Merauke weather in December

In December, Merauke sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 208 mm of rain across 25.5 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of December to 12 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Merauke's 9th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Merauke's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
25°
12th coldest
Rainfall
208 mm
25.5 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
5:20 AM – 5:49 PM
Cloud cover
82%
9th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
5.52 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.1
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month.

A typical December day in Merauke reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13125
23125
33125
43125
53025
63025
73025
83025
93025
103025
113025
123025
133025
143025
153025
163025
173025
183025
193025
203025
213025
223025
233025
243025
253025
263025
273025
283025
293025
303025
313025

How December really feels in Merauke

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 31 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
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in December is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Merauke weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 2nd-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 25°27527.812.42.9
Feb29° / 25°26025.812.32.9
Mar29° / 25°29727.312.13.0
Apr29° / 25°20622.411.83.5
May29° / 25°10618.111.64.4
Jun28° / 24°4912.311.55.5
Jul28° / 23°278.411.66.3
Aug28° / 23°277.611.76.3
Sep29° / 24°338125.5
Oct30° / 24°7011.612.24.7
Nov31° / 25°10616.212.43.9
Dec30° / 25°20825.512.53.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 83%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12476
22377
32377
42377
52179
62179
72080
81981
91981
101981
111981
121882
131882
141783
151783
161783
171783
181684
191684
201684
211684
221585
231585
241387
251387
261288
271288
281288
291189
301189
311189

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Merauke gets around 208 mm of rain over 25.5 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 81% and peaks near 87% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
168
270
372
473
575
676
777
878
979
1080
1180
1280
1381
1481
1581
1682
1782
1882
1983
2083
2183
2284
2384
2485
2585
2686
2786
2886
2986
3087
3186

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the miserable band about 72% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
123860
223761
323662
413663
513564
613465
703367
803367
903268
1003268
1103169
1203169
1303070
1403070
1502971
1602971
1702872
1802773
1902575
2002476
2102377
2202278
2302179
2402080
2501981
2601981
2701882
2801882
2901882
3001882
3101882

Wind in December

Winds average 10 km/h in December, the calmest month.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 11 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
110calm
210calm
310calm
410calm
510calm
610calm
710calm
810calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of December to 12 h 30 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 5:14 AM to 5:27 AM, and sunset from 5:42 PM to 5:56 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.55:145:42
212.55:155:42
312.55:155:43
412.55:155:43
512.55:165:44
612.55:165:44
712.55:165:45
812.55:175:45
912.55:175:46
1012.55:175:46
1112.55:185:47
1212.55:185:47
1312.55:195:48
1412.55:195:48
1512.55:195:49
1612.55:205:49
1712.55:205:50
1812.55:215:50
1912.55:215:51
2012.55:225:51
2112.55:225:52
2212.55:225:52
2312.55:235:53
2412.55:235:53
2512.55:245:54
2612.55:245:54
2712.55:255:54
2812.55:255:55
2912.55:265:55
3012.55:265:56
3112.55:275:56

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.52 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.05 kWh/m² to a high of 6.07 kWh/m² in November across the year — December's 5.52 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.7Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.7Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.6Bright
135.6Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.6Bright
185.5Bright
195.5Bright
205.5Bright
215.5Bright
225.5Bright
235.5Bright
245.5Bright
255.5Bright
265.5Bright
275.5Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.4Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Merauke

In seasonPeak

In December, Merauke sits inside its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Merauke sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Merauke's monsoon runs December–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Merauke?

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

3.1
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
4.3
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Merauke.

What to pack for Merauke in December

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

In December, Merauke sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 26 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Merauke in December

The nearest coast averages about 30°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 14 km away) is warmest in December at about 30°C and coldest in August near 26°C.

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

24°26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan30Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Warm
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep27Warm
Oct28Warm
Nov29Tropical
Dec30Tropical

UV index in Merauke in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Merauke peaks around March 11 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 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 highExtremeMar 11UV 16Jun 19UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug12Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov14Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Merauke 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 Merauke is worst in October — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (May, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateOct 1817 µg/m³May 148 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb9Good
Mar9Good
Apr8Good
May8Good
Jun8Good
Jul8Good
Aug9Good
Sep13Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec12Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Merauke?

Merauke sits at 8.5°S, 140.4°E, 8 m above sea level, in Indonesia. The nearest listed city is Daru, 315 km away.

DaruAgatsMendiWamenaTiomMuliaTimika

Topography around Merauke

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Merauke has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 13 m around an average of 4 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 28 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 52 m.

The land around Merauke is covered by trees (42%), artificial surfaces (26%) and grassland (20%) within 3 km, trees (42%) and water (41%) within 16 km, and trees (58%) and water (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
13 m
16 km
28 m
80 km
52 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: Daru 315 km · Agats 413 km · Mendi 444 km · Mount Hagen 514 km · Wamena 516 km · Tiom 553 km · Mulia 596 km · Timika 597 km

Indonesia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 29% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,060
2025
Happiness
5.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
30%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.3
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
11.3
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 471
Religion
Muslim 87%Protestant 8%Roman Catholic 3%Hindu 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 Merauke (-8.4996°, 140.4061°, elevation 8 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).