San Juan de Dios weather in December

In December, San Juan de Dios sees average daytime highs of 21°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 170 mm of rain across 17.8 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 21°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of December to 11 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is San Juan de Dios's 4th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see San Juan de Dios's year-round climate.

Daytime high
21°
11th warmest
Overnight low
15°
4th coldest
Rainfall
170 mm
17.8 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
5:50 AM – 5:15 PM
Cloud cover
66%
4th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
4.13 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.3
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 21°C through the month.

A typical December day in San Juan de Dios reaches about 21°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 20°C and 23°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12115
22115
32115
42115
52115
62115
72115
82115
92115
102115
112115
122115
132115
142115
152115
162115
172115
182115
192115
202115
212115
222115
232115
242115
252115
262115
272115
282114
292114
302114
312114

San Juan de Dios weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan21° / 14°10413.311.56.0
Feb22° / 14°6811.911.76.2
Mar23° / 14°6513.911.96.1
Apr23° / 15°1021812.25.3
May23° / 16°35727.812.43.8
Jun23° / 16°38528.812.63.5
Jul23° / 16°29328.212.53.7
Aug23° / 16°34528.512.33.7
Sep23° / 16°39129.112.13.5
Oct22° / 16°43030.111.83.4
Nov22° / 15°31225.511.54.0
Dec21° / 15°17017.811.45.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 61%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12575
22674
32773
42872
52872
63070
73070
83169
93367
103367
113367
123664
133664
143763
153961
163961
174060
184258
194357
204357
214654
224654
234753
244753
254852
264852
274852
284951
294951
304951
314951

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

San Juan de Dios gets around 170 mm of rain over 17.8 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 58% and peaks near 72% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
172
271
369
468
567
666
765
864
963
1062
1161
1260
1359
1459
1558
1657
1756
1855
1955
2054
2153
2253
2352
2452
2552
2652
2752
2851
2951
3051
3151

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the comfortable band about 61% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
124751
234849
335048
435146
535245
635443
745442
845541
945739
1055738
1155837
1255936
1356035
1466034
1566133
1666232
1766331
1866430
1976429
2076528
2176627
2276627
2376726
2476825
2576924
2676924
2777023
2867222
2967222
3077221
3177320

Wind in December

Winds average 7 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 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 shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:42 AM to 5:57 AM, and sunset from 5:10 PM to 5:22 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.55:425:10
211.55:435:10
311.55:435:11
411.55:445:11
511.55:445:11
611.45:455:11
711.45:455:12
811.45:465:12
911.45:465:13
1011.45:475:13
1111.45:475:13
1211.45:485:14
1311.45:485:14
1411.45:495:14
1511.45:495:15
1611.45:505:15
1711.45:505:16
1811.45:515:16
1911.45:515:17
2011.45:525:17
2111.45:525:18
2211.45:535:18
2311.45:535:18
2411.45:545:19
2511.45:545:19
2611.45:545:20
2711.45:555:20
2811.45:555:21
2911.45:565:21
3011.45:565:22
3111.45:575:22

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.13 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.58 kWh/m² to a high of 5.78 kWh/m² in March across the year — December's 4.13 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.8Moderate
23.8Moderate
33.8Moderate
43.8Moderate
53.9Moderate
63.9Moderate
73.9Moderate
83.9Moderate
94.0Moderate
104.0Moderate
114.0Moderate
124.0Bright
134.0Bright
144.1Bright
154.1Bright
164.1Bright
174.1Bright
184.2Bright
194.2Bright
204.2Bright
214.2Bright
224.3Bright
234.3Bright
244.3Bright
254.3Bright
264.3Bright
274.4Bright
284.4Bright
294.4Bright
304.4Bright
314.4Bright
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit San Juan de Dios?

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

5.3
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
3.3
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit San Juan de Dios for sightseeing.

What to pack for San Juan de Dios in December

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

In December, San Juan de Dios sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 15°C. Pack rain gear. About 18 days see rain.

rain gear

Sea temperature near San Juan de Dios 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 56 km away) 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 San Juan de Dios 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 San Juan de Dios peaks around March 19 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 19UV 15Dec 16UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec10Extreme

Air quality in San Juan de Dios 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 San Juan de Dios 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 San Juan de Dios?

San Juan de Dios sits at 9.9°N, 84.1°W, 1,207 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is San Rafael Arriba, 1.0 km away.

Topography around San Juan de Dios

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of San Juan de Dios.

Within 3 km, the terrain around San Juan de Dios has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 719 m around an average of 1,263 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,853 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,764 m.

The land around San Juan de Dios is covered by artificial surfaces (48%) and trees (44%) within 3 km, trees (61%) and artificial surfaces (25%) within 16 km, and trees (67%) within 80 km.

3 km
719 m
16 km
1,853 m
80 km
3,764 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: San Rafael Arriba 1.0 km · Aserrí 2.0 km · San Miguel 3.0 km · San Felipe 4.0 km · Patarrá 5.0 km · San Jose 6.0 km · Curridabat 7.0 km · San Pedro 7.0 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 San Juan de Dios (9.8781°, -84.0844°, elevation 1,207 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).