San Rafael del Sur in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), San Rafael del Sur sees average daytime highs around 32°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 8 mm of rain over about 2 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 32°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 78% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels muggy.
Winter is San Rafael del Sur's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see San Rafael del Sur's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 32°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 24°C
- Rainfall
- 8 mm
- 2 wet days
- Avg wind
- 20 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.0
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in San Rafael del Sur in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 32°C.
A typical winter day in San Rafael del Sur reaches about 32°C and drops to 24°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in San Rafael del Sur
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 90 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
San Rafael del Sur weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32° / 24° | 1 | 0.3 | 11.4 | 5.1 |
| Feb | 33° / 24° | 1 | 0.3 | 11.6 | 4.8 |
| Mar | 34° / 25° | 2 | 0.7 | 11.9 | 4.2 |
| Apr | 34° / 26° | 20 | 4.2 | 12.3 | 3.4 |
| May | 33° / 26° | 190 | 17.9 | 12.5 | 2.9 |
| Jun | 31° / 25° | 200 | 20 | 12.7 | 3.1 |
| Jul | 32° / 25° | 93 | 11.9 | 12.6 | 3.7 |
| Aug | 32° / 25° | 144 | 17 | 12.4 | 3.3 |
| Sep | 31° / 25° | 256 | 24.2 | 12.1 | 2.9 |
| Oct | 30° / 24° | 311 | 24.6 | 11.7 | 3.2 |
| Nov | 31° / 24° | 76 | 9.1 | 11.5 | 4.5 |
| Dec | 32° / 24° | 6 | 1.1 | 11.3 | 5.1 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 78% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
San Rafael del Sur gets around 8 mm of rain over 2 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 20 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min in early December to 11 h 42 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 5.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for San Rafael del Sur
None of San Rafael del Sur's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
San Rafael del Sur sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
San Rafael del Sur's monsoon runs May–June, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit San Rafael del Sur?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a reasonable time to visit San Rafael del Sur for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for San Rafael del Sur in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, San Rafael del Sur sees daytime highs around 32°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: a windbreaker.
Sea temperature near San Rafael del Sur in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 27°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 21 km away) is warmest in September at about 29°C and coldest in February near 27°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Warm |
| Feb | 27 | Warm |
| Mar | 27 | Warm |
| Apr | 28 | Warm |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 29 | Tropical |
| Jul | 29 | Tropical |
| Aug | 29 | Tropical |
| Sep | 29 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 28 | Tropical |
| Dec | 28 | Warm |
UV index in San Rafael del Sur in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 11 (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 Rafael del Sur 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 13 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 10 | Very high |
| Dec | 9 | Very high |
Air quality in San Rafael del Sur in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in San Rafael del Sur 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 7 | 9 | 10 | 21 | 24 | 21 | 25 | 20 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Good |
| Feb | 9 | Good |
| Mar | 10 | Good |
| Apr | 21 | Moderate |
| May | 24 | Moderate |
| Jun | 21 | Moderate |
| Jul | 25 | Moderate |
| Aug | 20 | Moderate |
| Sep | 15 | Moderate |
| Oct | 13 | Moderate |
| Nov | 11 | Good |
| Dec | 10 | Good |
Where is San Rafael del Sur?
San Rafael del Sur sits at 11.8°N, 86.4°W, 126 m above sea level, in Nicaragua. The nearest listed city is El Crucero, 21 km away.
Topography around San Rafael del Sur
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of San Rafael del Sur.
Within 3 km, the terrain around San Rafael del Sur has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 152 m around an average of 119 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 693 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,305 m.
The land around San Rafael del Sur is covered by trees (48%) and grassland (40%) within 3 km, trees (54%) and grassland (29%) within 16 km, and water (46%) and trees (30%) within 80 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
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 Rafael del Sur (11.8485°, -86.4384°, elevation 126 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.