Wadi Rum weather in December

In December, Wadi Rum sees average daytime highs of 16°C and overnight lows near 5°C, with 3 mm of rain across 0.8 wet days and about 10.1 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 18°C in the first days to 15°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 73% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 12 min at the start of December to 10 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Wadi Rum's 10th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Wadi Rum's year-round climate.

Daytime high
16°
11th warmest
Overnight low
2nd coldest
Rainfall
3 mm
0.8 wet days
Daylight
10 h 06 min
6:31 AM – 4:38 PM
Cloud cover
25%
10th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
3.75 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.7
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 18°C in the first days to 15°C by the end.

A typical December day in Wadi Rum reaches about 16°C in the afternoon and slips back to 5°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 12°C and 21°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 5°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1187
2186
3186
4186
5176
6176
7176
8176
9176
10175
11175
12165
13165
14165
15165
16165
17165
18165
19165
20164
21164
22154
23154
24154
25154
26154
27154
28154
29154
30154
31154

How December really feels in Wadi Rum

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.

Wadi Rum weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan14° / 81.910.35.5
Feb16° / 61.610.96.7
Mar20° / 51.511.88.3
Apr25° / 12°30.912.79.1
May29° / 16°20.413.57.3
Jun32° / 19°0013.95.5
Jul34° / 21°0013.74.5
Aug34° / 21°00.113.14.4
Sep32° / 19°00.112.25.8
Oct27° / 15°51.311.38.3
Nov21° / 30.810.58.6
Dec16° / 30.810.16.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 73% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 16%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18416
28416
38317
48317
58317
68317
78317
88416
98416
108416
118416
128515
138515
148515
158416
168416
178416
188515
198515
208515
218416
228416
238416
248416
258317
268218
278218
288218
298119
308119
318119

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Wadi Rum gets around 3 mm of rain over 0.8 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 3% and peaks near 4% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
12
22
32
43
53
63
73
83
93
103
113
123
133
143
153
163
173
182
192
202
212
222
232
242
252
263
273
283
293
304
314

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

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 8 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
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 12 min at the start of December to 10 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 6:21 AM to 6:38 AM, and sunset from 4:35 PM to 4:45 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.26:214:35
210.26:224:35
310.26:224:35
410.26:234:35
510.26:244:35
610.26:254:35
710.26:254:36
810.26:264:36
910.26:274:36
1010.16:274:36
1110.16:284:36
1210.16:294:37
1310.16:294:37
1410.16:304:37
1510.16:314:37
1610.16:314:38
1710.16:324:38
1810.16:324:39
1910.16:334:39
2010.16:334:39
2110.16:344:40
2210.16:344:40
2310.16:354:41
2410.16:354:41
2510.16:364:42
2610.16:364:42
2710.16:364:43
2810.16:374:43
2910.16:374:44
3010.16:374:45
3110.16:384:45

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 3.75 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.75 kWh/m² to a high of 8.28 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 3.75 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.9Moderate
23.9Moderate
33.9Moderate
43.9Moderate
53.8Moderate
63.8Moderate
73.8Moderate
83.8Moderate
93.8Moderate
103.8Moderate
113.8Moderate
123.8Moderate
133.8Moderate
143.8Moderate
153.8Moderate
163.7Moderate
173.7Moderate
183.7Moderate
193.7Moderate
203.7Moderate
213.7Moderate
223.7Moderate
233.7Moderate
243.7Moderate
253.7Moderate
263.7Moderate
273.7Moderate
283.7Moderate
293.7Moderate
303.7Moderate
313.7Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Wadi Rum

In seasonPeak

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

Wadi Rum sees seasonal dust haze (May), heaviest in May.

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

Is December a good time to visit Wadi Rum?

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

6.7
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
1.0
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Wadi Rum for sightseeing.

What to pack for Wadi Rum in December

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

In December, Wadi Rum sees daytime highs around 16°C and nights near 5°C. Worth packing: a warm layer.

a warm layer

Sea temperature near Wadi Rum in December

The nearest coast averages about 23°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 58 km away) is warmest in August at about 28°C and coldest in February near 21°C.

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

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan22Refreshing
Feb21Refreshing
Mar21Refreshing
Apr22Refreshing
May24Refreshing
Jun25Warm
Jul27Warm
Aug28Warm
Sep27Warm
Oct26Warm
Nov25Warm
Dec23Refreshing

UV index in Wadi Rum in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Wadi Rum peaks around June 19 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 19UV 12Jan 10UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar8Very high
Apr8Very high
May11Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep10Extreme
Oct8Very high
Nov6High
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Wadi Rum 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 Wadi Rum is worst in May — around 33 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.7× the cleanest month (November, 19 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMay 1233 µg/m³Nov 2120 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan20Moderate
Feb22Moderate
Mar24Moderate
Apr31Moderate
May33Moderate
Jun27Moderate
Jul24Moderate
Aug25Moderate
Sep27Moderate
Oct22Moderate
Nov19Moderate
Dec20Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Wadi Rum?

Wadi Rum sits at 29.6°N, 35.4°E, 0 m above sea level, in Jordan. The nearest listed city is Aqaba, 41 km away.

AqabaḨaqlMa'anPetraAţ ŢafīlahSafi

Topography around Wadi Rum

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Wadi Rum has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 854 m around an average of 1,160 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 962 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,816 m.

The land around Wadi Rum is covered by bare terrain (96%) within 3 km, bare terrain (99%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (96%) within 80 km.

3 km
854 m
16 km
962 m
80 km
1,816 m
grasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Aqaba 41 km · Ḩaql 57 km · Ma'an 74 km · Petra 82 km · Aţ Ţafīlah 140 km · Dahab 152 km · Safi 161 km · Tabuk 173 km

Jordan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type B / C / D / F / G / J
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 42% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,348
2025
Happiness
4.5 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
89%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
17
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 426
Religion
Muslim 97%Christian 2%Buddhist 0%Hindu 0%

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 Wadi Rum (29.5846°, 35.4263°, elevation 0 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).