Puerto Cabezas weather in December

In December, Puerto Cabezas sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 92 mm of rain across 21.9 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 12 min at the start of December to 11 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Puerto Cabezas's 5th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Puerto Cabezas's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
10th warmest
Overnight low
23°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
92 mm
21.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
5:54 AM – 5:05 PM
Cloud cover
54%
5th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
4.01 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.8
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical December day in Puerto Cabezas reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12824
22824
32824
42823
52823
62823
72823
82823
92823
102823
112823
122823
132823
142823
152823
162823
172823
182823
192723
202723
212723
222723
232723
242723
252723
262723
272723
282723
292723
302723
312723

How December really feels in Puerto Cabezas

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.

Puerto Cabezas weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 23°6219.711.35.3
Feb28° / 23°3914.511.55.9
Mar28° / 24°3412.411.96.0
Apr29° / 25°4012.312.35.3
May30° / 25°18521.912.63.8
Jun29° / 25°26127.212.83.1
Jul29° / 25°23327.912.73.2
Aug29° / 25°2292812.53.1
Sep29° / 25°22627.212.13.1
Oct29° / 24°26827.311.73.2
Nov28° / 24°20923.511.34.1
Dec28° / 23°9221.911.24.8

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 29% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 39%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
25050
35149
45248
55446
65446
75545
85545
95644
105743
115743
125743
135842
145842
155941
166040
176139
186238
196337
206436
216634
226733
236733
246832
256931
266832
276931
286931
297030
307030
317030

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Puerto Cabezas gets around 92 mm of rain over 21.9 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 71% and peaks near 74% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
174
274
373
473
572
672
771
871
970
1070
1170
1269
1369
1469
1569
1669
1769
1869
1969
2069
2170
2270
2370
2471
2572
2672
2772
2873
2973
3073
3173

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the oppressive band about 68% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 98% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1176032
2076231
3076330
4086329
5186328
6186427
7186427
8186526
9186625
10296524
11296524
12296623
13296722
14296821
15296821
16296920
17297019
18297019
19297118
20297118
21297217
22297217
23297217
242107216
252107216
262107216
272107315
282107315
292107414
302107414
312117413

Wind in December

Winds average 14 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 12 min at the start of December to 11 h 12 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 5:46 AM to 6:01 AM, and sunset from 5:00 PM to 5:12 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.25:465:00
211.25:475:00
311.25:475:01
411.25:485:01
511.25:495:01
611.25:495:01
711.25:505:02
811.25:505:02
911.25:515:02
1011.25:515:03
1111.25:525:03
1211.25:525:03
1311.25:535:04
1411.25:535:04
1511.25:545:05
1611.25:545:05
1711.25:555:05
1811.25:555:06
1911.25:565:06
2011.25:565:07
2111.25:575:07
2211.25:575:08
2311.25:585:08
2411.25:585:09
2511.25:595:09
2611.25:595:10
2711.26:005:10
2811.26:005:11
2911.26:005:11
3011.26:015:12
3111.26:015:12

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.01 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.92 kWh/m² to a high of 6.08 kWh/m² in April across the year — December's 4.01 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.9Moderate
24.0Moderate
34.0Moderate
44.0Moderate
54.0Moderate
64.0Moderate
74.0Moderate
84.0Moderate
94.0Moderate
104.0Moderate
114.0Moderate
124.0Moderate
134.0Moderate
144.0Moderate
154.0Moderate
164.0Moderate
174.0Moderate
184.0Moderate
194.0Bright
204.0Bright
214.0Bright
224.0Bright
234.0Bright
244.0Bright
254.1Bright
264.1Bright
274.1Bright
284.1Bright
294.1Bright
304.1Bright
314.1Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Puerto Cabezas

In seasonPeak

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

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

Puerto Cabezas's rainy season runs May–November, 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 Puerto Cabezas?

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

4.8
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
5.0
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Puerto Cabezas for sightseeing.

What to pack for Puerto Cabezas in December

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

In December, Puerto Cabezas sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. About 22 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Puerto Cabezas 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 18 km away) is warmest in September at about 29°C and coldest in January near 27°C.

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

26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr28Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec27Warm

UV index in Puerto Cabezas in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Puerto Cabezas peaks around April 15 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 14 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highApr 15UV 13Dec 14UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Puerto Cabezas 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 Puerto Cabezas is worst in July — around 36 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 5.4× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1435 µg/m³Nov 207 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb10Good
Mar11Good
Apr19Moderate
May26Moderate
Jun31Moderate
Jul36Poor
Aug25Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Puerto Cabezas?

Puerto Cabezas sits at 14.0°N, 83.4°W, 8 m above sea level, in Nicaragua. The nearest listed city is Siuna, 154 km away.

SiunaPearl LagoonRamaBluefieldsRío BlancoDulce Nombre de Culmí

Topography around Puerto Cabezas

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Puerto Cabezas has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 34 m around an average of 9 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 76 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 403 m.

The land around Puerto Cabezas is covered by grassland (29%), water (27%) and trees (21%) within 3 km, water (50%) within 16 km, and water (43%) and trees (22%) within 80 km.

3 km
34 m
16 km
76 m
80 km
403 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: Siuna 154 km · Pearl Lagoon 191 km · Rama 227 km · Bluefields 229 km · Río Blanco 233 km · San Andrés 244 km · Dulce Nombre de Culmí 259 km · Iriona 282 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 Puerto Cabezas (14.0351°, -83.3888°, elevation 8 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).