Cárdenas weather in December

In December, Cárdenas sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 82 mm of rain across 11.7 wet days and about 10.9 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 hours at the start of December to 10 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Cárdenas's 5th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cárdenas's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
11th warmest
Overnight low
20°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
82 mm
11.7 wet days
Daylight
10 h 54 min
6:42 AM – 5:37 PM
Cloud cover
56%
5th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
3.62 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
out of 10

Cárdenas is municipal seat of Cárdenas, State of Tabasco, Mexico.

Density
2,774/km²
people per km²
Founded
1797

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

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical December day in Cárdenas reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 20°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C cooler than November and on par with January.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12821
22821
32821
42821
52820
62820
72820
82820
92820
102820
112820
122820
132820
142820
152820
162820
172720
182720
192720
202720
212720
222720
232720
242720
252720
262720
272720
282720
292720
302720
312720

How December really feels in Cárdenas

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.

Cárdenas weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 19°8111.1116.4
Feb29° / 20°507.711.46.1
Mar31° / 22°316.211.95.0
Apr34° / 24°396.512.43.5
May35° / 25°8411.412.82.7
Jun34° / 25°20921.213.12.3
Jul33° / 25°16419.5132.5
Aug33° / 24°2272412.62.4
Sep32° / 24°2892612.12.5
Oct30° / 23°24321.411.63.6
Nov29° / 21°13515.211.24.9
Dec28° / 20°8211.710.96.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 47%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15644
25743
35743
45743
55842
65842
75842
85941
95842
105842
115743
125743
135644
145545
155446
165446
175347
185248
195248
205050
215050
225050
234951
244951
254951
264852
274852
284654
294654
304654
314753

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Cárdenas gets around 82 mm of rain over 11.7 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 38% and peaks near 42% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
142
242
342
441
541
641
740
839
939
1038
1138
1237
1337
1436
1536
1636
1736
1836
1936
2036
2136
2237
2337
2437
2538
2638
2739
2840
2940
3040
3140

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the oppressive band about 46% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 85% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
11834552
21834552
31834552
41834552
51934542
61934542
71934542
82934532
921034522
1021034522
1121134512
1221135502
1321235502
1421235491
1531336481
1631337471
1731337461
1831438441
1931439431
2031440421
2131441411
2231541401
2331542401
2431543390
2531544390
2631544380
2731544380
2831544370
2931544370
3031644370
3141644360

Wind in December

Winds average 9 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 hours at the start of December to 10 h 54 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 6:33 AM to 6:49 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)
111.06:335:33
211.06:345:33
311.06:355:34
411.06:355:34
511.06:365:34
611.06:365:34
711.06:375:34
811.06:375:35
911.06:385:35
1010.96:395:35
1110.96:395:36
1210.96:405:36
1310.96:405:36
1410.96:415:37
1510.96:415:37
1610.96:425:37
1710.96:425:38
1810.96:435:38
1910.96:435:39
2010.96:445:39
2110.96:445:40
2210.96:455:40
2310.96:455:41
2410.96:465:41
2510.96:465:42
2610.96:475:42
2710.96:475:43
2810.96:475:43
2910.96:485:44
3010.96:485:44
3110.96:495:45

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 3.62 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.62 kWh/m² to a high of 6.47 kWh/m² in April across the year — December's 3.62 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.8Moderate
23.8Moderate
33.7Moderate
43.7Moderate
53.7Moderate
63.7Moderate
73.7Moderate
83.7Moderate
93.6Moderate
103.6Moderate
113.6Moderate
123.6Moderate
133.6Moderate
143.6Moderate
153.6Moderate
163.6Moderate
173.6Moderate
183.6Moderate
193.6Moderate
203.5Moderate
213.5Moderate
223.5Moderate
233.5Moderate
243.5Moderate
253.5Moderate
263.5Moderate
273.5Moderate
283.5Moderate
293.5Moderate
303.5Moderate
313.5Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Cárdenas

In seasonPeak

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

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

Cárdenas's rainy season runs June–November, when most of the year's rain falls.

Atlantic hurricane
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Cárdenas?

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

6.2
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
6.5
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Cárdenas for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Cárdenas in December

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

In December, Cárdenas sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 20°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Cárdenas in December

The nearest coast averages about 26°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 49 km away) is warmest in September at about 29°C and coldest in February near 24°C.

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

22°24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan24Warm
Feb24Warm
Mar25Warm
Apr27Warm
May28Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul28Warm
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov27Warm
Dec26Warm

UV index in Cárdenas 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 Cárdenas peaks around June 20 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 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 highJun 20UV 12Jan 10UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan7High
Feb10Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May7Very high
Jun13Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct10Extreme
Nov8Very high
Dec7High

Air quality in Cárdenas 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 Cárdenas is worst in May — around 63 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.4× the cleanest month (January, 26 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateMay 1561 µg/m³Jan 1627 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan26Moderate
Feb30Moderate
Mar37Poor
Apr51Poor
May63Unhealthy
Jun44Poor
Jul43Poor
Aug36Poor
Sep34Moderate
Oct29Moderate
Nov27Moderate
Dec30Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Cárdenas?

Cárdenas sits at 18.0°N, 93.4°W, 26 m above sea level, in Mexico. The nearest listed city is Huimanguillo, 19 km away.

Topography around Cárdenas

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Cárdenas has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 26 m around an average of 21 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 46 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,570 m.

The land around Cárdenas is covered by trees (42%), artificial surfaces (37%) and grassland (20%) within 3 km, trees (44%) and grassland (37%) within 16 km, and grassland (40%), trees (26%) and water (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
26 m
16 km
46 m
80 km
1,570 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: Huimanguillo 19 km · Cunduacán 23 km · Reforma 28 km · Comalcalco 33 km · Jalpa de Méndez 38 km · Taxco 42 km · Villahermosa 46 km · Paraiso 48 km

Mexico travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 / 127 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 54% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$13,889
2025
Happiness
7.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
43%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
24.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.8
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 440
Religion
Catholic 78%no religion 11%other Evangelical Churches 8%Jehovah Witness 1%

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 Cárdenas (18.0013°, -93.3756°, elevation 26 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).