El Nido weather in December

In December, El Nido sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 177 mm of rain across 17 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of December to 11 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is El Nido's 5th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see El Nido's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
10th warmest
Overnight low
26°
8th coldest
Rainfall
177 mm
17 wet days
Daylight
11 h 18 min
6:18 AM – 5:39 PM
Cloud cover
66%
5th clearest
Wind
19 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
4.35 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.8
out of 10

El Nido is municipality of the Philippines in the province of Palawan.

Density
56/km²
people per km²
Founded
1916

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 29°C through the month.

A typical December day in El Nido reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°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)
12926
22926
32926
42926
52926
62926
72926
82926
92926
102926
112926
122926
132926
142926
152926
162926
172926
182926
192926
202926
212926
222926
232826
242826
252826
262826
272826
282826
292826
302826
312826

How December really feels in El Nido

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 27 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
27
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in December is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

El Nido weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 25°548.611.46.0
Feb29° / 25°395.911.66.2
Mar29° / 26°476.811.95.9
Apr30° / 27°5710.212.24.9
May30° / 27°17922.512.53.4
Jun30° / 26°28726.712.62.9
Jul29° / 26°36227.912.63.0
Aug29° / 26°29625.112.43.3
Sep29° / 26°33126.512.13.2
Oct29° / 26°26426.711.73.3
Nov29° / 26°20220.811.54.0
Dec29° / 26°1771711.44.8

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14159
24060
33961
43961
54159
64159
74159
84159
94258
104258
114258
124357
134258
144357
154357
164258
174357
184357
194258
204258
214258
224159
234258
244258
254357
264258
274357
284456
294456
304654
314654

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

El Nido gets around 177 mm of rain over 17 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 54% and peaks near 64% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
164
264
364
464
564
664
763
863
963
1062
1161
1260
1359
1458
1556
1655
1753
1852
1951
2050
2149
2248
2347
2446
2545
2644
2743
2842
2941
3040
3139

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 49% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
103961
204060
304159
404258
504258
604357
704357
804357
904357
1004357
1104456
1204456
1304555
1404654
1514752
1614752
1714851
1824949
1925048
2035146
2135344
2245343
2355441
2455639
2565737
2675835
2776033
2886131
2986329
3096328
3196526

Wind in December

Winds average 19 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 18 km/h on the calmest days to 21 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
118light breeze
218light breeze
318light breeze
419light breeze
519light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1520light breeze
1620light breeze
1720light breeze
1820light breeze
1920light breeze
2020light breeze
2120light breeze
2220light breeze
2320light breeze
2420breezy
2520breezy
2620breezy
2720breezy
2820breezy
2920breezy
3020breezy
3121breezy

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 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 grow by about 0 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:10 AM to 6:25 AM, and sunset from 5:34 PM to 5:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:105:34
211.46:115:34
311.46:115:34
411.46:125:35
511.46:125:35
611.46:135:35
711.46:145:36
811.46:145:36
911.46:155:36
1011.46:155:37
1111.46:165:37
1211.46:165:37
1311.46:175:38
1411.46:175:38
1511.36:185:39
1611.36:185:39
1711.36:195:39
1811.36:195:40
1911.36:205:40
2011.36:205:41
2111.36:215:41
2211.36:215:42
2311.36:225:42
2411.36:225:43
2511.36:225:43
2611.36:235:44
2711.36:235:44
2811.36:245:45
2911.36:245:45
3011.46:255:46
3111.46:255:46

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.35 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.35 kWh/m² to a high of 6.32 kWh/m² in April across the year — December's 4.35 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.4Bright
24.4Bright
34.4Bright
44.4Bright
54.3Bright
64.3Bright
74.3Bright
84.3Bright
94.3Bright
104.3Bright
114.3Bright
124.3Bright
134.3Bright
144.3Bright
154.3Bright
164.4Bright
174.4Bright
184.4Bright
194.4Bright
204.4Bright
214.4Bright
224.5Bright
234.5Bright
244.5Bright
254.5Bright
264.5Bright
274.6Bright
284.6Bright
294.6Bright
304.6Bright
314.7Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for El Nido

In seasonPeak

In December, El Nido sits inside its pacific typhoon and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

El Nido sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

El Nido's rainy season runs May–December, when most of the year's rain falls.

Pacific typhoon
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit El Nido?

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

4.8
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
5.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit El Nido for sightseeing.

What to pack for El Nido in December

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

In December, El Nido sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. About 17 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near El Nido 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 21 km away) is warmest in May at about 30°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°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar28Warm
Apr29Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in El Nido in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in El Nido peaks around August 17 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 10 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highAug 17UV 14Dec 10UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec9Very high
Location & terrain

Where is El Nido?

El Nido sits at 11.2°N, 119.4°E, 36 m above sea level, in Philippines. The nearest listed city is Roxas, 96 km away.

RoxasCulionCoronPuerto PrincesaSan JoseSablayanNarraMamburao

Topography around El Nido

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around El Nido has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 440 m around an average of 41 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 666 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 979 m.

The land around El Nido is covered by trees (49%) and water (46%) within 3 km, water (55%) and trees (41%) within 16 km, and water (82%) within 80 km.

3 km
440 m
16 km
666 m
80 km
979 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
December weather nearby: Roxas 96 km · Culion 104 km · Coron 126 km · Puerto Princesa 176 km · San Jose 224 km · Sablayan 236 km · Narra 239 km · Mamburao 261 km

Philippines travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B / C
230 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 33% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$4,171
2025
Happiness
6.2 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
48%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
4.3
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
High
EF EPI 569
Religion
Roman Catholic 79%other 8%Muslim 6%other Christian 4%

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 El Nido (11.1858°, 119.3956°, elevation 36 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).