Ko Tao weather in December

In December, Ko Tao sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 122 mm of rain across 11 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 6th-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 28% 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 Ko Tao's 5th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ko Tao's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
11th warmest
Overnight low
26°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
122 mm
11 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
6:34 AM – 5:59 PM
Cloud cover
61%
5th clearest
Wind
20 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
4.71 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
out of 10

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 Ko Tao reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

24°26°28°30°32°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12826
22826
32826
42826
52826
62826
72826
82826
92826
102826
112826
122826
132826
142826
152826
162726
172726
182726
192726
202726
212726
222726
232726
242726
252726
262726
272726
282726
292726
302726
312726

How December really feels in Ko Tao

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.

Ko Tao weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 26°728.211.56.9
Feb28° / 27°304.411.77.4
Mar28° / 27°878.411.96.3
Apr29° / 28°9712.712.25.1
May29° / 28°15022.312.53.7
Jun29° / 27°12720.412.63.8
Jul29° / 27°11520.112.54.0
Aug29° / 27°12119.612.34.2
Sep28° / 27°1682312.13.8
Oct28° / 26°29025.211.84.0
Nov28° / 26°25619.111.54.8
Dec27° / 26°1221111.46.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 54%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14159
24159
34258
44258
54258
64258
74258
84357
94357
104357
114357
124357
134555
144555
154555
164555
174555
184654
194852
204852
214852
224951
235050
245050
255149
265149
275248
285248
295347
305347
315347

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Ko Tao gets around 122 mm of rain over 11 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 36% and peaks near 51% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
151
250
349
447
546
645
744
843
942
1041
1140
1239
1338
1437
1536
1634
1734
1833
1932
2031
2130
2229
2328
2428
2527
2627
2726
2826
2926
3026
3126

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 70% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 98% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1186625
2186724
3186823
4196822
5196921
60107119
70107218
80117217
90117316
100127216
110137215
120137314
130147313
141157113
151167112
161177012
171187011
181187011
192196811
202196910
212206810
22220699
23320689
24321679
25321688
26321688
27321697
28320707
29320716
30419716
31419716

Wind in December

Winds average 20 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
320light breeze
420light breeze
520light breeze
620light breeze
720light breeze
820light breeze
920light breeze
1020breezy
1120breezy
1220breezy
1320breezy
1420breezy
1520breezy
1620breezy
1720breezy
1820breezy
1920breezy
2020breezy
2120breezy
2220breezy
2320breezy
2420breezy
2520breezy
2620light breeze
2720light breeze
2820light breeze
2919light breeze
3019light breeze
3119light 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 6:27 AM to 6:41 AM, and sunset from 5:54 PM to 6:06 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:275:54
211.46:275:54
311.46:285:55
411.46:285:55
511.46:295:55
611.46:295:55
711.46:305:56
811.46:305:56
911.46:315:56
1011.46:315:57
1111.46:325:57
1211.46:325:58
1311.46:335:58
1411.46:335:58
1511.46:345:59
1611.46:345:59
1711.46:356:00
1811.46:356:00
1911.46:366:01
2011.46:366:01
2111.46:376:01
2211.46:376:02
2311.46:386:02
2411.46:386:03
2511.46:396:03
2611.46:396:04
2711.46:406:04
2811.46:406:05
2911.46:406:05
3011.46:416:06
3111.46:416:06

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.71 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.51 kWh/m² to a high of 6.4 kWh/m² in April across the year — December's 4.71 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.5Bright
24.5Bright
34.5Bright
44.5Bright
54.5Bright
64.5Bright
74.5Bright
84.6Bright
94.6Bright
104.6Bright
114.6Bright
124.7Bright
134.7Bright
144.7Bright
154.7Bright
164.7Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.8Bright
204.8Bright
214.8Bright
224.9Bright
234.9Bright
244.9Bright
254.9Bright
264.9Bright
274.9Bright
284.9Bright
294.9Bright
304.9Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Ko Tao

In seasonPeak

In December, Ko Tao sits inside its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Ko Tao sits in the North Indian Ocean cyclone zone; the season peaks May and October–November.

Ko Tao's rainy season runs September–November, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Ko Tao?

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

6.2
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
6.5
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Ko Tao for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Ko Tao in December

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

In December, Ko Tao sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear, sun protection and a windbreaker. About 11 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protectiona windbreaker

Sea temperature near Ko Tao 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 May at about 30°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°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Ko Tao 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 Ko Tao peaks around August 20 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 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 20UV 14Dec 20UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Extreme
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Ko Tao 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 Ko Tao is worst in January — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodJan 2016 µg/m³Nov 1110 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan16Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug12Good
Sep12Good
Oct11Good
Nov10Good
Dec12Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Ko Tao?

Ko Tao sits at 10.1°N, 99.8°E, 0 m above sea level, in Thailand. The nearest listed city is Ko Pha-ngan, 43 km away.

Surat ThaniTha KhamBang SaphanRanong

Topography around Ko Tao

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Ko Tao has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 368 m around an average of 60 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 368 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 621 m.

The land around Ko Tao is covered by water (49%) and trees (47%) within 3 km, water (98%) within 16 km, and water (95%) within 80 km.

3 km
368 m
16 km
368 m
80 km
621 m
treesartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Ko Pha-ngan 43 km · Ko Samui 63 km · Lang Suan 85 km · Chumphon 85 km · Surat Thani 119 km · Tha Kham 128 km · Bang Saphan 130 km · Ranong 132 km

Thailand travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B / C
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 31% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$8,057
2025
Happiness
6.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
4.8
per 100k, 2011
Road deaths
32.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 402
Religion
Buddhist 93%Muslim 5%Christian 1%other 1%

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 Ko Tao (10.0917°, 99.8377°, 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. 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).