Xam Nua weather in December

In December, Xam Nua sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 11°C, with 18 mm of rain across 3.6 wet days and about 10.8 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 20°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 54 min at the start of December to 10 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Xam Nua's 3rd-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Xam Nua's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
12th warmest
Overnight low
11°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
18 mm
3.6 wet days
Daylight
10 h 48 min
6:37 AM – 5:23 PM
Cloud cover
55%
3rd clearest
Wind
5 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
3.3 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.2
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 20°C through the month.

A typical December day in Xam Nua reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 11°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 14°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 3°C cooler than November and on par with January.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12112
22112
32012
42012
52012
62012
72011
82011
92011
102011
112011
122011
132011
141911
151910
161910
171910
181910
191910
201910
211910
221910
231910
241910
251910
261910
271910
281910
291910
302010
312010

Xam Nua weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 12th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan20° / 10°244.210.97.1
Feb22° / 12°173.711.37.7
Mar25° / 14°6310.211.96.9
Apr27° / 17°11317.412.55.4
May28° / 20°20923.6134.0
Jun29° / 21°21724.513.23.5
Jul28° / 21°27626.813.13.6
Aug27° / 20°31227.412.73.7
Sep26° / 19°20021.512.14.6
Oct24° / 17°9214.611.56.1
Nov22° / 14°317117.2
Dec20° / 11°183.610.87.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 48%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24852
34753
44654
54753
64654
74654
84555
94654
104753
114753
124852
134852
145050
155248
165347
175446
185545
195743
205743
215842
225842
235842
245743
255743
265743
275743
285644
295545
305545
315446

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Xam Nua gets around 18 mm of rain over 3.6 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 12% and peaks near 16% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
116
215
315
415
514
614
714
813
913
1013
1112
1212
1311
1411
1510
1610
1710
1810
1910
2010
2110
2210
2310
2410
2510
2611
2711
2812
2912
3013
3113

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 62% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
14237191
24437181
34537171
44736161
54935151
65035141
75334121
85533111
95732101
10593191
11603181
12623071
13632971
14642961
15652861
16672751
17672751
18672751
19692641
20702640
21702640
22712630
23712630
24712630
25712630
26712630
27712720
28712720
29702730
30702730
31702730

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 10 h 54 min at the start of December to 10 h 48 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 6:28 AM to 6:44 AM, and sunset from 5:19 PM to 5:30 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.96:285:19
210.86:295:19
310.86:295:19
410.86:305:20
510.86:315:20
610.86:315:20
710.86:325:20
810.86:325:20
910.86:335:21
1010.86:345:21
1110.86:345:21
1210.86:355:22
1310.86:355:22
1410.86:365:22
1510.86:365:23
1610.86:375:23
1710.86:375:23
1810.86:385:24
1910.86:385:24
2010.86:395:25
2110.86:395:25
2210.86:405:26
2310.86:405:26
2410.86:415:27
2510.86:415:27
2610.86:425:28
2710.86:425:28
2810.86:435:29
2910.86:435:29
3010.86:435:30
3110.86:445:30

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 3.3 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.3 kWh/m² to a high of 5.34 kWh/m² in April across the year — December's 3.3 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.2Moderate
23.2Moderate
33.2Moderate
43.2Moderate
53.2Moderate
63.2Moderate
73.2Moderate
83.2Moderate
93.2Moderate
103.2Moderate
113.3Moderate
123.3Moderate
133.3Moderate
143.3Moderate
153.3Moderate
163.4Moderate
173.4Moderate
183.4Moderate
193.4Moderate
203.4Moderate
213.4Moderate
223.5Moderate
233.5Moderate
243.5Moderate
253.4Moderate
263.4Moderate
273.4Moderate
283.4Moderate
293.4Moderate
303.4Moderate
313.4Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Xam Nua

In seasonPeak

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

Xam Nua's monsoon runs May–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Xam Nua?

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

7.2
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
3.6
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

December is one of the better times to visit Xam Nua for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Xam Nua in December

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

In December, Xam Nua sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 11°C. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 4 days see rain.

UV index in Xam Nua in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Xam Nua peaks around August 12 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highExtremeVery highAug 12UV 14Dec 17UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb10Very high
Mar10Extreme
Apr9Very high
May11Extreme
Jun14Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep10Extreme
Oct10Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec7High

Air quality in Xam Nua 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 Xam Nua is worst in April — around 288 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 35.5× the cleanest month (August, 8 µg/m³).

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

0306090120150180210240270JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateUnhealthyVery unhealthyUnhealthyGoodModerateApr 15263 µg/m³Aug 128 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan20Moderate
Feb28Moderate
Mar98Unhealthy
Apr288Very unhealthy
May64Unhealthy
Jun14Moderate
Jul9Good
Aug8Good
Sep11Good
Oct15Moderate
Nov15Moderate
Dec19Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Xam Nua?

Xam Nua sits at 20.4°N, 104.0°E, 957 m above sea level, in Laos. The nearest listed city is Vieng Xai, 19 km away.

Sơn LaBản Na HỷThị Trấn Thuận ChâuÍt OngMuang PhônsavanNghĩa LộHòa Bình

Topography around Xam Nua

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Xam Nua has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 373 m around an average of 1,033 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,118 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,963 m.

The land around Xam Nua is covered by trees (65%) within 3 km, trees (83%) within 16 km, and trees (82%) within 80 km.

3 km
373 m
16 km
1,118 m
80 km
1,963 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
December weather nearby: Vieng Xai 19 km · Sơn La 102 km · Bản Na Hỷ 108 km · Thị Trấn Thuận Châu 119 km · Ít Ong 122 km · Muang Phônsavan 140 km · Nghĩa Lộ 140 km · Hòa Bình 142 km

Laos travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B / C / E / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 23% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$2,325
2025
Happiness
5.5 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
35%
of population, 2024
Road deaths
17.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 461
Religion
Buddhist 65%none 31%other/not stated 2%Christian 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 Xam Nua (20.4164°, 104.045°, elevation 957 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. 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).