Sonsonate weather in December

In December, Sonsonate sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 12 mm of rain across 2.9 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 78% of the time in December, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 12 min at the start of December to 11 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Sonsonate's 3rd-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sonsonate's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
5th warmest
Overnight low
20°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
12 mm
2.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
6:19 AM – 5:31 PM
Cloud cover
25%
3rd clearest
Wind
8 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
5.36 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.9
out of 10

Sonsonate is city in El Salvador.

Density
256/km²
people per km²
Founded
1553

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 29°C through the month.

A typical December day in Sonsonate reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 20°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12920
22920
32920
42920
52920
62920
72920
82920
92920
102920
112920
122920
132920
142920
152920
162920
172920
182920
192920
202920
212920
222920
232920
242920
252920
262920
272920
282920
292920
302920
312920

How December really feels in Sonsonate

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.

Sonsonate weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 5th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 20°51.511.37.0
Feb30° / 20°51.711.56.6
Mar30° / 21°185.411.95.7
Apr30° / 22°6514.312.34.6
May29° / 22°26726.512.63.4
Jun29° / 22°32828.112.83.1
Jul29° / 22°25026.212.73.4
Aug29° / 22°29827.812.53.2
Sep28° / 22°39829.312.13.2
Oct28° / 21°33626.311.73.8
Nov29° / 21°7311.711.45.6
Dec29° / 20°122.911.26.9

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 78% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 10%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18020
28218
38218
48416
58515
68614
78713
88713
98911
108911
118911
129010
13919
14919
15919
16919
17919
18928
19928
20928
21928
22937
23937
24937
25937
26928
27928
28928
29928
30928
31928

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Sonsonate gets around 12 mm of rain over 2.9 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 10% and peaks near 18% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
118
217
316
415
514
614
713
812
912
1011
1111
1211
1310
1410
1510
169
179
188
198
207
217
227
237
246
256
266
276
286
296
306
316

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 44% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 47% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
12832509
22833508
32834507
42835506
52735506
62736505
72737495
82837494
92838494
102838484
112839483
122839473
132939473
142940463
153940462
163941452
1731042442
1831042432
1931043422
2031044412
2131145401
2231146391
2331147391
2431148381
2531148381
2631148381
2731148380
2831248370
2931248370
3031248370
3131348360

Wind in December

Winds average 8 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 12 min at the start of December to 11 h 12 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 6:11 AM to 6:26 AM, and sunset from 5:26 PM to 5:38 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.26:115:26
211.26:125:26
311.26:125:27
411.26:135:27
511.26:135:27
611.26:145:27
711.26:145:28
811.26:155:28
911.26:165:28
1011.26:165:29
1111.26:175:29
1211.26:175:29
1311.26:185:30
1411.26:185:30
1511.26:195:30
1611.26:195:31
1711.26:205:31
1811.26:205:32
1911.26:215:32
2011.26:215:33
2111.26:225:33
2211.26:225:34
2311.26:235:34
2411.26:235:35
2511.26:245:35
2611.26:245:36
2711.26:245:36
2811.26:255:37
2911.26:255:37
3011.26:265:38
3111.26:265:38

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.36 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.89 kWh/m² to a high of 6.48 kWh/m² in March across the year — December's 5.36 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.3Bright
195.3Bright
205.3Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.4Bright
245.4Bright
255.4Bright
265.4Bright
275.4Bright
285.4Bright
295.4Bright
305.4Bright
315.4Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Sonsonate

In seasonPeak

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

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

Sonsonate's monsoon runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Sonsonate?

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

6.9
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
8.8
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Sonsonate for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Sonsonate in December

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

In December, Sonsonate sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 20°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Sonsonate in December

The nearest coast averages about 29°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 August at about 30°C and coldest in January near 28°C.

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

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Sonsonate in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Sonsonate peaks around April 10 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near November 23 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highApr 10UV 13Nov 23UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Sonsonate 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 Sonsonate is worst in May — around 31 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (January, 14 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMay 1230 µg/m³Jan 1914 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan14Moderate
Feb14Moderate
Mar17Moderate
Apr28Moderate
May31Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul23Moderate
Aug21Moderate
Sep20Moderate
Oct19Moderate
Nov19Moderate
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Sonsonate?

Sonsonate sits at 13.7°N, 89.7°W, 245 m above sea level, in El Salvador. The nearest listed city is Sonzacate, 2.0 km away.

AcajutlaAhuachapanChalchuapaSanta AnaSanta TeclaLa Libertad

Topography around Sonsonate

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sonsonate has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 245 m around an average of 248 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,020 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,353 m.

The land around Sonsonate is covered by trees (48%) and artificial surfaces (27%) within 3 km, trees (66%) and grassland (25%) within 16 km, and trees (40%), water (31%) and grassland (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
245 m
16 km
2,020 m
80 km
2,353 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
December weather nearby: Sonzacate 2.0 km · Izalco 6.0 km · Acajutla 18 km · Ahuachapan 26 km · Chalchuapa 30 km · Santa Ana 35 km · Santa Tecla 48 km · La Libertad 50 km

El Salvador travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B
115 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 41% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,767
2025
Happiness
6.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
7.9
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
20.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 523
Religion
Roman Catholic 44%Protestant 40%none 16%

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 Sonsonate (13.7173°, -89.723°, elevation 245 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).