Punta Cana in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Punta Cana sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 122 mm of rain over about 35 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 27°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 69% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is Punta Cana's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. Punta Cana 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 Punta Cana's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 27°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 23°C
- Rainfall
- 122 mm
- 35 wet days
- Avg wind
- 17 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.7
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Punta Cana in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C.
A typical winter day in Punta Cana reaches about 27°C and drops to 23°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
How winter really feels in Punta Cana
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.
Punta Cana 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 | 26° / 23° | 39 | 12 | 11 | 6.8 |
| Feb | 27° / 23° | 31 | 9.8 | 11.4 | 7.0 |
| Mar | 27° / 23° | 36 | 9.8 | 11.9 | 7.1 |
| Apr | 27° / 24° | 51 | 11.4 | 12.4 | 6.5 |
| May | 28° / 25° | 100 | 16.6 | 12.9 | 5.2 |
| Jun | 29° / 26° | 71 | 15.2 | 13.1 | 4.8 |
| Jul | 29° / 26° | 90 | 18.2 | 13 | 4.6 |
| Aug | 29° / 26° | 105 | 18.6 | 12.6 | 4.4 |
| Sep | 29° / 26° | 121 | 18.9 | 12.1 | 4.2 |
| Oct | 29° / 25° | 117 | 20.9 | 11.6 | 4.3 |
| Nov | 28° / 25° | 103 | 17.6 | 11.1 | 5.3 |
| Dec | 27° / 24° | 53 | 13.1 | 10.9 | 6.4 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 69% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Punta Cana gets around 122 mm of rain over 35 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 17 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 hours 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 4.8 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Punta Cana
None of Punta Cana's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Punta Cana sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
Punta Cana sees seasonal dust haze (July), heaviest in July.
Is winter a good time to visit Punta Cana?
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 Punta Cana for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Punta Cana in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Punta Cana sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 35 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Punta Cana 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) | 27 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Warm |
| Feb | 26 | Warm |
| Mar | 26 | Warm |
| Apr | 27 | Warm |
| May | 27 | Warm |
| Jun | 28 | Warm |
| Jul | 28 | Tropical |
| Aug | 29 | Tropical |
| Sep | 29 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 28 | Tropical |
| Dec | 27 | Warm |
UV index in Punta Cana 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 Punta Cana peaks around April 11 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 7 (very 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 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Very high |
| Feb | 10 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 10 | Very high |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 7 | High |
Air quality in Punta Cana 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 Punta Cana is worst in July — around 25 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.8× the cleanest month (December, 5 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) | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 16 | 15 | 7 | 5 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5 | Good |
| Feb | 7 | Good |
| Mar | 7 | Good |
| Apr | 8 | Good |
| May | 15 | Moderate |
| Jun | 25 | Moderate |
| Jul | 25 | Moderate |
| Aug | 21 | Moderate |
| Sep | 16 | Moderate |
| Oct | 15 | Moderate |
| Nov | 7 | Good |
| Dec | 5 | Good |
Where is Punta Cana?
Punta Cana sits at 18.6°N, 68.4°W, 28 m above sea level, in Dominican Republic. The nearest listed city is Salvaleón de Higüey, 32 km away.
Topography around Punta Cana
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Punta Cana.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Punta Cana has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 40 m around an average of 27 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 114 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 683 m.
The land around Punta Cana is covered by trees (40%), grassland (39%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 3 km, water (39%), trees (30%) and grassland (26%) within 16 km, and water (67%) 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 Punta Cana (18.5818°, -68.4043°, elevation 28 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.