Dien Bien Phu weather in December

In December, Dien Bien Phu sees average daytime highs of 22°C and overnight lows near 12°C, with 29 mm of rain across 4.5 wet days and about 10.7 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 22°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 40% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 48 min at the start of December to 10 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Dien Bien Phu's 3rd-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Dien Bien Phu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
22°
11th warmest
Overnight low
12°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
29 mm
4.5 wet days
Daylight
10 h 42 min
6:43 AM – 5:25 PM
Cloud cover
50%
3rd clearest
Wind
5 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
3.4 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.6
out of 10

Dien Bien Phu is city in Điện Biên, Vietnam.

Density
1,317/km²
people per km²
Founded
1992

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 22°C through the month.

A typical December day in Dien Bien Phu reaches about 22°C in the afternoon and slips back to 12°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 17°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 3°C cooler than November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12314
22314
32313
42213
52213
62213
72213
82213
92213
102213
112212
122212
132212
142212
152212
162112
172112
182112
192112
202111
212111
222111
232111
242111
252111
262111
272111
282111
292111
302111
312111

Dien Bien Phu weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan22° / 11°35510.87.5
Feb24° / 12°254.811.37.9
Mar27° / 16°558.611.86.9
Apr29° / 19°11515.412.55.1
May29° / 21°19522.2133.8
Jun28° / 22°32327.313.33.2
Jul28° / 22°40328.913.23.4
Aug28° / 22°36828.312.73.4
Sep28° / 21°19921.512.14.4
Oct26° / 19°7211.511.56.3
Nov24° / 15°335.5117.7
Dec22° / 12°294.510.77.6

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 40% 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 42%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15545
25446
35446
45347
55347
65248
75248
85248
95446
105446
115545
125545
135743
145743
155842
166040
176139
186139
196238
206337
216337
226337
236337
246337
256238
266337
276238
286139
296139
306040
316040

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Dien Bien Phu gets around 29 mm of rain over 4.5 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 14% and peaks near 19% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
119
219
319
419
518
618
718
817
917
1016
1115
1215
1314
1413
1512
1612
1711
1811
1911
2011
2111
2211
2311
2411
2511
2612
2712
2813
2913
3014
3114

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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 54% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
13343213
23443212
33642202
43841192
53940182
64139182
74338172
84538162
94637152
104836142
115035141
125234131
135334121
145533111
155732101
165732101
17593191
18603181
19613081
20623071
21643060
22643060
23662950
24662950
25672940
26672940
27663040
28663040
29663040
30653140
31653140

Wind in December

Winds average 5 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 5 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 48 min at the start of December to 10 h 42 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 6:34 AM to 6:50 AM, and sunset from 5:21 PM to 5:32 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.86:345:21
210.86:355:22
310.86:355:22
410.86:365:22
510.86:365:22
610.86:375:22
710.76:385:22
810.76:385:23
910.76:395:23
1010.76:405:23
1110.76:405:23
1210.76:415:24
1310.76:415:24
1410.76:425:24
1510.76:425:25
1610.76:435:25
1710.76:435:26
1810.76:445:26
1910.76:455:26
2010.76:455:27
2110.76:465:27
2210.76:465:28
2310.76:465:28
2410.76:475:29
2510.76:475:29
2610.76:485:30
2710.76:485:30
2810.76:495:31
2910.76:495:31
3010.76:495:32
3110.76:505:32

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 3.4 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.4 kWh/m² to a high of 5.44 kWh/m² in April across the year — December's 3.4 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.4Moderate
23.4Moderate
33.4Moderate
43.3Moderate
53.3Moderate
63.3Moderate
73.3Moderate
83.3Moderate
93.3Moderate
103.4Moderate
113.4Moderate
123.4Moderate
133.4Moderate
143.4Moderate
153.4Moderate
163.5Moderate
173.5Moderate
183.5Moderate
193.5Moderate
203.5Moderate
213.5Moderate
223.5Moderate
233.5Moderate
243.5Moderate
253.5Moderate
263.5Moderate
273.5Moderate
283.5Moderate
293.5Moderate
303.5Moderate
313.5Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Dien Bien Phu

In seasonPeak

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

Dien Bien Phu's monsoon runs May–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Dien Bien Phu?

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

7.6
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
5.1
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

December is one of the better times to visit Dien Bien Phu for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Dien Bien Phu in December

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

In December, Dien Bien Phu sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 12°C. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 5 days see rain.

UV index in Dien Bien Phu in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Dien Bien Phu peaks around August 12 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highExtremeVery highHighAug 12UV 14Dec 19UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan7Very high
Feb9Very high
Mar11Extreme
Apr9Very high
May10Extreme
Jun14Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep10Very high
Oct9Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec6High

Air quality in Dien Bien Phu 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 Dien Bien Phu is worst in April — around 303 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 32.6× the cleanest month (August, 9 µg/m³).

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

0306090120150180210240270300JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateUnhealthyVery unhealthyUnhealthyGoodModerateApr 15276 µg/m³Aug 109 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan20Moderate
Feb37Poor
Mar107Unhealthy
Apr303Very unhealthy
May53Poor
Jun11Good
Jul10Good
Aug9Good
Sep11Good
Oct15Moderate
Nov17Moderate
Dec19Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Dien Bien Phu?

Dien Bien Phu sits at 21.4°N, 103.0°E, 485 m above sea level, in Vietnam. The nearest listed city is Mường Lay, 69 km away.

Sơn LaNong KhiawÍt OngLai ChâuMuang XaySapa

Topography around Dien Bien Phu

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Dien Bien Phu has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 255 m around an average of 505 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,307 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,010 m.

The land around Dien Bien Phu is covered by trees (36%), cropland (30%) and artificial surfaces (24%) within 3 km, trees (62%) and grassland (23%) within 16 km, and trees (79%) within 80 km.

3 km
255 m
16 km
1,307 m
80 km
2,010 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Mường Lay 69 km · Thị Trấn Thuận Châu 69 km · Sơn La 93 km · Nong Khiaw 100 km · Ít Ong 105 km · Lai Châu 121 km · Muang Xay 133 km · Sapa 136 km

Vietnam travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B / C / F
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 29% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,066
2025
Happiness
6.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
59%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.5
per 100k, 2011
Road deaths
30.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 500
Religion
none 86%Catholic 6%Buddhist 6%Protestant 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 Dien Bien Phu (21.386°, 103.023°, elevation 485 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. 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).