San Juan del Sur weather in December

In December, San Juan del Sur sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 24 mm of rain across 6.3 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of December to 11 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is San Juan del Sur's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see San Juan del Sur's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
11th warmest
Overnight low
24°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
24 mm
6.3 wet days
Daylight
11 h 18 min
5:59 AM – 5:20 PM
Cloud cover
39%
4th clearest
Wind
29 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.17 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.3
out of 10

San Juan del Sur is Town in Nicaragua, Seat of the San Juan del Sur Municipality, Rivas Department.

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 27°C through the month.

A typical December day in San Juan del Sur reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 28°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)
12725
22725
32725
42725
52725
62724
72724
82724
92724
102724
112724
122724
132724
142724
152724
162724
172724
182724
192724
202724
212724
222724
232724
242724
252724
262724
272724
282724
292724
302724
312724

How December really feels in San Juan del Sur

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.

San Juan del Sur weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 24°103.411.48.0
Feb28° / 24°41.411.68.2
Mar29° / 24°30.911.97.4
Apr30° / 25°143.112.26.2
May29° / 26°15316.312.54.4
Jun28° / 25°19826.512.63.4
Jul28° / 25°15125.812.63.7
Aug28° / 25°16826.412.43.6
Sep28° / 25°25227.212.13.4
Oct28° / 25°29027.411.73.8
Nov28° / 25°10215.411.55.6
Dec27° / 24°246.311.47.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% 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 23%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16535
26634
36733
46832
56931
67030
77129
87129
97228
107327
117327
127525
137525
147525
157624
167723
177822
187822
198020
208119
218119
228218
238317
248317
258317
268515
278515
288515
298515
308614
318614

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

San Juan del Sur gets around 24 mm of rain over 6.3 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 21% and peaks near 30% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
130
229
328
427
526
625
725
824
924
1024
1124
1223
1323
1423
1522
1622
1721
1820
1920
2019
2119
2218
2318
2417
2517
2617
2716
2816
2916
3016
3116

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 84% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1011881
2011881
3011881
4012871
5012871
6012880
7012880
8013870
9113860
10113860
11113860
12114850
13114850
14114850
15114850
16115840
17115840
18115840
19115840
20115840
21116830
22116830
23116830
24116830
25216820
26216820
27217810
28217810
29217810
30218800
31218800

Wind in December

Winds average 29 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 27 km/h on the calmest days to 31 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
127breezy
227breezy
327breezy
427breezy
528breezy
628breezy
728breezy
828breezy
928breezy
1028breezy
1129breezy
1229breezy
1329breezy
1429breezy
1529breezy
1629windy
1729windy
1829windy
1929windy
2030windy
2130windy
2230windy
2330windy
2430windy
2530windy
2630windy
2731windy
2831windy
2931windy
3031windy
3131windy

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 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 shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:52 AM to 6:06 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)
111.45:525:15
211.45:525:15
311.45:535:15
411.45:535:16
511.45:545:16
611.45:545:16
711.45:555:17
811.45:555:17
911.45:565:17
1011.45:565:18
1111.45:575:18
1211.45:575:18
1311.35:585:19
1411.35:585:19
1511.35:595:20
1611.35:595:20
1711.36:005:20
1811.36:005:21
1911.36:015:21
2011.36:015:22
2111.36:025:22
2211.36:025:23
2311.36:035:23
2411.36:035:24
2511.36:045:24
2611.36:045:25
2711.36:055:25
2811.36:055:26
2911.36:055:26
3011.36:065:27
3111.36:065:27

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.17 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.95 kWh/m² to a high of 6.93 kWh/m² in April across the year — December's 5.17 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
35.0Bright
45.0Bright
55.1Bright
65.1Bright
75.1Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.3Bright
275.3Bright
285.3Bright
295.3Bright
305.3Bright
315.3Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for San Juan del Sur

In seasonPeak

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

San Juan del Sur sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

San Juan del Sur's monsoon runs May–October, 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 San Juan del Sur?

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

7.3
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
7.5
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is one of the better times to visit San Juan del Sur for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for San Juan del Sur in December

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

In December, San Juan del Sur sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and a windbreaker. Worth having: sun protection. About 6 days see rain.

light clothesa windbreakersun protection

Sea temperature near San Juan del Sur 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 14 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
Jan26Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr28Warm
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov27Warm
Dec27Warm

UV index in San Juan del Sur 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 San Juan del Sur peaks around March 20 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 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 20UV 14Dec 15UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in San Juan del Sur 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 San Juan del Sur is worst in July — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.8× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1622 µg/m³Dec 166 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar9Good
Apr19Moderate
May21Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul23Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is San Juan del Sur?

San Juan del Sur sits at 11.3°N, 85.9°W, 0 m above sea level, in Nicaragua. The nearest listed city is Rivas, 21 km away.

NandaimeJinotepeGranadaDiriambaMasatepeSan MarcosLiberia

Topography around San Juan del Sur

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of San Juan del Sur.

Within 3 km, the terrain around San Juan del Sur has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 234 m around an average of 39 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 430 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,874 m.

The land around San Juan del Sur is covered by trees (45%) and water (37%) within 3 km, water (46%) and trees (39%) within 16 km, and water (62%) and trees (29%) within 80 km.

3 km
234 m
16 km
430 m
80 km
1,874 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Rivas 21 km · Nandaime 59 km · Jinotepe 75 km · Granada 76 km · Diriamba 78 km · Masatepe 79 km · San Marcos 82 km · Liberia 83 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 San Juan del Sur (11.2529°, -85.8705°, 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).