Turrialba weather in December

In December, Turrialba sees average daytime highs of 21°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 308 mm of rain across 22.4 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 6th-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 12% 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 Turrialba's 4th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Turrialba's year-round climate.

Daytime high
21°
10th warmest
Overnight low
15°
4th coldest
Rainfall
308 mm
22.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
5:48 AM – 5:14 PM
Cloud cover
71%
4th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
4.11 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.5
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 Turrialba reaches about 21°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 23°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C cooler than 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
232114
242114
252114
262114
272114
282114
292114
302114
312114

Turrialba weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan20° / 14°22819.911.55.0
Feb21° / 14°15417.811.75.0
Mar21° / 14°15121.911.94.7
Apr22° / 15°16024.212.24.2
May23° / 17°38929.812.43.6
Jun23° / 17°34029.412.63.5
Jul23° / 17°27729.412.53.6
Aug23° / 16°28629.612.33.6
Sep23° / 16°35429.512.13.5
Oct23° / 16°46130.311.83.5
Nov22° / 16°42727.811.53.7
Dec21° / 15°30822.411.44.5

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 69%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12377
22377
32476
42476
52476
62476
72575
82575
92773
102773
112872
122872
132971
142971
153268
163268
173367
183466
193565
203565
213763
223763
233763
243862
253862
263862
273862
283961
293862
303862
313862

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Turrialba gets around 308 mm of rain over 22.4 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 74% and peaks near 83% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
183
282
381
481
580
679
778
877
976
1076
1175
1275
1374
1474
1573
1673
1772
1871
1971
2070
2169
2269
2369
2469
2569
2670
2770
2870
2970
3070
3170

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 49% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
113267
213465
313564
413762
513861
613960
714158
814257
914356
1024454
1124553
1224652
1324751
1424850
1524949
1625048
1725147
1825246
1925345
2025444
2125543
2225642
2325741
2425840
2525939
2625939
2726038
2826038
2926137
3026236
3126335

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 6 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
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

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 5:41 AM to 5:55 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)
111.55:415:08
211.55:415:09
311.55:425:09
411.55:425:09
511.45:435:10
611.45:435:10
711.45:445:10
811.45:445:11
911.45:455:11
1011.45:455:11
1111.45:465:12
1211.45:465:12
1311.45:475:12
1411.45:475:13
1511.45:485:13
1611.45:485:14
1711.45:495:14
1811.45:495:15
1911.45:505:15
2011.45:505:15
2111.45:515:16
2211.45:515:16
2311.45:525:17
2411.45:525:17
2511.45:525:18
2611.45:535:18
2711.45:535:19
2811.45:545:19
2911.45:545:20
3011.45:555:20
3111.45:555:21

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.11 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.59 kWh/m² to a high of 5.71 kWh/m² in March across the year — December's 4.11 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
93.9Moderate
104.0Moderate
114.0Moderate
124.0Bright
134.0Bright
144.0Bright
154.1Bright
164.1Bright
174.1Bright
184.1Bright
194.2Bright
204.2Bright
214.2Bright
224.2Bright
234.2Bright
244.3Bright
254.3Bright
264.3Bright
274.3Bright
284.3Bright
294.4Bright
304.4Bright
314.4Bright
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Turrialba?

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

4.5
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
2.7
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Turrialba for sightseeing.

What to pack for Turrialba in December

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

In December, Turrialba sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 15°C. Pack rain gear. About 22 days see rain.

rain gear

Sea temperature near Turrialba 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 62 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 Turrialba 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 Turrialba peaks around March 20 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 20UV 14Dec 15UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec10Extreme

Air quality in Turrialba 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 Turrialba 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 Turrialba?

Turrialba sits at 9.9°N, 83.7°W, 674 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is Paraíso, 21 km away.

ParaísoCartagoSiquirresSan DiegoGuápilesIpísCurridabatPurral

Topography around Turrialba

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Turrialba has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 654 m around an average of 757 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,066 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,765 m.

The land around Turrialba is covered by trees (67%) and grassland (21%) within 3 km, trees (76%) and grassland (22%) within 16 km, and trees (75%) within 80 km.

3 km
654 m
16 km
3,066 m
80 km
3,765 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Paraíso 21 km · Cartago 26 km · Siquirres 29 km · San Diego 35 km · Guápiles 37 km · Ipís 37 km · Curridabat 39 km · Purral 39 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 Turrialba (9.9037°, -83.6836°, elevation 674 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).