Salalah weather in December

In December, Salalah sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 2 mm of rain across 0.5 wet days and about 11 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 28°C in the first days to 26°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 85% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 06 min at the start of December to 11 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Salalah's 2nd-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Salalah's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
10th warmest
Overnight low
20°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
2 mm
0.5 wet days
Daylight
11 hours
6:50 AM – 5:49 PM
Cloud cover
17%
2nd clearest
Wind
10 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
5.21 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.7
out of 10

Salalah is city in Oman.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 28°C in the first days to 26°C by the end.

A typical December day in Salalah reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 20°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12821
22821
32821
42821
52820
62820
72820
82820
92820
102820
112720
122720
132720
142720
152720
162720
172719
182719
192719
202719
212719
222719
232719
242719
252719
262719
272719
282619
292618
302618
312618

How December really feels in Salalah

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.

Salalah weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 18°20.511.19.1
Feb27° / 19°10.311.48.9
Mar29° / 22°71.411.97.5
Apr31° / 24°20.712.46.1
May32° / 26°301.112.85.1
Jun32° / 27°91.3135.2
Jul29° / 25°30.712.96.7
Aug28° / 24°30.712.67.3
Sep29° / 24°51.312.16.8
Oct30° / 24°90.811.66.6
Nov29° / 22°81.211.27.3
Dec27° / 20°20.5118.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 85% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 7% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 7%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1919
2919
3919
4928
5928
6928
7928
8928
9928
10928
11946
12946
13946
14946
15946
16946
17946
18937
19937
20937
21937
22937
23937
24937
25937
26937
27937
28937
29937
30937
31937

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Salalah gets around 2 mm of rain over 0.5 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 2% and peaks near 2% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
12
22
32
41
51
61
71
81
91
101
111
121
131
142
152
162
172
182
192
202
212
222
232
242
252
262
272
282
292
302
312

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 38% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 16% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1211634272
2231634261
3241534261
4261534251
5271433241
6281433231
7291433221
8301433211
9311334201
10321334191
11331334181
12341334171
13361334171
14371334161
15381334151
16391334141
17391334130
18401333130
19411333120
20431332120
21441331120
22451330110
23461429110
24471428110
25481427110
26481527100
27481526100
28481626100
2948172690
3048172690
3147182680

Wind in December

Winds average 10 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
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 06 min at the start of December to 11 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:42 AM to 6:57 AM, and sunset from 5:45 PM to 5:57 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.16:425:45
211.06:425:45
311.06:435:45
411.06:435:46
511.06:445:46
611.06:455:46
711.06:455:46
811.06:465:47
911.06:465:47
1011.06:475:47
1111.06:475:48
1211.06:485:48
1311.06:495:48
1411.06:495:49
1511.06:505:49
1611.06:505:49
1711.06:515:50
1811.06:515:50
1911.06:525:51
2011.06:525:51
2111.06:535:52
2211.06:535:52
2311.06:545:53
2411.06:545:53
2511.06:545:54
2611.06:555:54
2711.06:555:55
2811.06:565:55
2911.06:565:56
3011.06:575:56
3111.06:575:57

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.21 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.21 kWh/m² to a high of 7.23 kWh/m² in April across the year — December's 5.21 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.2Bright
115.2Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.2Bright
305.3Bright
315.3Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Salalah

In seasonPeak

In December, Salalah sits inside its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Salalah sits in the North Indian Ocean cyclone zone; the season peaks May and October–November.

Salalah sees seasonal dust haze (May–September), heaviest in July.

Cyclone
Dust
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Salalah?

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

8.7
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
8.9
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Salalah in December

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

In December, Salalah sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 20°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Salalah in December

The nearest coast averages about 26°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 16 km away) is warmest in May at about 29°C and coldest in August near 24°C.

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

22°24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan25Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr28Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun28Tropical
Jul25Warm
Aug24Refreshing
Sep25Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec26Warm

UV index in Salalah in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Salalah peaks around April 23 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highExtremeVery highHighApr 23UV 12Dec 15UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb11Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug11Extreme
Sep10Very high
Oct10Extreme
Nov8Very high
Dec6High

Air quality in Salalah 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 Salalah is worst in July — around 60 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.7× the cleanest month (October, 22 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorUnhealthyPoorModeratePoorJul 1159 µg/m³Oct 1623 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan42Poor
Feb44Poor
Mar39Poor
Apr35Poor
May37Poor
Jun58Unhealthy
Jul60Unhealthy
Aug45Poor
Sep30Moderate
Oct22Moderate
Nov31Moderate
Dec41Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Salalah?

Salalah sits at 17.0°N, 54.1°E, 13 m above sea level, in Oman. The nearest listed city is Ghayl Bā Wazīr, 563 km away.

Adam‘IbrīZayed CityBahlaNizwa

Topography around Salalah

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Salalah has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 26 m around an average of 11 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 856 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,685 m.

The land around Salalah is covered by artificial surfaces (38%) within 3 km, water (39%) and grassland (22%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (54%) and water (30%) within 80 km.

3 km
26 m
16 km
856 m
80 km
1,685 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Ghayl Bā Wazīr 563 km · Mukalla 598 km · El Dibir 661 km · Adam 696 km · ‘Ibrī 735 km · Zayed City 739 km · Bahla 743 km · Nizwa 750 km

Oman travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type G
240 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 47% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$19,947
2025
Happiness
6.2 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
91%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.1
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
10.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 407
Religion
Muslim 86%Christian 6%Hindu 6%other and unaffiliated 2%

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 Salalah (17.015°, 54.0924°, elevation 13 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).