Esmeraldas weather in December

In December, Esmeraldas sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 138 mm of rain across 16.2 wet days and about 11.9 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 54 min at the start of December to 11 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Esmeraldas's 1st-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Esmeraldas's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
6th warmest
Overnight low
24°
6th coldest
Rainfall
138 mm
16.2 wet days
Daylight
11 h 54 min
6:16 AM – 6:13 PM
Cloud cover
76%
1st clearest
Wind
14 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
4.18 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.4
out of 10

Esmeraldas is city in Ecuador, capital of the Esmeraldas Province.

Density
7,680/km²
people per km²
Founded
1526

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month.

A typical December day in Esmeraldas reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12723
22723
32723
42723
52723
62723
72723
82724
92724
102724
112724
122724
132724
142724
152724
162724
172724
182724
192724
202724
212724
222724
232724
242724
252724
262724
272724
282724
292724
302724
312724

Esmeraldas weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 24°25624.2124.3
Feb27° / 24°24122124.1
Mar28° / 24°20321.4124.5
Apr28° / 24°20420.3124.6
May28° / 24°14920.2124.7
Jun27° / 24°10916.412.15.1
Jul27° / 23°9816.2125.3
Aug27° / 23°7614.4125.6
Sep27° / 23°6713.3125.6
Oct27° / 23°6211.8125.8
Nov27° / 23°7610.8126.0
Dec27° / 24°13816.211.95.4

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time in December, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 77%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11981
21981
31981
42080
52080
62179
72278
82278
92278
102278
112278
122377
132377
142377
152377
162377
172377
182377
192377
202377
212377
222377
232476
242476
252476
262476
272476
282476
292476
302476
312476

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Esmeraldas gets around 138 mm of rain over 16.2 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 52% and peaks near 66% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
141
242
343
444
544
645
746
847
947
1048
1148
1248
1349
1449
1550
1650
1751
1852
1953
2054
2155
2256
2357
2458
2559
2661
2762
2863
2964
3065
3166

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the oppressive band about 78% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
132662
232653
331663
431663
530673
630673
729683
829683
928693
1027703
1126722
1225732
1324742
1423752
1522762
1620782
1719792
1817812
1915832
2014842
2113843
2211863
2310873
249874
258884
267894
277885
286895
296895
305896
315896

Wind in December

Winds average 14 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 54 min at the start of December to 11 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 0 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:10 AM to 6:23 AM, and sunset from 6:07 PM to 6:20 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.96:106:07
211.96:106:07
311.96:116:08
411.96:116:08
511.96:126:08
611.96:126:09
711.96:126:09
811.96:136:10
911.96:136:10
1011.96:146:10
1111.96:146:11
1211.96:156:11
1311.96:156:12
1411.96:166:12
1511.96:166:13
1611.96:166:13
1711.96:176:14
1811.96:176:14
1911.96:186:15
2011.96:186:15
2111.96:196:15
2211.96:196:16
2311.96:206:16
2411.96:206:17
2511.96:216:17
2611.96:216:18
2711.96:226:18
2811.96:226:19
2911.96:236:19
3011.96:236:20
3111.96:236:20

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.18 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.92 kWh/m² to a high of 4.78 kWh/m² in March across the year — December's 4.18 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.3Bright
24.3Bright
34.3Bright
44.3Bright
54.3Bright
64.3Bright
74.3Bright
84.3Bright
94.2Bright
104.2Bright
114.2Bright
124.2Bright
134.2Bright
144.2Bright
154.2Bright
164.2Bright
174.1Bright
184.1Bright
194.1Bright
204.1Bright
214.1Bright
224.1Bright
234.1Bright
244.1Bright
254.1Bright
264.1Bright
274.1Bright
284.1Bright
294.1Bright
304.0Bright
314.0Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Esmeraldas

In seasonPeak

In December, Esmeraldas sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

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

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

Is December a good time to visit Esmeraldas?

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

5.4
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
5.4
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Esmeraldas for sightseeing.

What to pack for Esmeraldas in December

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

In December, Esmeraldas sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 24°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes. About 16 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothes

Sea temperature near Esmeraldas 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 19 km away) is warmest in May at about 27°C and coldest in January near 26°C.

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

24°26°28°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr27Warm
May27Warm
Jun27Warm
Jul27Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep27Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov26Warm
Dec26Warm

UV index in Esmeraldas in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Esmeraldas peaks around March 12 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 19 at about 11 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 12UV 15Jul 19UV 11
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Esmeraldas 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 Esmeraldas is worst in March — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (July, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateMar 1618 µg/m³Jul 199 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar18Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May12Good
Jun10Good
Jul9Good
Aug10Good
Sep11Good
Oct12Moderate
Nov16Moderate
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Esmeraldas?

Esmeraldas sits at 1.0°N, 79.7°W, 18 m above sea level, in Ecuador. The nearest listed city is Rosa Zarate, 73 km away.

TumacoSanto Domingo de los ColoradosMindoAtuntaquiOtavaloPomasqui

Topography around Esmeraldas

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Esmeraldas has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 261 m around an average of 57 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 628 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 762 m.

The land around Esmeraldas is covered by trees (33%), artificial surfaces (24%) and grassland (23%) within 3 km, trees (45%) and water (44%) within 16 km, and trees (52%) and water (42%) within 80 km.

3 km
261 m
16 km
628 m
80 km
762 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: Rosa Zarate 73 km · San Lorenzo de Esmeraldas 98 km · Tumaco 133 km · Santo Domingo de los Colorados 145 km · Mindo 149 km · Atuntaqui 174 km · Otavalo 174 km · Pomasqui 175 km

Ecuador travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 43% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$7,125
2025
Happiness
6.1 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
70%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
45.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
20.1
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 466
Religion
Roman Catholic 68%Protestant 19%none 8%other 2%

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 Esmeraldas (0.9592°, -79.654°, elevation 18 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).