Noumea weather in December

In December, Noumea sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 88 mm of rain across 12 wet days and about 13.3 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in December, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 18 min at the start of December to 13 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Noumea's 5th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Noumea's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
4th warmest
Overnight low
22°
9th coldest
Rainfall
88 mm
12 wet days
Daylight
13 h 24 min
5:10 AM – 6:31 PM
Cloud cover
54%
5th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
6.43 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.6
out of 10

Noumea is capital city of the French special collectivity of New Caledonia.

Density
2,036/km²
people per km²
Founded
1854

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 26°C through the month.

A typical December day in Noumea reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and on par with January.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12521
22521
32521
42521
52521
62521
72521
82521
92521
102521
112521
122521
132522
142522
152622
162622
172622
182622
192622
202622
212622
222622
232622
242622
252622
262622
272622
282622
292622
302622
312622

Noumea weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 23°1401513.25.9
Feb27° / 23°13816.312.85.4
Mar26° / 23°18818.912.25.3
Apr25° / 22°12415.311.56.1
May23° / 20°9911.410.96.6
Jun22° / 19°789.710.76.6
Jul21° / 17°648.210.86.8
Aug21° / 17°67811.26.8
Sep22° / 18°486.811.97.3
Oct23° / 19°387.412.57.4
Nov24° / 20°658.513.17.3
Dec26° / 22°881213.36.6

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 27% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 38%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16238
26238
36436
46436
56436
66436
76535
86535
96535
106535
116535
126535
136436
146436
156436
166436
176337
186337
196238
206238
216139
226040
236139
246040
256040
265941
275842
285842
295842
305842
315842

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Noumea gets around 88 mm of rain over 12 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 49% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
132
232
332
432
532
632
733
833
934
1034
1134
1235
1335
1435
1536
1636
1736
1837
1938
2039
2140
2241
2342
2443
2544
2645
2746
2847
2947
3048
3149

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 45% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 70% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1123341140
2113342140
3103243150
493243160
583144160
673045170
763046180
862946190
952847200
1052847210
1152747210
1252647220
1352647230
1452646230
1552546240
1652545250
1752445260
1852445270
1952344280
2052344290
2152244300
2242144310
2342144320
2442044330
2531944330
2631944340
2721844350
2821745360
2921645370
3011645381
3111545381

Wind in December

Winds average 16 km/h in December.

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
117light breeze
217light breeze
316light breeze
416light breeze
516light breeze
616light breeze
716light breeze
816light breeze
916light breeze
1016light breeze
1116light breeze
1216light breeze
1316light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2517light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 18 min at the start of December to 13 h 18 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 5:06 AM to 5:17 AM, and sunset from 6:22 PM to 6:38 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.35:066:22
213.35:066:23
313.35:066:23
413.35:066:24
513.35:076:24
613.35:076:25
713.35:076:26
813.35:076:26
913.35:076:27
1013.35:086:28
1113.35:086:28
1213.35:086:29
1313.35:096:29
1413.35:096:30
1513.45:096:30
1613.45:106:31
1713.45:106:32
1813.45:106:32
1913.45:116:33
2013.45:116:33
2113.45:126:34
2213.45:126:34
2313.45:136:35
2413.45:136:35
2513.45:146:35
2613.45:146:36
2713.45:156:36
2813.45:156:37
2913.45:166:37
3013.35:166:37
3113.35:176:38

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.43 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.1 kWh/m² to a high of 6.43 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 6.43 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.4Intense
26.5Intense
36.5Intense
46.5Intense
56.5Intense
66.5Intense
76.5Intense
86.5Intense
96.5Intense
106.5Intense
116.5Intense
126.5Intense
136.5Intense
146.5Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.5Intense
226.5Intense
236.5Intense
246.5Intense
256.5Intense
266.5Intense
276.5Intense
286.5Intense
296.5Intense
306.5Intense
316.5Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Noumea

In seasonPeak

In December, Noumea sits inside its cyclone and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Noumea sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Noumea's rainy season runs December–May, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Noumea?

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

6.6
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
6.1
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Noumea in December

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

In December, Noumea sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 22°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Noumea in December

The nearest coast averages about 25°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 14 km away) is warmest in February at about 27°C and coldest in August near 22°C.

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

20°22°24°26°28°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr26Warm
May25Warm
Jun24Refreshing
Jul23Refreshing
Aug22Refreshing
Sep23Refreshing
Oct23Refreshing
Nov24Warm
Dec25Warm

UV index in Noumea in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Noumea peaks around February 13 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeFeb 13UV 14Jun 23UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr10Very high
May7High
Jun6High
Jul6High
Aug7Very high
Sep10Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Noumea?

Noumea sits at 22.3°S, 166.4°E, 26 m above sea level, in New Caledonia. The nearest listed city is Mont-Dore, 12 km away.

BourailOuvéa

Topography around Noumea

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Noumea has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 141 m around an average of 14 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,095 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,599 m.

The land around Noumea is covered by artificial surfaces (43%) and water (37%) within 3 km, water (68%) and trees (20%) within 16 km, and water (71%) and trees (22%) within 80 km.

3 km
141 m
16 km
1,095 m
80 km
1,599 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
December weather nearby: Mont-Dore 12 km · Dumbéa 13 km · Bourail 126 km · Ouvéa 181 km · Port Vila 541 km · Kingston 769 km · Sigatoka 1,241 km · Nadi 1,248 km

New Caledonia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F
220 V · 50 Hz
GDP per capita
$29,213
2024
Safe drinking water
97%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
3.1
per 100k, 2009
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Christian 85%unaffiliated 10%Muslim 3%other 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 Noumea (-22.2741°, 166.4488°, 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).