Bocas del Toro weather in December

In December, Bocas del Toro sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 285 mm of rain across 21.7 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-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 22% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of December to 11 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Bocas del Toro's 4th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bocas del Toro's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
10th warmest
Overnight low
24°
4th coldest
Rainfall
285 mm
21.7 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
6:41 AM – 6:09 PM
Cloud cover
64%
4th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
3.98 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.7
out of 10

Bocas del Toro is human settlement in Panama.

Founded
1903

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 Bocas del Toro 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 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
42824
52824
62824
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 Bocas del Toro

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.

Bocas del Toro weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 24°18118.811.55.3
Feb27° / 24°1281711.75.3
Mar28° / 24°11818.311.95.2
Apr28° / 25°12219.412.24.4
May29° / 25°26425.612.43.4
Jun29° / 25°24927.912.53.0
Jul28° / 25°29128.612.53.1
Aug29° / 25°23127.612.33.2
Sep29° / 25°17826.112.13.3
Oct28° / 25°27127.511.83.3
Nov28° / 25°36225.311.63.9
Dec27° / 24°28521.711.54.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 56%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13268
23466
33466
43565
53565
63565
73664
83763
93763
103862
113862
124060
134159
144258
154456
164456
174654
184654
194852
204951
214951
225149
235149
245248
255149
265248
275248
285248
295248
305248
315248

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Bocas del Toro gets around 285 mm of rain over 21.7 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 77% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
177
277
376
476
575
674
774
873
973
1072
1172
1271
1371
1470
1570
1669
1769
1868
1968
2067
2167
2267
2368
2468
2568
2669
2769
2869
2970
3070
3169

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 72% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
11882
21882
31981
42080
52179
62278
72377
82377
92476
102476
112575
122575
132674
142674
152773
162773
172872
182872
192971
202971
213070
223169
233169
243268
253367
263367
273466
283565
293565
303664
313763

Wind in December

Winds average 10 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 11 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
110calm
210calm
310calm
410calm
510calm
610calm
710calm
810calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min at the start of December to 11 h 30 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 6:34 AM to 6:48 AM, and sunset from 6:04 PM to 6:16 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:346:04
211.56:346:04
311.56:356:04
411.56:356:04
511.56:366:05
611.56:366:05
711.56:376:05
811.56:376:06
911.56:386:06
1011.56:386:06
1111.56:396:07
1211.56:396:07
1311.56:406:08
1411.56:406:08
1511.56:416:08
1611.56:416:09
1711.56:426:09
1811.56:426:10
1911.56:436:10
2011.56:436:11
2111.56:446:11
2211.56:446:12
2311.56:456:12
2411.56:456:13
2511.56:466:13
2611.56:466:14
2711.56:476:14
2811.56:476:14
2911.56:476:15
3011.56:486:15
3111.56:486:16

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 3.98 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.66 kWh/m² to a high of 5.42 kWh/m² in March across the year — December's 3.98 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.8Moderate
23.8Moderate
33.8Moderate
43.8Moderate
53.8Moderate
63.8Moderate
73.9Moderate
83.9Moderate
93.9Moderate
103.9Moderate
113.9Moderate
123.9Moderate
133.9Moderate
143.9Moderate
153.9Moderate
163.9Moderate
174.0Moderate
184.0Moderate
194.0Moderate
204.0Bright
214.0Bright
224.0Bright
234.1Bright
244.1Bright
254.1Bright
264.1Bright
274.1Bright
284.2Bright
294.2Bright
304.2Bright
314.2Bright
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Bocas del Toro?

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

4.7
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
4.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Bocas del Toro for sightseeing.

What to pack for Bocas del Toro in December

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

In December, Bocas del Toro sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. About 22 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Bocas del Toro in December

The nearest coast averages about 28°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 13 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
Mar28Warm
Apr28Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Bocas del Toro in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Bocas del Toro peaks around March 19 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 19UV 14Dec 16UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec10Very high

Air quality in Bocas del Toro 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 Bocas del Toro is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (January, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1517 µg/m³Jan 108 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr15Moderate
May16Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov9Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Bocas del Toro?

Bocas del Toro sits at 9.3°N, 82.2°W, 0 m above sea level, in Panama. The nearest listed city is Changuinola, 32 km away.

BoquetePuerto ViejoLa ConcepciónDavidPedregalBoca Chica

Topography around Bocas del Toro

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Bocas del Toro has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 44 m around an average of 2 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 106 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,431 m.

The land around Bocas del Toro is covered by water (82%) within 3 km, water (76%) and trees (20%) within 16 km, and trees (52%) and water (45%) within 80 km.

3 km
44 m
16 km
106 m
80 km
3,431 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: Changuinola 32 km · Boquete 66 km · Puerto Viejo 66 km · La Concepción 101 km · David 104 km · Pedregal 109 km · Puerto Limón 113 km · Boca Chica 125 km

Panama travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B
110 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 45% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$19,790
2025
Happiness
6.5 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
11.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
13.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 491
Religion
Evangelical 55%Roman Catholic 33%none 10%

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 Bocas del Toro (9.3403°, -82.242°, 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. 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).