Masaya weather in December

In December, Masaya sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 9 mm of rain across 2.4 wet days and about 11.3 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 60% 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 Masaya's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Masaya's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
10th warmest
Overnight low
22°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
9 mm
2.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 18 min
6:02 AM – 5:20 PM
Cloud cover
38%
4th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.12 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.4
out of 10

Masaya is urban settlement and municipal seat in Masaya Department, 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 30°C through the month.

A typical December day in Masaya reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13023
23023
33023
43023
53023
63023
73022
83022
93022
103022
113022
123022
133022
143022
153022
163022
173022
183022
193022
203022
213022
223022
233022
243022
253022
263022
273022
283022
293022
303022
313022

How December really feels in Masaya

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.

Masaya weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 22°30.911.46.6
Feb30° / 22°20.711.66.2
Mar31° / 23°30.911.95.5
Apr32° / 24°204.312.34.4
May32° / 24°17518.612.53.3
Jun30° / 24°19224.612.73.1
Jul30° / 24°11520.812.63.7
Aug30° / 24°14022.412.43.4
Sep30° / 23°19625.912.13.0
Oct29° / 23°22125.311.73.4
Nov29° / 23°6810.911.45.1
Dec30° / 22°92.411.36.4

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 60% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 20%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16931
27030
37129
47228
57327
67426
77426
87525
97525
107624
117624
127723
137723
147822
157921
167921
178020
188119
198218
208317
218416
228416
238614
248614
258614
268713
278812
288812
298812
308812
318812

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Masaya gets around 9 mm of rain over 2.4 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 9% and peaks near 13% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
113
212
311
411
510
610
79
89
99
109
119
129
139
149
159
169
178
188
198
208
218
228
238
247
257
267
277
287
296
306
316

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 68% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 86% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1185635
2185932
3186130
4196228
5196426
6196624
71106623
81106821
91116820
101116820
111126819
121126819
131126918
141136818
151136917
161136917
171136917
181146916
191146916
201146916
211156915
222156815
232156815
242156914
252156914
262157013
272157013
282157112
293157111
303167011
313167110

Wind in December

Winds average 16 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 14 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
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2417light breeze
2517light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

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 5:54 AM to 6:08 AM, and sunset from 5:15 PM to 5:27 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.35:545:15
211.35:545:15
311.35:555:15
411.35:555:15
511.35:565:16
611.35:565:16
711.35:575:16
811.35:575:17
911.35:585:17
1011.35:585:17
1111.35:595:18
1211.35:595:18
1311.36:005:18
1411.36:015:19
1511.36:015:19
1611.36:025:20
1711.36:025:20
1811.36:035:20
1911.36:035:21
2011.36:045:21
2111.36:045:22
2211.36:045:22
2311.36:055:23
2411.36:055:23
2511.36:065:24
2611.36:065:24
2711.36:075:25
2811.36:075:25
2911.36:085:26
3011.36:085:26
3111.36:085:27

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.12 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.83 kWh/m² to a high of 6.7 kWh/m² in April across the year — December's 5.12 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
35.0Bright
45.0Bright
55.0Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.1Bright
235.1Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.2Bright
305.2Bright
315.2Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Masaya

In seasonPeak

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

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

Masaya's rainy season runs May–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 Masaya?

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

6.4
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
8.4
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Masaya in December

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

In December, Masaya sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Masaya in December

The nearest coast averages about 27°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 26°C.

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

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr27Warm
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov28Warm
Dec27Warm

UV index in Masaya 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 Masaya peaks around March 22 at about 14 (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 14Dec 14UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Masaya 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 Masaya is worst in July — around 25 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.5× the cleanest month (January, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1625 µg/m³Jan 187 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar10Good
Apr21Moderate
May24Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul25Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct13Moderate
Nov11Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Masaya?

Masaya sits at 12.0°N, 86.1°W, 242 m above sea level, in Nicaragua. The nearest listed city is Masatepe, 8.0 km away.

Topography around Masaya

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Masaya has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 227 m around an average of 225 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 742 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,591 m.

The land around Masaya is covered by trees (47%), artificial surfaces (22%) and water (20%) within 3 km, trees (62%) and grassland (23%) within 16 km, and water (39%), trees (33%) and grassland (23%) within 80 km.

3 km
227 m
16 km
742 m
80 km
1,591 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Masatepe 8.0 km · San Marcos 14 km · Granada 16 km · Jinotepe 18 km · Diriamba 20 km · El Crucero 23 km · Managua 24 km · Nandaime 24 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 Masaya (11.9732°, -86.0959°, elevation 242 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).