595:23
2411.46:005:24
2511.46:005:24
2611.46:005:25
2711.46:015:25
2811.46:015:26
2911.46:025:26
3011.46:025:27
3111.46:035:27

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.13 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.24 kWh/m² to a high of 6.79 kWh/m² in March across the year — December's 5.13 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.8Bright
24.8Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.9Bright
64.9Bright
74.9Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
135.0Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.3Bright
255.3Bright
265.3Bright
275.3Bright
285.3Bright
295.3Bright
305.4Bright
315.4Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Nicoya

In seasonPeak

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

Nicoya's monsoon runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Nicoya?

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

5.1
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
7.7
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Nicoya in December

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

In December, Nicoya sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Nicoya 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 32 km away) is warmest in April at about 29°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°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov28Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Nicoya 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 Nicoya peaks around March 16 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highMar 16UV 14Dec 16UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Nicoya 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 Nicoya is worst in July — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1619 µg/m³Dec 176 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr19Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul20Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Nicoya?

Nicoya sits at 10.2°N, 85.5°W, 128 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is Tamarindo, 46 km away.

TamarindoCañasLiberiaPuntarenasMonteverdeChacaritaEsparzaLa Fortuna

Topography around Nicoya

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Nicoya has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 375 m around an average of 171 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 924 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,977 m.

The land around Nicoya is covered by trees (64%) and grassland (26%) within 3 km, trees (74%) and grassland (25%) within 16 km, and trees (41%) and water (41%) within 80 km.

3 km
375 m
16 km
924 m
80 km
1,977 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
December weather nearby: Tamarindo 46 km · Cañas 50 km · Liberia 54 km · Puntarenas 70 km · Monteverde 72 km · Chacarita 76 km · Esparza 88 km · La Fortuna 95 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 Nicoya (10.1504°, -85.4509°, elevation 128 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).