Malacatán weather in December

In December, Malacatán sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 43 mm of rain across 13.6 wet days and about 11.1 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 12 min at the start of December to 11 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Malacatán's 3rd-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Malacatán's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
12th warmest
Overnight low
13°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
43 mm
13.6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 06 min
6:31 AM – 5:38 PM
Cloud cover
39%
3rd clearest
Wind
5 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
4.98 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.6
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month.

A typical December day in Malacatán reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 24°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12314
22314
32314
42313
52313
62313
72313
82313
92313
102313
112313
122313
132313
142313
152313
162313
172313
182313
192313
202313
212313
222313
232313
242313
252313
262313
272313
282313
292313
302313
312313

Malacatán weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan23° / 13°3010.311.27.3
Feb24° / 13°3010.211.57.2
Mar24° / 14°6618.411.95.9
Apr24° / 15°13024.712.34.6
May24° / 16°31830.212.73.7
Jun23° / 16°42529.512.93.5
Jul23° / 15°32530.112.83.6
Aug23° / 15°38230.612.53.6
Sep23° / 16°46229.912.13.4
Oct23° / 15°33029.811.73.7
Nov23° / 14°11022.111.35.0
Dec23° / 13°4313.611.16.6

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 27% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 17%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27921
37921
48119
58218
68218
78317
88317
98416
108416
118416
128416
138416
148416
158416
168416
178416
188416
198416
208416
218317
228317
238317
248317
258317
268416
278416
288416
298416
308416
318515

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Malacatán gets around 43 mm of rain over 13.6 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 44% and peaks near 58% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
158
257
356
455
554
653
752
851
950
1049
1148
1248
1347
1446
1545
1644
1743
1842
1941
2040
2139
2238
2338
2437
2536
2636
2736
2835
2935
3035
3134

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the comfortable band about 68% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
1156916
2166915
3167014
4177013
5187012
6187111
7197110
819729
920719
1021718
1121727
1222717
1322717
1423716
1524706
1624706
1725705
1826695
1927685
2028684
2129674
2230673
2331663
2432653
2533652
2634642
2735632
2837612
2938602
3039601
3140591

Wind in December

Winds average 5 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 5 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 12 min at the start of December to 11 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:23 AM to 6:38 AM, and sunset from 5:33 PM to 5:45 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.26:235:33
211.26:235:34
311.26:245:34
411.26:245:34
511.26:255:34
611.26:255:35
711.16:265:35
811.16:265:35
911.16:275:35
1011.16:285:36
1111.16:285:36
1211.16:295:36
1311.16:295:37
1411.16:305:37
1511.16:305:38
1611.16:315:38
1711.16:315:38
1811.16:325:39
1911.16:325:39
2011.16:335:40
2111.16:335:40
2211.16:345:41
2311.16:345:41
2411.16:355:42
2511.16:355:42
2611.16:365:43
2711.16:365:43
2811.16:365:44
2911.16:375:44
3011.16:375:45
3111.16:385:45

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.98 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.48 kWh/m² to a high of 6.09 kWh/m² in April across the year — December's 4.98 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.9Bright
24.9Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.9Bright
64.9Bright
74.9Bright
84.9Bright
94.9Bright
104.9Bright
114.9Bright
124.9Bright
134.9Bright
144.9Bright
154.9Bright
164.9Bright
174.9Bright
185.0Bright
195.0Bright
205.0Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
245.0Bright
255.0Bright
265.0Bright
275.0Bright
285.1Bright
295.1Bright
305.1Bright
315.1Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Malacatán

In seasonPeak

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

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

Malacatán'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 Malacatán?

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

6.6
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
5.0
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Malacatán for sightseeing.

What to pack for Malacatán in December

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

In December, Malacatán sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 13°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 14 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Malacatán 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 47 km away) is warmest in August at about 30°C and coldest in February 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
Jan29Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov30Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Malacatán in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks 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 Malacatán peaks around April 9 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 14 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highApr 9UV 13Dec 14UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct10Extreme
Nov8Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Malacatán 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 Malacatán is worst in May — around 40 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateMay 1039 µg/m³Feb 827 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan28Moderate
Feb27Moderate
Mar34Moderate
Apr38Poor
May40Poor
Jun29Moderate
Jul31Moderate
Aug30Moderate
Sep31Moderate
Oct29Moderate
Nov30Moderate
Dec29Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Malacatán?

Malacatán sits at 14.9°N, 92.1°W, 395 m above sea level, in Guatemala. The nearest listed city is Cacahoatán, 15 km away.

San MarcosCoatepequeSan Pedro SacatepéquezComitancilloColombaOstuncalco

Topography around Malacatán

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Malacatán has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 437 m around an average of 391 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,157 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,178 m.

The land around Malacatán is covered by trees (78%) within 3 km, trees (85%) within 16 km, and trees (59%) within 80 km.

3 km
437 m
16 km
2,157 m
80 km
4,178 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: Cacahoatán 15 km · Tapachula 22 km · San Marcos 29 km · Coatepeque 31 km · San Pedro Sacatepéquez 32 km · Comitancillo 39 km · Colomba 42 km · Ostuncalco 47 km

Guatemala travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 43% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$6,598
2025
Happiness
6.5 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
49%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
23.4
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
22.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 510
Religion
Evangelical 46%Roman Catholic 42%none 11%

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 Malacatán (14.9113°, -92.0579°, elevation 395 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).