Cárdenas weather in December

In December, Cárdenas sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 24 mm of rain across 5 wet days and about 10.6 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-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 47% of the time in December, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 42 min at the start of December to 10 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Cárdenas's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cárdenas's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
11th warmest
Overnight low
20°
4th coldest
Rainfall
24 mm
5 wet days
Daylight
10 h 36 min
7:03 AM – 5:39 PM
Cloud cover
46%
4th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
3.66 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.7
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 Cárdenas reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 20°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 29°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)
12621
22621
32621
42621
52621
62621
72621
82621
92621
102621
112621
122621
132621
142620
152620
162620
172620
182620
192620
202620
212620
222620
232620
242620
252620
262620
272620
282620
292620
302620
312620

How December really feels in Cárdenas

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 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
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Cárdenas weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 19°305.110.77.8
Feb26° / 19°223.511.28.0
Mar27° / 20°234.711.87.7
Apr29° / 22°40612.56.5
May29° / 23°10713.713.15.1
Jun30° / 25°1441913.43.8
Jul31° / 25°9917.613.33.9
Aug31° / 25°12619.912.83.6
Sep30° / 25°14521.912.13.5
Oct29° / 24°11217.211.54.8
Nov27° / 22°457.710.97.0
Dec26° / 20°24510.67.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% 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 32%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17129
27030
37030
47129
57129
66931
76931
86931
96931
106832
116733
126832
136733
146733
156634
166634
176634
186634
196634
206634
216634
226634
236634
246634
256733
266733
276733
286733
296832
306733
316733

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Cárdenas gets around 24 mm of rain over 5 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 17% and peaks near 20% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
120
220
320
420
519
619
719
818
918
1017
1117
1217
1316
1416
1516
1615
1715
1815
1915
2015
2115
2215
2315
2415
2515
2615
2715
2815
2915
3015
3115

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 43% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 63% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
129204523
229204523
339194524
439194524
549184524
6410184424
7510174424
8510174325
9511174325
10611164224
11612164224
12612164124
13713174123
14713174123
15714174022
16714174021
17715184120
18715184119
19715184118
20715184217
21715194216
22715194316
23715194315
24715204414
25814204414
26814204513
27814204513
28814204513
29914204513
30914204512
31914204512

Wind in December

Winds average 16 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 16 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
316light breeze
416light breeze
516light breeze
616light breeze
716light breeze
816light breeze
916light breeze
1016light breeze
1116light breeze
1216light breeze
1316light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2616light breeze
2716light breeze
2816light breeze
2916light breeze
3016light breeze
3116light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 42 min at the start of December to 10 h 36 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 6:54 AM to 7:10 AM, and sunset from 5:35 PM to 5:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.76:545:35
210.76:555:35
310.76:555:35
410.76:565:36
510.76:575:36
610.66:575:36
710.66:585:36
810.66:595:36
910.66:595:37
1010.67:005:37
1110.67:005:37
1210.67:015:37
1310.67:025:38
1410.67:025:38
1510.67:035:38
1610.67:035:39
1710.67:045:39
1810.67:045:40
1910.67:055:40
2010.67:055:40
2110.67:065:41
2210.67:065:41
2310.67:075:42
2410.67:075:42
2510.67:085:43
2610.67:085:43
2710.67:085:44
2810.67:095:44
2910.67:095:45
3010.67:105:45
3110.67:105:46

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 3.66 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.66 kWh/m² to a high of 6.53 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 3.66 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.8Moderate
23.8Moderate
33.7Moderate
43.7Moderate
53.7Moderate
63.7Moderate
73.7Moderate
83.7Moderate
93.7Moderate
103.7Moderate
113.7Moderate
123.6Moderate
133.6Moderate
143.6Moderate
153.6Moderate
163.6Moderate
173.6Moderate
183.6Moderate
193.6Moderate
203.6Moderate
213.6Moderate
223.6Moderate
233.6Moderate
243.6Moderate
253.6Moderate
263.6Moderate
273.6Moderate
283.6Moderate
293.7Moderate
303.7Moderate
313.7Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Cárdenas

In seasonPeak

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

Cárdenas sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Cárdenas's rainy season runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Atlantic hurricane
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Cárdenas?

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

7.7
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
7.3
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

December is one of the better times to visit Cárdenas for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Cárdenas in December

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

In December, Cárdenas sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 20°C. Worth packing: light clothes. About 5 days see rain.

light clothes

Sea temperature near Cárdenas in December

The nearest coast averages about 26°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 13 km away) is warmest in August at about 29°C and coldest in February near 25°C.

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

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr26Warm
May27Warm
Jun28Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov27Warm
Dec26Warm

UV index in Cárdenas in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Cárdenas peaks around June 20 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highExtremeVery highHighJun 20UV 12Dec 17UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan6High
Feb8Very high
Mar10Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct9Very high
Nov6High
Dec6High

Air quality in Cárdenas 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 Cárdenas is worst in July — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.5× the cleanest month (November, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1520 µg/m³Nov 236 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar8Good
Apr10Good
May11Good
Jun18Moderate
Jul20Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Cárdenas?

Cárdenas sits at 23.0°N, 81.2°W, 9 m above sea level, in Cuba. The nearest listed city is Varadero, 14 km away.

Topography around Cárdenas

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Cárdenas has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 17 m around an average of 5 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 249 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 365 m.

The land around Cárdenas is covered by artificial surfaces (27%), grassland (25%) and water (22%) within 3 km, water (32%), trees (28%) and grassland (23%) within 16 km, and water (39%) and trees (26%) within 80 km.

3 km
17 m
16 km
249 m
80 km
365 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: Varadero 14 km · Limonar 23 km · Jovellanos 26 km · Pedro Betancourt 35 km · Perico 35 km · Matanzas 39 km · Unión de Reyes 43 km · Colón 47 km

Cuba travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B / C / L
110 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 39% of US
price level, 2011
GDP per capita
$9,605
2020
Happiness
5.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2011
Homicide rate
4.5
per 100k, 2019
Road deaths
8.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 515
Religion
Christian 59%none 23%folk religion 18%

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 Cárdenas (23.0363°, -81.206°, elevation 9 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).