Arequipa weather in December
In December, Arequipa sees average daytime highs of 19°C and overnight lows near 10°C, with 64 mm of rain across 12.9 wet days and about 13 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.
Highs ease over the month, from about 20°C in the first days to 18°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 11% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 12 h 54 min at the start of December to 13 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Arequipa's 9th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Arequipa's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 19°
- 8th warmest
- Overnight low
- 10°
- 12th coldest
- Rainfall
- 64 mm
- 12.9 wet days
- Daylight
- 13 hours
- 5:13 AM – 6:11 PM
- Cloud cover
- 76%
- 9th clearest
- Wind
- 6 km/h
- 8th windiest
- Solar energy
- 7.33 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 5.5
- out of 10
Arequipa is city of Peru, capital of Arequipa region.
- Density
- 1,840/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1540
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in December
Highs ease over the month, from about 20°C in the first days to 18°C by the end.
A typical December day in Arequipa reaches about 19°C in the afternoon and slips back to 10°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 16°C and 21°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Avg low (°C) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | 10 |
| 2 | 20 | 10 |
| 3 | 20 | 10 |
| 4 | 20 | 10 |
| 5 | 20 | 10 |
| 6 | 20 | 10 |
| 7 | 20 | 10 |
| 8 | 20 | 10 |
| 9 | 20 | 10 |
| 10 | 20 | 10 |
| 11 | 19 | 10 |
| 12 | 19 | 10 |
| 13 | 19 | 10 |
| 14 | 19 | 10 |
| 15 | 19 | 10 |
| 16 | 19 | 10 |
| 17 | 19 | 10 |
| 18 | 19 | 10 |
| 19 | 19 | 10 |
| 20 | 19 | 10 |
| 21 | 19 | 10 |
| 22 | 18 | 10 |
| 23 | 18 | 10 |
| 24 | 18 | 10 |
| 25 | 18 | 10 |
| 26 | 18 | 10 |
| 27 | 18 | 10 |
| 28 | 18 | 10 |
| 29 | 18 | 10 |
| 30 | 18 | 10 |
| 31 | 18 | 10 |
Arequipa weather by month
How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 8th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 17° / 10° | 199 | 27.1 | 12.9 | 3.2 |
| Feb | 17° / 10° | 225 | 26.9 | 12.6 | 2.8 |
| Mar | 17° / 10° | 183 | 27.6 | 12.1 | 3.1 |
| Apr | 18° / 9° | 59 | 14 | 11.6 | 5.4 |
| May | 20° / 8° | 6 | 1.6 | 11.2 | 8.0 |
| Jun | 20° / 7° | 1 | 0.2 | 11 | 8.4 |
| Jul | 19° / 6° | 1 | 0.4 | 11.1 | 8.4 |
| Aug | 20° / 7° | 2 | 0.6 | 11.5 | 8.5 |
| Sep | 21° / 9° | 3 | 0.8 | 11.9 | 8.4 |
| Oct | 21° / 10° | 7 | 2 | 12.4 | 7.9 |
| Nov | 20° / 10° | 12 | 3.5 | 12.8 | 7.3 |
| Dec | 19° / 10° | 64 | 12.9 | 13 | 5.5 |
Cloud cover in December
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 11% of the time in December.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 78%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 35 | 35 | 35 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Cloudier (%) | 65 | 65 | 65 | 68 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 70 | 72 | 72 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 81 | 81 | 83 | 85 | 85 | 86 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35 | 65 |
| 2 | 35 | 65 |
| 3 | 35 | 65 |
| 4 | 32 | 68 |
| 5 | 32 | 68 |
| 6 | 31 | 69 |
| 7 | 30 | 70 |
| 8 | 30 | 70 |
| 9 | 28 | 72 |
| 10 | 28 | 72 |
| 11 | 26 | 74 |
| 12 | 26 | 74 |
| 13 | 25 | 75 |
| 14 | 24 | 76 |
| 15 | 23 | 77 |
| 16 | 22 | 78 |
| 17 | 21 | 79 |
| 18 | 19 | 81 |
| 19 | 19 | 81 |
| 20 | 17 | 83 |
| 21 | 15 | 85 |
| 22 | 15 | 85 |
| 23 | 14 | 86 |
| 24 | 12 | 88 |
| 25 | 12 | 88 |
| 26 | 12 | 88 |
| 27 | 12 | 88 |
| 28 | 10 | 90 |
| 29 | 10 | 90 |
| 30 | 10 | 90 |
| 31 | 10 | 90 |
Chance of precipitation in December
Arequipa gets around 64 mm of rain over 12.9 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 42% and peaks near 74% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 33 | 35 | 38 | 40 | 43 | 46 | 49 | 51 | 54 | 57 | 59 | 62 | 64 | 66 | 67 | 69 | 71 | 72 | 74 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 14 |
| 2 | 14 |
| 3 | 15 |
| 4 | 16 |
| 5 | 17 |
| 6 | 18 |
| 7 | 20 |
| 8 | 22 |
| 9 | 24 |
| 10 | 26 |
| 11 | 28 |
| 12 | 30 |
| 13 | 33 |
| 14 | 35 |
| 15 | 38 |
| 16 | 40 |
| 17 | 43 |
| 18 | 46 |
| 19 | 49 |
| 20 | 51 |
| 21 | 54 |
| 22 | 57 |
| 23 | 59 |
| 24 | 62 |
| 25 | 64 |
| 26 | 66 |
| 27 | 67 |
| 28 | 69 |
| 29 | 71 |
| 30 | 72 |
| 31 | 74 |
Humidity in December
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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Dry (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 100 |
| 2 | 100 |
| 3 | 100 |
| 4 | 100 |
| 5 | 100 |
| 6 | 100 |
| 7 | 100 |
| 8 | 100 |
| 9 | 100 |
| 10 | 100 |
| 11 | 100 |
| 12 | 100 |
| 13 | 100 |
| 14 | 100 |
| 15 | 100 |
| 16 | 100 |
| 17 | 100 |
| 18 | 100 |
| 19 | 100 |
| 20 | 100 |
| 21 | 100 |
| 22 | 100 |
| 23 | 100 |
| 24 | 100 |
| 25 | 100 |
| 26 | 100 |
| 27 | 100 |
| 28 | 100 |
| 29 | 100 |
| 30 | 100 |
| 31 | 100 |
Wind in December
Winds average 6 km/h in December.
Across December, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | calm |
| 2 | 7 | calm |
| 3 | 6 | calm |
| 4 | 6 | calm |
| 5 | 6 | calm |
| 6 | 6 | calm |
| 7 | 6 | calm |
| 8 | 6 | calm |
| 9 | 6 | calm |
| 10 | 6 | calm |
| 11 | 6 | calm |
| 12 | 6 | calm |
| 13 | 6 | calm |
| 14 | 6 | calm |
| 15 | 6 | calm |
| 16 | 6 | calm |
| 17 | 6 | calm |
| 18 | 6 | calm |
| 19 | 6 | calm |
| 20 | 6 | calm |
| 21 | 6 | calm |
| 22 | 6 | calm |
| 23 | 6 | calm |
| 24 | 6 | calm |
| 25 | 6 | calm |
| 26 | 6 | calm |
| 27 | 6 | calm |
| 28 | 6 | calm |
| 29 | 6 | calm |
| 30 | 6 | calm |
| 31 | 6 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in December
Daylight runs from about 12 h 54 min at the start of December to 13 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:09 AM to 5:20 AM, and sunset from 6:03 PM to 6:18 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:09 | 5:09 | 5:09 | 5:09 | 5:10 | 5:10 | 5:10 | 5:10 | 5:11 | 5:11 | 5:11 | 5:12 | 5:12 | 5:12 | 5:13 | 5:13 | 5:14 | 5:14 | 5:14 | 5:15 | 5:15 | 5:16 | 5:16 | 5:17 | 5:17 | 5:18 | 5:18 | 5:19 | 5:19 | 5:20 | 5:20 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:03 | 6:04 | 6:04 | 6:05 | 6:05 | 6:06 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:09 | 6:09 | 6:10 | 6:10 | 6:11 | 6:11 | 6:12 | 6:12 | 6:13 | 6:13 | 6:14 | 6:14 | 6:15 | 6:15 | 6:16 | 6:16 | 6:17 | 6:17 | 6:17 | 6:18 | 6:18 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12.9 | 5:09 | 6:03 |
| 2 | 12.9 | 5:09 | 6:04 |
| 3 | 12.9 | 5:09 | 6:04 |
| 4 | 12.9 | 5:09 | 6:05 |
| 5 | 12.9 | 5:10 | 6:05 |
| 6 | 12.9 | 5:10 | 6:06 |
| 7 | 12.9 | 5:10 | 6:07 |
| 8 | 12.9 | 5:10 | 6:07 |
| 9 | 13.0 | 5:11 | 6:08 |
| 10 | 13.0 | 5:11 | 6:08 |
| 11 | 13.0 | 5:11 | 6:09 |
| 12 | 13.0 | 5:12 | 6:09 |
| 13 | 13.0 | 5:12 | 6:10 |
| 14 | 13.0 | 5:12 | 6:10 |
| 15 | 13.0 | 5:13 | 6:11 |
| 16 | 13.0 | 5:13 | 6:11 |
| 17 | 13.0 | 5:14 | 6:12 |
| 18 | 13.0 | 5:14 | 6:12 |
| 19 | 13.0 | 5:14 | 6:13 |
| 20 | 13.0 | 5:15 | 6:13 |
| 21 | 13.0 | 5:15 | 6:14 |
| 22 | 13.0 | 5:16 | 6:14 |
| 23 | 13.0 | 5:16 | 6:15 |
| 24 | 13.0 | 5:17 | 6:15 |
| 25 | 13.0 | 5:17 | 6:16 |
| 26 | 13.0 | 5:18 | 6:16 |
| 27 | 13.0 | 5:18 | 6:17 |
| 28 | 13.0 | 5:19 | 6:17 |
| 29 | 13.0 | 5:19 | 6:17 |
| 30 | 13.0 | 5:20 | 6:18 |
| 31 | 13.0 | 5:20 | 6:18 |
Solar energy in December
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 7.33 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.28 kWh/m² to a high of 8.26 kWh/m² in November across the year — December's 7.33 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.7 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 6.4 |
| Level | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8.1 | Intense |
| 2 | 8.1 | Intense |
| 3 | 8.1 | Intense |
| 4 | 8.1 | Intense |
| 5 | 8.0 | Intense |
| 6 | 8.0 | Intense |
| 7 | 7.9 | Intense |
| 8 | 7.9 | Intense |
| 9 | 7.8 | Intense |
| 10 | 7.8 | Intense |
| 11 | 7.7 | Intense |
| 12 | 7.7 | Intense |
| 13 | 7.6 | Intense |
| 14 | 7.5 | Intense |
| 15 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 16 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 17 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 18 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 19 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 20 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 21 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 22 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 23 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 24 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 25 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 26 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 27 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 28 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 29 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 30 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 31 | 6.4 | Intense |
Hazard calendar for Arequipa
None of Arequipa's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.
Arequipa's monsoon runs January–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is December a good time to visit Arequipa?
Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
December is a reasonable time to visit Arequipa for sightseeing.
What to pack for Arequipa in December
From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In December, Arequipa sees daytime highs around 19°C and nights near 10°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 13 days see rain.
UV index in Arequipa in December
Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Arequipa peaks around February 8 at about 17 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 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) | 17 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 15 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 17 | Extreme |
| Feb | 17 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 14 | Extreme |
| Oct | 16 | Extreme |
| Nov | 14 | Extreme |
| Dec | 15 | Extreme |
Where is Arequipa?
Arequipa sits at 16.4°S, 71.5°W, 2,397 m above sea level, in Peru. The nearest listed city is Selva Alegre, 3.0 km away.
Topography around Arequipa
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Arequipa.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Arequipa has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 267 m around an average of 2,361 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,004 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 6,186 m.
The land around Arequipa is covered by artificial surfaces (73%) within 3 km, bare terrain (44%) and shrubs (27%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (66%) and grassland (20%) within 80 km.
Peru travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type A / B / C
- 220 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 51% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $9,684
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.0 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 49%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 8.6
- per 100k, 2021
- Road deaths
- 13.6
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Moderate
- EF EPI 519
- 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 Arequipa (-16.399°, -71.5375°, elevation 2,397 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. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).