El Tajín weather in December

In December, El Tajín sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 53 mm of rain across 9.4 wet days and about 10.8 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 25°C in the first days to 23°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in December, and the air most often feels muggy.

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 El Tajín's 7th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see El Tajín's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
11th warmest
Overnight low
16°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
53 mm
9.4 wet days
Daylight
10 h 48 min
7:03 AM – 5:49 PM
Cloud cover
66%
7th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
3.12 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

El Tajín is town in Papantla Municipality, State of Veracruz, 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 25°C in the first days to 23°C by the end.

A typical December day in El Tajín reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C cooler than November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12517
22517
32517
42517
52517
62517
72516
82516
92516
102516
112516
122416
132416
142416
152416
162416
172416
182416
192416
202416
212416
222415
232415
242415
252415
262415
272415
282315
292315
302315
312315

How December really feels in El Tajín

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.

El Tajín weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 15°508.410.97.0
Feb25° / 17°477.811.36.8
Mar28° / 19°568.111.96.3
Apr31° / 21°738.112.54.8
May32° / 23°9912133.6
Jun32° / 24°16420.713.22.8
Jul32° / 24°15922.413.12.8
Aug32° / 23°17123.312.72.7
Sep31° / 23°24422.912.13.0
Oct29° / 21°21116.111.54.5
Nov27° / 18°10811.9116.2
Dec24° / 16°539.410.86.8

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 63%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24456
34357
44357
54258
64258
74159
84159
94060
103961
113961
123862
133763
143862
153763
163664
173565
183466
193466
203466
213367
223367
233367
243367
253268
263268
273367
283367
293367
303466
313466

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

El Tajín gets around 53 mm of rain over 9.4 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 31% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
135
235
335
435
534
634
733
833
932
1031
1131
1230
1330
1429
1529
1629
1729
1828
1928
2029
2129
2229
2329
2430
2530
2630
2730
2830
2930
3030
3130

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the muggy band about 32% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 40% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1814244113
2914244112
3915244012
41015244011
51015243911
61116243911
71116243811
81216243810
91217243710
101317243610
111317243510
121418253410
13141825339
14151925329
15151926329
16152026318
17152027308
18152127307
19152128297
20152229286
21152229286
22142330276
23142331275
24142431274
25142432274
26142432273
27142432273
28142532273
29142531272
30152531272
31152431272

Wind in December

Winds average 6 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

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 6:54 AM to 7:09 AM, and sunset from 5:45 PM to 5:56 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.96:545:45
210.86:545:45
310.86:555:45
410.86:565:45
510.86:565:45
610.86:575:46
710.86:575:46
810.86:585:46
910.86:595:46
1010.86:595:47
1110.87:005:47
1210.87:005:47
1310.87:015:48
1410.87:025:48
1510.87:025:48
1610.87:035:49
1710.87:035:49
1810.87:045:50
1910.87:045:50
2010.87:055:50
2110.87:055:51
2210.87:065:51
2310.87:065:52
2410.87:075:52
2510.87:075:53
2610.87:075:53
2710.87:085:54
2810.87:085:54
2910.87:095:55
3010.87:095:55
3110.87:095:56

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 3.12 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.12 kWh/m² to a high of 5.85 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 3.12 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.3Moderate
23.2Moderate
33.2Moderate
43.2Moderate
53.2Moderate
63.2Moderate
73.2Moderate
83.2Moderate
93.2Moderate
103.2Moderate
113.2Moderate
123.2Moderate
133.1Moderate
143.1Moderate
153.1Moderate
163.1Moderate
173.1Moderate
183.1Moderate
193.1Moderate
203.1Moderate
213.1Moderate
223.0Moderate
233.0Moderate
243.0Moderate
253.0Moderate
263.0Moderate
273.0Moderate
283.0Moderate
293.0Moderate
303.0Moderate
313.1Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for El Tajín

In seasonPeak

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

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

El Tajín's rainy season runs June–October, 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 El Tajín?

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

6.8
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
5.9
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit El Tajín for sightseeing.

What to pack for El Tajín in December

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

In December, El Tajín sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 16°C. Worth packing: light clothes and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near El Tajín in December

The nearest coast averages about 24°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 September at about 29°C and coldest in February near 22°C.

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

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan23Refreshing
Feb22Refreshing
Mar23Refreshing
Apr25Warm
May27Warm
Jun28Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov26Warm
Dec24Warm

UV index in El Tajín 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 El Tajín peaks around June 20 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highExtremeVery highHighJun 20UV 12Dec 20UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan7High
Feb9Very high
Mar10Very high
Apr12Extreme
May7High
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct9Very high
Nov7High
Dec6High

Air quality in El Tajín 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 El Tajín is worst in May — around 68 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 1.8× the cleanest month (October, 38 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorUnhealthyMay 1068 µg/m³Oct 1038 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan58Unhealthy
Feb60Unhealthy
Mar60Unhealthy
Apr67Unhealthy
May68Unhealthy
Jun49Poor
Jul46Poor
Aug42Poor
Sep39Poor
Oct38Poor
Nov49Poor
Dec65Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is El Tajín?

El Tajín sits at 20.4°N, 97.4°W, 0 m above sea level, in Mexico. The nearest listed city is Papantla de Olarte, 6.0 km away.

Topography around El Tajín

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around El Tajín has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 240 m around an average of 128 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 336 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,146 m.

The land around El Tajín is covered by grassland (53%) and trees (44%) within 3 km, grassland (49%) and trees (44%) within 16 km, and trees (51%) and grassland (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
240 m
16 km
336 m
80 km
3,146 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
December weather nearby: Papantla de Olarte 6.0 km · Coatzintla 11 km · Poza Rica de Hidalgo 14 km · Martínez de la Torre 52 km · Villa Independencia 54 km · Tlapacoyan 55 km · Alto Lucero 59 km · Túxpam de Rodríguez Cano 59 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 El Tajín (20.4305°, -97.3818°, 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. 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).