Costa Rica weather in December

In December, Costa Rica sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 14 mm of rain across 1.7 wet days and about 10.5 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 28°C in the first days to 25°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 54% of the time in December, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 36 min at the start of December to 10 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Costa Rica's 9th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Costa Rica's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
10th warmest
Overnight low
15°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
14 mm
1.7 wet days
Daylight
10 h 30 min
6:51 AM – 5:20 PM
Cloud cover
42%
9th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
4.14 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.2
out of 10

Costa Rica is town in Culiacán Municipality, State of Sinaloa, Mexico.

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 28°C in the first days to 25°C by the end.

A typical December day in Costa Rica reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 3°C cooler than November and about 1°C warmer than January.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12817
22817
32817
42717
52717
62716
72716
82716
92716
102716
112716
122716
132616
142616
152615
162615
172615
182615
192615
202615
212615
222615
232615
242615
252615
262615
272515
282514
292514
302514
312514

How December really feels in Costa Rica

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.

Costa Rica weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 14°131.710.68.4
Feb26° / 15°141.611.18.3
Mar27° / 16°30.511.88.2
Apr29° / 18°10.212.66.9
May31° / 21°10.213.25.7
Jun33° / 25°14213.54.5
Jul34° / 26°10813.713.42.9
Aug33° / 26°16819.112.92.6
Sep33° / 26°17518.412.22.9
Oct32° / 24°434.711.44.6
Nov30° / 19°382.210.86.6
Dec26° / 15°141.710.58.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 54% 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 35%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16733
26634
36436
46436
56337
66337
76337
86337
96436
106436
116436
126535
136535
146535
156634
166733
176733
186733
196733
206733
216733
226634
236634
246634
256733
266634
276634
286634
296634
306634
316634

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Costa Rica gets around 14 mm of rain over 1.7 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 6% and peaks near 6% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
16
26
36
46
56
66
76
86
96
106
116
126
136
146
155
165
175
185
195
205
215
225
235
245
255
265
276
286
296
306
316

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the humid band about 38% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 13% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
182139311
282239301
392339281
492339271
5102440261
6112440251
7112440240
8122541220
9132541210
10132641200
11142741180
12142841170
13152941150
14163041140
15163140120
16173240110
17183339100
1819343880
1920353870
2021363760
2121373650
2222383550
2322393540
2422403440
2522413430
2622413330
2723423330
2823423330
2923423330
3022423330
3122423330

Wind in December

Winds average 8 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
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 36 min at the start of December to 10 h 30 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 6:42 AM to 6:58 AM, and sunset from 5:17 PM to 5:28 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.66:425:17
210.66:425:17
310.66:435:17
410.66:445:17
510.56:445:17
610.56:455:17
710.56:465:18
810.56:465:18
910.56:475:18
1010.56:485:18
1110.56:485:19
1210.56:495:19
1310.56:505:19
1410.56:505:20
1510.56:515:20
1610.56:515:20
1710.56:525:21
1810.56:525:21
1910.56:535:21
2010.56:535:22
2110.56:545:22
2210.56:545:23
2310.56:555:23
2410.56:555:24
2510.56:565:24
2610.56:565:25
2710.56:565:25
2810.56:575:26
2910.56:575:26
3010.56:585:27
3110.56:585:28

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.14 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.14 kWh/m² to a high of 7.81 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 4.14 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.2Bright
24.2Bright
34.2Bright
44.2Bright
54.2Bright
64.1Bright
74.1Bright
84.1Bright
94.1Bright
104.1Bright
114.1Bright
124.1Bright
134.1Bright
144.1Bright
154.1Bright
164.1Bright
174.1Bright
184.1Bright
194.1Bright
204.1Bright
214.1Bright
224.1Bright
234.1Bright
244.1Bright
254.2Bright
264.2Bright
274.2Bright
284.2Bright
294.2Bright
304.2Bright
314.3Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Costa Rica

In seasonPeak

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

Costa Rica sits in the eastern Pacific hurricane zone; the season peaks August–September.

Costa Rica's rainy season runs July–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Costa Rica?

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

8.2
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
8.0
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is one of the better times to visit Costa Rica for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Costa Rica in December

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

In December, Costa Rica sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 15°C. Worth packing: light clothes.

light clothes

Sea temperature near Costa Rica 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 34 km away) is warmest in August at about 30°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
Jan21Refreshing
Feb21Refreshing
Mar21Refreshing
Apr22Refreshing
May25Warm
Jun28Warm
Jul29Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov26Warm
Dec23Refreshing

UV index in Costa Rica in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 5 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Costa Rica peaks around May 11 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 5 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highExtremeVery highHighMay 11UV 12Dec 22UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan5High
Feb8Very high
Mar10Very high
Apr12Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep10Extreme
Oct8Very high
Nov6High
Dec5High

Air quality in Costa Rica 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 Costa Rica is worst in May — around 43 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 3.9× the cleanest month (January, 11 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateModerateGoodMay 1740 µg/m³Jan 111 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb11Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr18Moderate
May43Poor
Jun23Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug12Good
Sep13Moderate
Oct13Moderate
Nov11Good
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Costa Rica?

Costa Rica sits at 24.6°N, 107.4°W, 30 m above sea level, in Mexico. The nearest listed city is Licenciado Benito Juárez, 17 km away.

Mazatlan

Topography around Costa Rica

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Costa Rica has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 21 m around an average of 25 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 401 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,932 m.

The land around Costa Rica is covered by cropland (64%) within 3 km, cropland (62%) within 16 km, and trees (39%), water (27%) and cropland (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
21 m
16 km
401 m
80 km
1,932 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
December weather nearby: Licenciado Benito Juárez 17 km · Culiacán 24 km · Navolato 37 km · La Cruz 90 km · Guamúchil 119 km · Guasave 154 km · Gabriel Leyva Solano 173 km · Mazatlan 181 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 Costa Rica (24.5907°, -107.3899°, elevation 30 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).