Las Terrenas in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Las Terrenas sees average daytime highs around 28°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 144 mm of rain over about 40 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 28°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels muggy.
Winter is Las Terrenas's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. Las Terrenas has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Las Terrenas's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 28°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 22°C
- Rainfall
- 144 mm
- 40 wet days
- Avg wind
- 11 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.8
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Las Terrenas in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 28°C.
A typical winter day in Las Terrenas reaches about 28°C and drops to 22°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Las Terrenas
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Las Terrenas weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28° / 22° | 45 | 13.1 | 11 | 6.2 |
| Feb | 28° / 22° | 41 | 11.5 | 11.3 | 5.9 |
| Mar | 29° / 22° | 56 | 12.7 | 11.9 | 5.4 |
| Apr | 30° / 23° | 70 | 14.8 | 12.4 | 4.8 |
| May | 30° / 24° | 116 | 18.3 | 12.9 | 3.9 |
| Jun | 31° / 25° | 82 | 15.7 | 13.1 | 3.8 |
| Jul | 31° / 25° | 76 | 17 | 13 | 3.8 |
| Aug | 31° / 25° | 87 | 18.9 | 12.7 | 3.5 |
| Sep | 31° / 25° | 105 | 19.5 | 12.1 | 3.3 |
| Oct | 31° / 25° | 110 | 21.1 | 11.6 | 3.5 |
| Nov | 29° / 24° | 100 | 18.5 | 11.1 | 4.4 |
| Dec | 28° / 23° | 57 | 15.5 | 10.9 | 5.4 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Las Terrenas gets around 144 mm of rain over 40 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 11 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 54 min in early December to 11 h 36 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 4.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Las Terrenas
None of Las Terrenas's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Las Terrenas sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
Is winter a good time to visit Las Terrenas?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a reasonable time to visit Las Terrenas for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Las Terrenas in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Las Terrenas sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 40 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Las Terrenas in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 27°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in September at about 29°C and coldest in February near 26°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) | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26 | Warm |
| Feb | 26 | Warm |
| Mar | 26 | Warm |
| Apr | 26 | Warm |
| May | 27 | Warm |
| Jun | 28 | Warm |
| Jul | 28 | Warm |
| Aug | 28 | Tropical |
| Sep | 29 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 28 | Tropical |
| Dec | 27 | Warm |
UV index in Las Terrenas in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Las Terrenas peaks around August 15 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 7 (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) | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Level | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Very high |
| Feb | 10 | Very high |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 10 | Very high |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 7 | High |
Air quality in Las Terrenas in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Las Terrenas is worst in June — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.1× the cleanest month (December, 9 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) | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 18 | 26 | 26 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 11 | 9 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Good |
| Feb | 10 | Good |
| Mar | 11 | Good |
| Apr | 12 | Good |
| May | 18 | Moderate |
| Jun | 26 | Moderate |
| Jul | 26 | Moderate |
| Aug | 21 | Moderate |
| Sep | 18 | Moderate |
| Oct | 18 | Moderate |
| Nov | 11 | Good |
| Dec | 9 | Good |
Where is Las Terrenas?
Las Terrenas sits at 19.3°N, 69.5°W, 0 m above sea level, in Dominican Republic. The nearest listed city is Santa Barbara De Samana, 25 km away.
Topography around Las Terrenas
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Las Terrenas.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Las Terrenas has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 283 m around an average of 43 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 521 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 971 m.
The land around Las Terrenas is covered by trees (55%) and water (26%) within 3 km, water (60%) and trees (32%) within 16 km, and water (43%) and trees (36%) within 80 km.
Dominican Republic travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type A / B / C
- 120 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 39% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $11,059
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.1 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 45%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 10.9
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 64.6
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Moderate
- EF EPI 503
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 Las Terrenas (19.311°, -69.5428°, elevation 0 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.