Maracaibo weather in December

In December, Maracaibo sees average daytime highs of 34°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 30 mm of rain across 5.9 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 34°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% 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 Maracaibo's 3rd-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Maracaibo's year-round climate.

Daytime high
34°
9th warmest
Overnight low
25°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
30 mm
5.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
6:31 AM – 5:54 PM
Cloud cover
53%
3rd clearest
Wind
12 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.06 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.5
out of 10

Maracaibo is capital city of the Zulia state, Venezuela.

Density
1,258/km²
people per km²
Founded
1529

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 34°C through the month.

A typical December day in Maracaibo reaches about 34°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 31°C and 36°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and about 1°C cooler than January.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13325
23325
33325
43325
53325
63325
73325
83325
93325
103325
113325
123325
133325
143425
153425
163425
173425
183425
193425
203425
213425
223425
233425
243425
253425
263425
273425
283425
293425
303425
313425

How December really feels in Maracaibo

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 31 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
31
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.

Maracaibo weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 9th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan34° / 25°61.411.43.5
Feb35° / 25°30.811.63.2
Mar35° / 25°173.611.92.8
Apr35° / 26°589.812.22.4
May34° / 26°15118.812.52.3
Jun34° / 26°10013.812.62.4
Jul35° / 27°6711.612.62.3
Aug34° / 26°11917.312.42.3
Sep33° / 26°16421.512.12.2
Oct32° / 25°19625.511.82.4
Nov32° / 25°1351911.52.9
Dec34° / 25°305.911.43.5

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 42%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24555
34753
44753
54951
64951
75050
85050
95149
105347
115347
125446
135545
145644
155743
165842
176040
186040
196139
206238
216337
226436
236535
246634
256733
266733
276832
286832
297030
307129
317129

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Maracaibo gets around 30 mm of rain over 5.9 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 19% and peaks near 39% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
139
237
335
433
531
629
728
826
925
1024
1122
1221
1320
1419
1518
1617
1716
1815
1915
2014
2114
2213
2312
2412
2511
2611
2710
2810
299
309
319

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 54% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1075736
2085834
30105832
40115831
50125929
60145927
70155926
80175825
90185923
100195922
110215821
120225820
130245719
141255717
151265716
161285615
171295614
181305514
191315513
201335412
212345212
222355211
232375110
243384910
25340489
26341479
27343468
28344457
29346447
30347446
31348436

Wind in December

Winds average 12 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
110calm
210calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612light breeze
1712light breeze
1812light breeze
1912light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

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 6:24 AM to 6:38 AM, and sunset from 5:49 PM to 6:01 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:245:49
211.46:245:49
311.46:255:49
411.46:255:50
511.46:265:50
611.46:265:50
711.46:275:51
811.46:275:51
911.46:285:51
1011.46:285:52
1111.46:295:52
1211.46:295:52
1311.46:305:53
1411.46:305:53
1511.46:315:54
1611.46:315:54
1711.46:325:54
1811.46:325:55
1911.46:335:55
2011.46:335:56
2111.46:345:56
2211.46:345:57
2311.46:355:57
2411.46:355:58
2511.46:355:58
2611.46:365:59
2711.46:365:59
2811.46:376:00
2911.46:376:00
3011.46:386:01
3111.46:386:01

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.06 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.77 kWh/m² to a high of 6.19 kWh/m² in March across the year — December's 5.06 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.9Bright
24.9Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.9Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
135.0Bright
145.0Bright
155.0Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.1Bright
235.1Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.2Bright
305.2Bright
315.3Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Maracaibo

In seasonPeak

None of Maracaibo's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Maracaibo's rainy season runs August–November, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Maracaibo?

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

3.5
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
6.7
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Maracaibo. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Maracaibo in December

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

In December, Maracaibo sees daytime highs around 34°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 6 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Maracaibo 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 26 km away) is warmest in September at about 30°C and coldest in February near 26°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

24°26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr27Warm
May28Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct30Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Maracaibo 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 Maracaibo peaks around March 17 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 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 highMar 17UV 13Dec 13UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Maracaibo 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 Maracaibo is worst in May — around 29 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.7× the cleanest month (December, 11 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodMay 2229 µg/m³Dec 2311 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar20Moderate
Apr25Moderate
May29Moderate
Jun28Moderate
Jul24Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Maracaibo?

Maracaibo sits at 10.6°N, 71.6°W, in Venezuela. The nearest listed city is Los Puertos de Altagracia, 13 km away.

Topography around Maracaibo

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Maracaibo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 54 m around an average of 14 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 92 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 759 m.

The land around Maracaibo is covered by artificial surfaces (66%) and water (31%) within 3 km, water (38%) and artificial surfaces (32%) within 16 km, and grassland (36%) and water (36%) within 80 km.

3 km
54 m
16 km
92 m
80 km
759 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: Los Puertos de Altagracia 13 km · Santa Rita 16 km · Santa Cruz de Mara 19 km · Chiquinquirá 22 km · La Concepción 25 km · Concepción 27 km · Cabimas 32 km · San Rafael 38 km

Venezuela travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 0% of US
price level, 2011
GDP per capita
$3,495
2025
Happiness
5.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
12.6
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
39
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 520
Religion
Roman Catholic 48%Protestant 32%none 14%believer 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 Maracaibo (10.6423°, -71.6109°), 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).