Chinandega weather in December

In December, Chinandega sees average daytime highs of 34°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 6 mm of rain across 1.7 wet days and about 11.3 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 34°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 68% of the time in December, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 18 min at the start of December to 11 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Chinandega's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chinandega's year-round climate.

Daytime high
34°
6th warmest
Overnight low
24°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
6 mm
1.7 wet days
Daylight
11 h 18 min
6:07 AM – 5:23 PM
Cloud cover
32%
4th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.31 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.1
out of 10

Chinandega is Urban center of Chinandega Municipality, Nicaragua..

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 34°C through the month.

A typical December day in Chinandega reaches about 34°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 32°C and 35°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and about 1°C cooler than January.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13324
23324
33324
43324
53324
63324
73324
83324
93324
103324
113324
123324
133324
143324
153324
163424
173424
183424
193424
203424
213424
223424
233424
243424
253424
263424
273424
283424
293424
303424
313424

How December really feels in Chinandega

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 31 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
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in December is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Chinandega weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 6th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan34° / 24°20.511.33.6
Feb35° / 24°20.611.63.1
Mar36° / 25°51.611.92.5
Apr36° / 26°367.512.32.2
May34° / 25°26621.512.62.2
Jun33° / 25°3262312.72.5
Jul34° / 25°16717.212.72.6
Aug33° / 25°24922.512.42.4
Sep32° / 24°38426.912.12.4
Oct31° / 24°37324.911.72.9
Nov32° / 24°809.211.44.1
Dec34° / 24°61.711.34.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 68% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 16%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17624
27723
37822
47921
58020
68119
78119
88218
98218
108218
118317
128317
138317
148416
158416
168416
178416
188515
198614
208614
218614
228713
238713
248812
258812
268812
278812
288812
298911
308911
318812

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Chinandega gets around 6 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 11% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
111
210
39
48
58
67
77
86
96
106
115
125
135
145
155
165
175
185
195
205
215
225
235
245
255
264
274
284
294
304
313

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 46% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 73% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
111140445
211241424
311243404
411344393
511445373
611546352
721646342
821747332
921847321
1021947311
1122047301
1232147281
1332148280
1432248270
1532348260
1632348250
1742448250
1842547240
1942647230
2042747220
2152847210
2252946200
2353046190
2463146180
2563245170
2663345160
2773345150
2873444150
2983544140
3083643130
3183642130

Wind in December

Winds average 9 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 10 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 18 min at the start of December to 11 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 5:59 AM to 6:14 AM, and sunset from 5:18 PM to 5:30 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.35:595:18
211.36:005:18
311.36:005:18
411.36:015:18
511.36:015:19
611.36:025:19
711.36:025:19
811.36:035:20
911.36:035:20
1011.36:045:20
1111.36:045:21
1211.36:055:21
1311.36:055:21
1411.36:065:22
1511.36:065:22
1611.36:075:23
1711.36:075:23
1811.36:085:23
1911.36:085:24
2011.36:095:24
2111.36:095:25
2211.36:105:25
2311.36:105:26
2411.36:115:26
2511.36:115:27
2611.36:125:27
2711.36:125:28
2811.36:125:28
2911.36:135:29
3011.36:135:29
3111.36:145:30

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.31 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.08 kWh/m² to a high of 6.78 kWh/m² in April across the year — December's 5.31 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.3Bright
195.3Bright
205.3Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.3Bright
245.3Bright
255.3Bright
265.3Bright
275.4Bright
285.4Bright
295.4Bright
305.4Bright
315.4Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Chinandega

In seasonPeak

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

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

Chinandega's monsoon runs May–June, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Chinandega?

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

4.1
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
7.7
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Chinandega in December

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

In December, Chinandega sees daytime highs around 34°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Chinandega in December

The nearest coast averages about 28°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 26 km away) is warmest in August at about 30°C and coldest in January near 28°C.

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

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb28Warm
Mar28Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Chinandega in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Chinandega peaks around March 22 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 14 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highMar 22UV 13Dec 14UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Chinandega 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 Chinandega is worst in April — around 35 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (January, 11 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateApr 2234 µg/m³Jan 1511 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr35Moderate
May33Moderate
Jun24Moderate
Jul26Moderate
Aug22Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov17Moderate
Dec12Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Chinandega?

Chinandega sits at 12.6°N, 87.1°W, 69 m above sea level, in Nicaragua. The nearest listed city is El Viejo, 5.0 km away.

LeónSomotilloLa Paz CentroNagaroteCiudad Choluteca

Topography around Chinandega

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Chinandega has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 73 m around an average of 66 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,767 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,751 m.

The land around Chinandega is covered by trees (43%), cropland (24%) and artificial surfaces (22%) within 3 km, trees (41%) and cropland (39%) within 16 km, and water (38%), trees (28%) and grassland (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
73 m
16 km
1,767 m
80 km
1,751 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
December weather nearby: El Viejo 5.0 km · Chichigalpa 13 km · Corinto 17 km · León 35 km · Somotillo 52 km · La Paz Centro 59 km · Nagarote 74 km · Ciudad Choluteca 75 km

Nicaragua travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 34% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$3,173
2025
Happiness
6.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
11.3
per 100k, 2021
Road deaths
16.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 512
Religion
Roman Catholic 45%Protestant 39%none 14%other 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 Chinandega (12.6295°, -87.1313°, elevation 69 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).