Portobelo weather in December

In December, Portobelo sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 181 mm of rain across 24.9 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-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 21% 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 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Portobelo's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Portobelo's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
8th warmest
Overnight low
24°
5th coldest
Rainfall
181 mm
24.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
6:31 AM – 5:58 PM
Cloud cover
65%
4th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
4.23 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.3
out of 10

Portobelo is port city and corregimiento in Portobelo District, Colón Province, Panama.

Founded
1597

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 Portobelo 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)
12724
22724
32724
42724
52724
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 Portobelo

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.

Portobelo weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 24°6416.211.55.7
Feb27° / 24°4012.111.76.2
Mar27° / 24°4314.211.96.0
Apr28° / 25°10320.612.24.7
May28° / 25°26529.712.43.2
Jun28° / 25°30129.312.53.0
Jul28° / 25°32530.312.53.2
Aug28° / 25°32330.512.33.2
Sep28° / 25°29629.812.13.2
Oct28° / 25°3113011.83.3
Nov27° / 24°33928.911.63.5
Dec27° / 24°18124.911.54.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% 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 (%)
12971
22971
33169
43169
53169
63268
73268
83466
93466
103664
113664
123862
133961
144258
154456
164555
174753
184951
195050
205149
215248
225446
235446
245545
255644
265743
275842
285842
295842
306040
316040

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Portobelo gets around 181 mm of rain over 24.9 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 80% and peaks near 91% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
191
291
390
490
589
688
788
887
986
1086
1185
1284
1384
1483
1582
1681
1780
1879
1978
2077
2177
2276
2375
2474
2572
2671
2770
2869
2967
3066
3164

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 83% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
117722
217722
317722
417821
517821
617821
717920
817920
918019
1018019
1118118
1218118
1318217
1418316
1518316
1618415
1718415
1828414
1928414
2028414
2128513
2228513
2328513
2428612
2528612
2628612
2728711
2828711
2928810
3028810
312899

Wind in December

Winds average 16 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2017light breeze
2117light breeze
2217light breeze
2317light breeze
2417light breeze
2517light breeze
2618light breeze
2718light breeze
2818light breeze
2918light breeze
3018light breeze
3118light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min at the start of December to 11 h 24 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 6:24 AM to 6:38 AM, and sunset from 5:53 PM to 6:05 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:245:53
211.56:245:53
311.56:255:53
411.56:255:54
511.56:265:54
611.56:265:54
711.56:275:55
811.56:275:55
911.56:285:55
1011.56:285:56
1111.56:295:56
1211.56:295:57
1311.46:305:57
1411.46:305:57
1511.46:315:58
1611.46:315:58
1711.46:325:59
1811.46:325:59
1911.46:335:59
2011.46:336:00
2111.46:346:00
2211.46:346:01
2311.46:356:01
2411.46:356:02
2511.46:366:02
2611.46:366:03
2711.46:376:03
2811.46:376:04
2911.46:376:04
3011.46:386:05
3111.46:386:05

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.23 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.9 kWh/m² to a high of 5.67 kWh/m² in March across the year — December's 4.23 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.0Moderate
24.0Moderate
34.0Bright
44.0Bright
54.0Bright
64.0Bright
74.1Bright
84.1Bright
94.1Bright
104.1Bright
114.1Bright
124.2Bright
134.2Bright
144.2Bright
154.2Bright
164.2Bright
174.3Bright
184.3Bright
194.3Bright
204.3Bright
214.3Bright
224.3Bright
234.4Bright
244.4Bright
254.4Bright
264.4Bright
274.4Bright
284.5Bright
294.5Bright
304.5Bright
314.5Bright
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Portobelo?

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

4.3
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
4.5
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Portobelo for sightseeing.

What to pack for Portobelo in December

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

In December, Portobelo sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. About 25 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Portobelo 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 offshore is warmest in October 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.

26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr28Warm
May28Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Portobelo 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 Portobelo peaks around March 22 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 22UV 13Dec 15UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec10Very high

Air quality in Portobelo 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 Portobelo is worst in July — around 29 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (November, 13 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateJul 1529 µg/m³Nov 1413 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan15Moderate
Feb18Moderate
Mar18Moderate
Apr23Moderate
May26Moderate
Jun25Moderate
Jul29Moderate
Aug23Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov13Moderate
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Portobelo?

Portobelo sits at 9.6°N, 79.7°W, 0 m above sea level, in Panama. The nearest listed city is Sabanitas, 28 km away.

ChilibreAlcalde DíazLa CabimaLas CumbresNuevo Belén

Topography around Portobelo

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Portobelo has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 256 m around an average of 36 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 978 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,009 m.

The land around Portobelo is covered by trees (43%), grassland (31%) and water (22%) within 3 km, water (51%) and trees (33%) within 16 km, and water (50%) and trees (38%) within 80 km.

3 km
256 m
16 km
978 m
80 km
1,009 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
December weather nearby: Sabanitas 28 km · Cativá 29 km · Colon 34 km · Chilibre 45 km · Alcalde Díaz 49 km · La Cabima 50 km · Las Cumbres 53 km · Nuevo Belén 59 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 Portobelo (9.553°, -79.6569°, 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).