Climate and average weather in Santa Cruz del Sur
In Santa Cruz del Sur, the weather is muggy, hot, wet, and partly cloudy and remarkably steady, with daytime highs holding near hot levels all year. The wettest stretch peaks around September.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in Santa Cruz del Sur typically varies from 22°C to 31°C, and is rarely below 20°C or above 32°C. August is the hottest month of the year, while January is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best times of year to visit Santa Cruz del Sur for warm-weather activities are from early January to mid April and late November to late December.
- Hottest
- Aug
- 31°
- Coldest
- Jan
- 22°
- Wettest
- Sep
- 120 mm
- Driest
- Jan
- 10 mm
- Rain / yr
- 715 mm
- 114 wet days
- Daylight
- 10.7–13.3 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- 2 m
- 20.7°N
- Clearest
- Feb
- 23% cloud
Santa Cruz del Sur is town in Camagüey Province, Cuba.
- Density
- 31/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1871
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Santa Cruz del Sur weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around early January to mid April.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in Santa Cruz del Sur, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
Temperatures in Santa Cruz del Sur stay fairly even through the year, without a distinct hot or cool season. The warmest month is August, with an average high of 31°C and low of 27°C; the coolest is January, with an average low of 22°C and high of 27°C.
Days typically run about 4°C warmer than nights year-round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 27 |
| Avg low (°C) | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 23 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | 22 |
| Feb | 27 | 22 |
| Mar | 28 | 23 |
| Apr | 29 | 24 |
| May | 29 | 25 |
| Jun | 30 | 26 |
| Jul | 31 | 27 |
| Aug | 31 | 27 |
| Sep | 30 | 26 |
| Oct | 30 | 26 |
| Nov | 28 | 24 |
| Dec | 27 | 23 |
How hot and cold Santa Cruz del Sur really feels
The felt-temperature range through the year — heat index on the day's high (summer humidity), wind chill on the night's low (winter wind). The dashed lines are the plain thermometer; the gap is how much hotter or colder it really feels.
On the hottest afternoons, once humidity is folded in, Santa Cruz del Sur feels like about 37°C (around August 16). About 180 days a year carry some heat stress, peaking in August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels-like high (°C) | 27 | 28 | 29 | 31 | 33 | 35 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 34 | 31 | 29 |
| Air high (°C) | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 27 |
| Feels-like low (°C) | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 23 |
| Air low (°C) | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 23 |
| Feels-like high (°C) | Air high (°C) | Feels-like low (°C) | Air low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | 27 | 22 | 22 |
| Feb | 28 | 27 | 22 | 22 |
| Mar | 29 | 28 | 23 | 23 |
| Apr | 31 | 29 | 24 | 24 |
| May | 33 | 29 | 25 | 25 |
| Jun | 35 | 30 | 26 | 26 |
| Jul | 36 | 31 | 27 | 27 |
| Aug | 36 | 31 | 27 | 27 |
| Sep | 36 | 30 | 26 | 26 |
| Oct | 34 | 30 | 26 | 26 |
| Nov | 31 | 28 | 24 | 24 |
| Dec | 29 | 27 | 23 | 23 |
Average hourly temperature in Santa Cruz del Sur
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on August afternoons, near 31°C, and coldest before dawn in January, near 22°C.
Santa Cruz del Sur weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27° / 22° | 10 | 1.8 | 10.9 | 8.4 |
| Feb | 27° / 22° | 15 | 2.1 | 11.3 | 8.3 |
| Mar | 28° / 23° | 14 | 3.1 | 11.9 | 7.9 |
| Apr | 29° / 24° | 28 | 5.2 | 12.5 | 6.7 |
| May | 29° / 25° | 118 | 13.6 | 13 | 5.0 |
| Jun | 30° / 26° | 84 | 15 | 13.2 | 4.2 |
| Jul | 31° / 27° | 63 | 13.9 | 13.1 | 4.1 |
| Aug | 31° / 27° | 84 | 16.5 | 12.7 | 3.9 |
| Sep | 30° / 26° | 120 | 19.6 | 12.1 | 3.7 |
| Oct | 30° / 26° | 119 | 15.8 | 11.5 | 4.6 |
| Nov | 28° / 24° | 41 | 5.6 | 11 | 6.7 |
| Dec | 27° / 23° | 19 | 2.2 | 10.8 | 8.1 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
Santa Cruz del Sur gets about 715 mm of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is often wet, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 5.8 months, from around May 7 to Oct 31, peaking in September at about 68% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around Jan 27.
September is the wettest month by volume, with 120 mm over about 20 wet days; January is the driest, with 10 mm.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 6 | 7 | 10 | 18 | 43 | 50 | 45 | 53 | 64 | 51 | 19 | 8 |
| Rain days | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 16 | 6 | 2 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | 2 |
| Feb | 7 | 2 |
| Mar | 10 | 3 |
| Apr | 18 | 5 |
| May | 43 | 14 |
| Jun | 50 | 15 |
| Jul | 45 | 14 |
| Aug | 53 | 17 |
| Sep | 64 | 20 |
| Oct | 51 | 16 |
| Nov | 19 | 6 |
| Dec | 8 | 2 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, Santa Cruz del Sur collects about 715 mm of rain across 114 wet days — roughly 60 mm in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. September is the wettest month with 120 mm, while January is the driest at just 10 mm. The three wettest months alone bring about 50% of the year’s total.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (mm) | 10 | 15 | 14 | 28 | 118 | 84 | 63 | 84 | 120 | 119 | 41 | 19 |
| Rain days | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 16 | 6 | 2 |
| Rainfall (mm) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | 2 |
| Feb | 15 | 2 |
| Mar | 14 | 3 |
| Apr | 28 | 5 |
| May | 118 | 14 |
| Jun | 84 | 15 |
| Jul | 63 | 14 |
| Aug | 84 | 17 |
| Sep | 120 | 20 |
| Oct | 119 | 16 |
| Nov | 41 | 6 |
| Dec | 19 | 2 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In Santa Cruz del Sur, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year begins around November 9 and lasts for 6.1 months, ending around May 12. The clearest month is February, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 92% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around May 13 and lasts for 5.9 months, ending around November 8. The cloudiest month is June, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 54% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 86 | 92 | 91 | 87 | 64 | 46 | 59 | 57 | 50 | 55 | 74 | 83 |
| Cloudier (%) | 14 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 36 | 54 | 41 | 43 | 50 | 45 | 26 | 17 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 86 | 14 |
| Feb | 92 | 8 |
| Mar | 91 | 9 |
| Apr | 87 | 13 |
| May | 64 | 36 |
| Jun | 46 | 54 |
| Jul | 59 | 41 |
| Aug | 57 | 43 |
| Sep | 50 | 50 |
| Oct | 55 | 45 |
| Nov | 74 | 26 |
| Dec | 83 | 17 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. The longest day, around June 17, brings about 13 h 18 min of light; the shortest, around December 16, only 10 h 42 min — a swing of roughly 2 h 36 min.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.9 | 11.3 | 11.9 | 12.5 | 13.0 | 13.2 | 13.1 | 12.7 | 12.1 | 11.5 | 11.0 | 10.8 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:55 | 6:48 | 6:26 | 5:58 | 5:39 | 5:35 | 5:43 | 5:55 | 6:03 | 6:12 | 6:27 | 6:46 |
| Sunset (PM) | 5:47 | 6:05 | 6:17 | 6:26 | 6:38 | 6:50 | 6:52 | 6:37 | 6:10 | 5:42 | 5:27 | 5:31 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10.9 | 6:55 | 5:47 |
| Feb | 11.3 | 6:48 | 6:05 |
| Mar | 11.9 | 6:26 | 6:17 |
| Apr | 12.5 | 5:58 | 6:26 |
| May | 13.0 | 5:39 | 6:38 |
| Jun | 13.2 | 5:35 | 6:50 |
| Jul | 13.1 | 5:43 | 6:52 |
| Aug | 12.7 | 5:55 | 6:37 |
| Sep | 12.1 | 6:03 | 6:10 |
| Oct | 11.5 | 6:12 | 5:42 |
| Nov | 11.0 | 6:27 | 5:27 |
| Dec | 10.8 | 6:46 | 5:31 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
Santa Cruz del Sur averages about 17 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 7 and 25 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 6.1 months, from around Nov 7 to May 11. The sunniest month is February, with roughly 25 sunny days (brilliant).
The greyest month is June, down near 9 sunny days — about 64% fewer than the February peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 23 | 23 | 25 | 22 | 15 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 18 | 22 |
| Sky | Bright | Brilliant | Brilliant | Bright | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Bright | Bright |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23 | Bright |
| Feb | 23 | Brilliant |
| Mar | 25 | Brilliant |
| Apr | 22 | Bright |
| May | 15 | Mixed |
| Jun | 9 | Mixed |
| Jul | 13 | Mixed |
| Aug | 12 | Mixed |
| Sep | 9 | Mixed |
| Oct | 12 | Mixed |
| Nov | 18 | Bright |
| Dec | 22 | Bright |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
Santa Cruz del Sur is humid all year round — on a typical day the air feels at least humid, and there is no real dry season to wait for.
The stickiest month is May, when it feels muggy, oppressive or miserable about 97% of the time. Even in February, the mildest month, the air is dry or comfortable only 11% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Comfortable (%) | 8 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Humid (%) | 16 | 18 | 20 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 12 |
| Muggy (%) | 55 | 58 | 52 | 45 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 26 | 41 |
| Oppressive (%) | 19 | 13 | 21 | 41 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 62 | 59 | 70 | 62 | 42 |
| Miserable (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 23 | 24 | 38 | 41 | 23 | 3 | 0 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | Miserable (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | 8 | 16 | 55 | 19 | 0 |
| Feb | 2 | 10 | 18 | 58 | 13 | 0 |
| Mar | 1 | 6 | 20 | 52 | 21 | 0 |
| Apr | 0 | 2 | 11 | 45 | 41 | 0 |
| May | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 76 | 4 |
| Jun | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 23 |
| Jul | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 24 |
| Aug | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 38 |
| Sep | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 41 |
| Oct | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 70 | 23 |
| Nov | 0 | 1 | 8 | 26 | 62 | 3 |
| Dec | 1 | 4 | 12 | 41 | 42 | 0 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.
Across the year, average wind speed in Santa Cruz del Sur is typically light breeze, near 16 km/h, and varies moderately with the seasons.
The windier part of the year lasts 6.1 months, from around Oct 21 to Apr 24. The windiest month is November, averaging about 19 km/h (light breeze).
The calmer part of the year runs from around Apr 25 to Oct 20, with September the calmest month at about 13 km/h.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 18 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 19 |
| Feels | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18 | light breeze |
| Feb | 18 | light breeze |
| Mar | 18 | light breeze |
| Apr | 16 | light breeze |
| May | 15 | light breeze |
| Jun | 14 | light breeze |
| Jul | 15 | light breeze |
| Aug | 14 | light breeze |
| Sep | 13 | light breeze |
| Oct | 16 | light breeze |
| Nov | 19 | light breeze |
| Dec | 19 | light breeze |
Hazard calendar for Santa Cruz del Sur
When the seasonal hazards worth planning around — the rainy season, tropical-cyclone risk and dust haze — are active through the year.
Santa Cruz del Sur sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
Santa Cruz del Sur's rainy season runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.
Best time to visit Santa Cruz del Sur
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Santa Cruz del Sur throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around early April, Santa Cruz del Sur is still near the tail of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds already thinning.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 18°C and 28°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Santa Cruz del Sur for general outdoor tourist activities is from late November to mid April, with a peak score in the last week of January.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 8.4 | 8.3 | 7.9 | 6.6 | 5.1 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 6.7 | 8.1 |
| Rating | ideal | ideal | ideal | good | fair | fair | fair | fair | fair | fair | good | ideal |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8.4 | ideal |
| Feb | 8.3 | ideal |
| Mar | 7.9 | ideal |
| Apr | 6.6 | good |
| May | 5.1 | fair |
| Jun | 4.2 | fair |
| Jul | 4.1 | fair |
| Aug | 3.9 | fair |
| Sep | 3.8 | fair |
| Oct | 4.6 | fair |
| Nov | 6.7 | good |
| Dec | 8.1 | ideal |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 24°C and 34°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Santa Cruz del Sur for hot-weather activities is from late October to mid May, with a peak score in the last week of March.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for Santa Cruz del Sur, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
Santa Cruz del Sur packs about the same all year — highs hold near 31°C. Across the year the things worth having are light clothes, rain gear and sun protection.
In August, Santa Cruz del Sur sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 17 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Santa Cruz del Sur
Average ocean temperature at the nearest coast, month by month, banded into swim-comfort zones — the other half of the beach question.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 16 km away) is warmest in August at about 30°C and coldest in January near 25°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 25 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 26 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25 | Warm |
| Feb | 26 | Warm |
| Mar | 26 | Warm |
| Apr | 27 | Warm |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 30 | Tropical |
| Jul | 30 | Tropical |
| Aug | 30 | Tropical |
| Sep | 30 | Tropical |
| Oct | 30 | Tropical |
| Nov | 28 | Warm |
| Dec | 26 | Warm |
UV index (midday) in Santa Cruz del Sur by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Santa Cruz del Sur peaks around May 19 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 14 at about 6 (high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 7 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Level | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Very high |
| Feb | 9 | Very high |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 11 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 10 | Very high |
| Nov | 7 | High |
| Dec | 6 | High |
Average hourly UV index in Santa Cruz del Sur
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in May the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 8 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 6 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 6 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8 | 7.5 | 7 | 6 | 5.5 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 3 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6 | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 5.5 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | 3 |
| Feb | 7 | 4.5 |
| Mar | 7.5 | 5.5 |
| Apr | 8 | 6 |
| May | 8 | 6 |
| Jun | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Jul | 8.5 | 6 |
| Aug | 8 | 6 |
| Sep | 7.5 | 5.5 |
| Oct | 7 | 5 |
| Nov | 6 | 3 |
| Dec | 5.5 | 2 |
Air quality in Santa Cruz del Sur by month
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see which months the air is worst, not just the yearly average.
Air quality in Santa Cruz del Sur is worst in June — around 24 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.2× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 7 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 24 | 22 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Good |
| Feb | 8 | Good |
| Mar | 11 | Good |
| Apr | 12 | Moderate |
| May | 13 | Moderate |
| Jun | 24 | Moderate |
| Jul | 22 | Moderate |
| Aug | 18 | Moderate |
| Sep | 14 | Moderate |
| Oct | 10 | Good |
| Nov | 6 | Good |
| Dec | 6 | Good |
Growing season
Santa Cruz del Sur is frost-free year round — even the coldest nights rarely reach freezing, so there is no start or end to the growing season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Frost nights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 |
| May | 100 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 100 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 10°C: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. Santa Cruz del Sur banks about 6,113 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | 447 | 409 | 471 | 490 | 533 | 545 | 583 | 584 | 550 | 542 | 488 | 471 |
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 447 |
| Feb | 409 |
| Mar | 471 |
| Apr | 490 |
| May | 533 |
| Jun | 545 |
| Jul | 583 |
| Aug | 584 |
| Sep | 550 |
| Oct | 542 |
| Nov | 488 |
| Dec | 471 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.
Santa Cruz del Sur receives about 5.9 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — bright — with a clear seasonal swing between 4.4 and 7.1 kWh/m².
The brighter stretch of the year lasts 6.7 months, from around Mar 1 to Sep 19. The brightest month is July, averaging about 7.1 kWh/m² (intense).
The dimmest month is December, down near 4.4 kWh/m² — roughly 38% less than the July peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 4.7 | 5.5 | 6.3 | 7.0 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 6.1 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 4.4 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Bright | Bright | Bright |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.7 | Bright |
| Feb | 5.5 | Bright |
| Mar | 6.3 | Intense |
| Apr | 7.0 | Intense |
| May | 6.8 | Intense |
| Jun | 6.8 | Intense |
| Jul | 7.1 | Intense |
| Aug | 6.8 | Intense |
| Sep | 6.1 | Intense |
| Oct | 5.2 | Bright |
| Nov | 4.6 | Bright |
| Dec | 4.4 | Bright |
Where is Santa Cruz del Sur?
Santa Cruz del Sur sits at 20.7°N, 78.0°W, 2 m above sea level, in Cuba. The nearest listed city is Amancio, 45 km away.
Topography around Santa Cruz del Sur
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Santa Cruz del Sur.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Santa Cruz del Sur has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 13 m around an average of 3 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 37 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 315 m.
The land around Santa Cruz del Sur is covered by grassland (29%) and water (28%) within 3 km, water (51%) and trees (23%) within 16 km, and water (57%) and trees (25%) within 80 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
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 Santa Cruz del Sur (20.7155°, -77.9955°, elevation 2 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).