Zamboanga City weather in December

In December, Zamboanga City sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 157 mm of rain across 23.2 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 36 min at the start of December to 11 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Zamboanga City's 5th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zamboanga City's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
5th warmest
Overnight low
25°
10th coldest
Rainfall
157 mm
23.2 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:00 AM – 5:36 PM
Cloud cover
76%
5th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.09 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.3
out of 10
Air quality
Elevated
PM10 46 µg/m³ · 2018

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 28°C through the month.

A typical December day in Zamboanga City reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°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)
12825
22825
32825
42825
52825
62825
72825
82825
92825
102825
112825
122825
132825
142825
152825
162825
172825
182825
192825
202825
212825
222825
232825
242825
252825
262825
272825
282825
292825
302825
312825

How December really feels in Zamboanga City

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.

Zamboanga City weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 5th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 25°11917.711.65.1
Feb28° / 25°9814.511.85.3
Mar28° / 25°10818.4124.8
Apr29° / 25°13022.612.13.9
May28° / 25°20826.912.33.5
Jun28° / 25°24726.212.43.6
Jul27° / 25°21626.512.43.8
Aug28° / 25°19224.812.24.0
Sep28° / 25°19024.6124.0
Oct28° / 25°24527.211.83.7
Nov28° / 25°19725.111.73.9
Dec28° / 25°15723.211.64.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% 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 76%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12575
22674
32674
42674
52674
62674
72674
82674
92674
102575
112575
122575
132575
142476
152476
162476
172377
182377
192278
202278
212278
222179
232278
242278
252278
262377
272278
282278
292476
302476
312575

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Zamboanga City gets around 157 mm of rain over 23.2 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 74% and peaks near 78% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
178
278
377
477
577
677
777
878
978
1078
1178
1278
1378
1478
1578
1677
1777
1876
1975
2075
2174
2273
2372
2471
2570
2669
2768
2867
2967
3066
3165

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 90% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
108911
208911
308911
408911
508911
608911
708911
809010
909010
1009010
1109010
1209010
1309010
140919
150919
160919
170919
180919
190919
200919
211909
221909
231909
241909
251909
261909
272899
282908
292908
302908
312917

Wind in December

Winds average 7 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of December to 11 h 36 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 5:53 AM to 6:07 AM, and sunset from 5:30 PM to 5:43 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.65:535:30
211.65:535:31
311.65:545:31
411.65:545:31
511.65:555:32
611.65:555:32
711.65:555:32
811.65:565:33
911.65:565:33
1011.65:575:33
1111.65:575:34
1211.65:585:34
1311.65:585:35
1411.65:595:35
1511.65:595:35
1611.66:005:36
1711.66:005:36
1811.66:015:37
1911.66:015:37
2011.66:025:38
2111.66:025:38
2211.66:035:39
2311.66:035:39
2411.66:045:40
2511.66:045:40
2611.66:055:41
2711.66:055:41
2811.66:055:42
2911.66:065:42
3011.66:065:42
3111.66:075:43

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.09 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.08 kWh/m² to a high of 6.26 kWh/m² in March across the year — December's 5.09 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.1Bright
65.1Bright
75.1Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.1Bright
235.1Bright
245.1Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.2Bright
305.2Bright
315.2Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Zamboanga City

In seasonPeak

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

Zamboanga City sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

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

Is December a good time to visit Zamboanga City?

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

4.3
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
4.7
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Zamboanga City for sightseeing.

What to pack for Zamboanga City in December

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

In December, Zamboanga City sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 23 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Zamboanga City in December

The nearest coast averages about 29°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 May at about 29°C and coldest in January near 28°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
Jan28Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar28Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Zamboanga City 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 Zamboanga City peaks around March 17 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near November 22 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeExtremeMar 17UV 14Nov 22UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec10Extreme

Air quality in Zamboanga City 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 Zamboanga City is worst in March — around 39 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.6× the cleanest month (August, 15 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateMar 1938 µg/m³Aug 1015 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan29Moderate
Feb33Moderate
Mar39Poor
Apr36Poor
May25Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct26Moderate
Nov30Moderate
Dec28Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Zamboanga City?

Zamboanga City sits at 6.9°N, 122.1°E, 9 m above sea level, in Philippines. The nearest listed city is Recodo, 13 km away.

SioconIpilJoloPagadian

Topography around Zamboanga City

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Zamboanga City has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 24 m around an average of 5 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 976 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,347 m.

The land around Zamboanga City is covered by artificial surfaces (41%) and water (38%) within 3 km, water (58%) and trees (33%) within 16 km, and water (79%) and trees (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
24 m
16 km
976 m
80 km
1,347 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
December weather nearby: Recodo 13 km · City of Isabela 26 km · Maluso 46 km · Al-Barka 48 km · Siocon 89 km · Ipil 112 km · Jolo 152 km · Pagadian 182 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 Zamboanga City (6.9103°, 122.0739°, elevation 9 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).