Macau weather in December

In December, Macau sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 30 mm of rain across 4.1 wet days and about 10.7 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 22°C in the first days to 19°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 42 min at the start of December to 10 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Macau's 3rd-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Macau's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
10th warmest
Overnight low
15°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
30 mm
4.1 wet days
Daylight
10 h 36 min
7:02 AM – 5:41 PM
Cloud cover
46%
3rd clearest
Wind
16 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
3.38 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.4
out of 10

Macau is city and special administrative region of China.

Density
5,632/km²
people per km²
Founded
1999

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 22°C in the first days to 19°C by the end.

A typical December day in Macau reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 16°C and 24°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 4°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12217
22217
32217
42117
52117
62116
72116
82116
92116
102116
112016
122016
132015
142015
152015
162015
172015
182015
192015
202015
212015
221915
231915
241914
251914
261914
271914
281914
291914
301914
311914

How December really feels in Macau

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.

Macau weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan18° / 14°284.810.86.8
Feb19° / 15°377.211.26.4
Mar22° / 18°6710.711.86.3
Apr25° / 22°11913.312.56.0
May28° / 25°21918.7134.6
Jun30° / 27°28822.313.33.4
Jul31° / 27°24621.213.23.4
Aug31° / 27°31722.612.83.3
Sep30° / 26°2151712.14.3
Oct28° / 23°737.211.56.9
Nov24° / 20°345.110.97.9
Dec20° / 15°304.110.77.4

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% 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 38%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16535
26535
36436
46436
56238
66238
76139
86139
96139
106040
116040
126040
136040
146040
156139
166139
176139
186139
196238
206238
216238
226238
236337
246337
256337
266337
276238
286238
296238
306139
316139

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Macau gets around 30 mm of rain over 4.1 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 14% and peaks near 15% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
115
215
315
414
514
614
714
814
914
1014
1114
1214
1314
1414
1514
1614
1714
1814
1914
2014
2114
2213
2313
2413
2512
2612
2712
2812
2912
3012
3112

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 54% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 7% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1412220135
2422120124
3442119114
4462119104
547211994
649211883
750211883
851211873
952211863
1053211862
1155201852
1255201852
1355201852
1456201851
1556201851
1656201851
1756201851
1857201751
1958201750
2058211650
2158211650
2259211550
2358221550
2459221540
2558231540
2658231540
2758241530
2858241530
2957251530
3056251630
3156251630

Wind in December

Winds average 16 km/h in December, the windiest month of the year.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
316light breeze
416light breeze
516light breeze
616light breeze
716light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2616light breeze
2716light breeze
2816light breeze
2916light breeze
3016light breeze
3116light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 42 min at the start of December to 10 h 42 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 6:53 AM to 7:09 AM, and sunset from 5:38 PM to 5:49 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.76:535:38
210.76:545:38
310.76:555:38
410.76:555:38
510.76:565:38
610.76:575:39
710.76:575:39
810.76:585:39
910.76:585:39
1010.76:595:39
1110.77:005:40
1210.77:005:40
1310.77:015:40
1410.77:015:41
1510.77:025:41
1610.67:025:41
1710.67:035:42
1810.67:045:42
1910.67:045:43
2010.67:055:43
2110.67:055:44
2210.67:065:44
2310.67:065:44
2410.67:065:45
2510.67:075:45
2610.67:075:46
2710.67:085:47
2810.67:085:47
2910.77:085:48
3010.77:095:48
3110.77:095:49

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 3.38 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.38 kWh/m² to a high of 5.56 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 3.38 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.5Moderate
23.5Moderate
33.5Moderate
43.5Moderate
53.4Moderate
63.4Moderate
73.4Moderate
83.4Moderate
93.4Moderate
103.4Moderate
113.3Moderate
123.3Moderate
133.3Moderate
143.3Moderate
153.3Moderate
163.3Moderate
173.4Moderate
183.4Moderate
193.4Moderate
203.4Moderate
213.4Moderate
223.4Moderate
233.4Moderate
243.4Moderate
253.4Moderate
263.4Moderate
273.4Moderate
283.4Moderate
293.4Moderate
303.4Moderate
313.4Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Macau

In seasonPeak

In December, Macau sits inside its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Macau sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

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

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

Is December a good time to visit Macau?

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

7.4
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
3.9
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Macau in December

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

In December, Macau sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 15°C. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 4 days see rain.

Sea temperature near Macau in December

The nearest coast averages about 21°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 29°C and coldest in January near 19°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Mar 12 to Dec 25 — about 9.5 months when the water holds above 20°C.

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan19Cool
Feb19Cool
Mar20Refreshing
Apr23Refreshing
May26Warm
Jun28Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep28Tropical
Oct27Warm
Nov24Refreshing
Dec21Refreshing

UV index in Macau in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Macau peaks around July 13 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 11 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highExtremeVery highHighJul 13UV 12Jan 11UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan6High
Feb8Very high
Mar9Very high
Apr9Very high
May10Very high
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep10Very high
Oct8Very high
Nov7High
Dec6High

Air quality in Macau 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 Macau is worst in January — around 179 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 3.1× the cleanest month (July, 57 µg/m³).

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

0306090120150180JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery unhealthyUnhealthyVery unhealthyJan 17176 µg/m³Jul 1057 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan179Very unhealthy
Feb159Very unhealthy
Mar136Unhealthy
Apr111Unhealthy
May83Unhealthy
Jun58Unhealthy
Jul57Unhealthy
Aug72Unhealthy
Sep110Unhealthy
Oct128Unhealthy
Nov154Very unhealthy
Dec156Very unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Macau?

Macau sits at 22.2°N, 113.5°E, 28 m above sea level, in Macao. The nearest listed city is Sé, 1.0 km away.

ZhuojiacunTaipaLai Chi VanLuhuan

Topography around Macau

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Macau has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 278 m around an average of 11 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 452 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,004 m.

The land around Macau is covered by artificial surfaces (42%) and water (40%) within 3 km, water (53%) and trees (20%) within 16 km, and water (56%) and trees (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
278 m
16 km
452 m
80 km
1,004 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: 1.0 km · Zhuojiacun 4.0 km · Taipa 5.0 km · Zhuhai 9.0 km · Lai Chi Van 9.0 km · Luhuan 9.0 km · San Tung Chung Hang 42 km · Tung Chung 42 km

Macao travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type D / G / M
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 55% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$75,902
2025
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.6
per 100k, 2023
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
folk religion 59%Buddhist 17%none 15%Christian 7%

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 Macau (22.2006°, 113.5461°, elevation 28 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).