Rarotonga

Cook Islands Weather in December

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in the Cook Islands in December.

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Rarotonga Arutanga Arorangi Rakahanga

Planning a journey to the Cook Islands this December and curious over the weather conditions to await? Your essential details are found on this page, answering your query:

What to Expect in the Cook Islands in December

December in the Cook Islands generally has warm temperatures, with heavy precipitation.

Temperatures

The average maximum temperatures are warm and range from 27°C (81°F) in Ngatangiia to 29°C (84°F) in Penrhyn. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 27°C (81°F) in Penrhyn and 24°C (75°F) in Ngatangiia.

To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of the Cook Islands, check out the map below.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From heavy rainfall in Penrhyn with an average of 161 mm (6.3 in) to heavy rainfall in Pukapuka with 333 mm (13 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine amounts are decent in most places. Rarotonga gets approximately 173 hours of sunlight in December, offering a reasonable amount of both bright and cloudy periods. Curious about sunnier destinations? Our weather planner makes it easy to find places worldwide with pleasant weather.

Explore the Cook Islands by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in the Cook Islands — and find the best time to visit. (based on Rarotonga)

January28°C (82°F) February28°C (82°F) March28°C (82°F) April28°C (82°F) May27°C (81°F) This monthJune26°C (79°F) July25°C (77°F) August25°C (77°F) September25°C (77°F) October25°C (77°F) November26°C (79°F) December27°C (81°F)
Best Time to Visit the Cook Islands →

Best Places to Visit in the Cook Islands in December

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across the Cook Islands.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in the Cook Islands

What is the weather like in December for some of the most popular destinations in the Cook Islands?

Temperature range in the Cook Islands (December)

Precipitation variation in the Cook Islands (December)

Rarotonga

In December Rarotonga generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 27°C (81°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
26°C (79°F)
27°C (81°F)
28°C (82°F)
Min temperature
24°C (75°F)
25°C (77°F)
25°C (77°F)
Monthly sun hours
175 hours
173 hours
167 hours
Monthly rainfall
113 mm (4.4 in)
200 mm (7.9 in)
225 mm (8.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
13 days
13 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
unpleasant
unpleasant
Climate in Rarotonga →

Arutanga

In December Arutanga generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 28°C (82°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
28°C (82°F)
28°C (82°F)
29°C (84°F)
Min temperature
25°C (77°F)
25°C (77°F)
26°C (79°F)
Monthly sun hours
163 hours
172 hours
186 hours
Monthly rainfall
129 mm (5.1 in)
223 mm (8.8 in)
268 mm (11 in)
Monthly rainy days
13 days
13 days
13 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
unpleasant
poor
Climate in Arutanga →

Arorangi

In December Arorangi generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 27°C (81°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
26°C (79°F)
27°C (81°F)
28°C (82°F)
Min temperature
24°C (75°F)
25°C (77°F)
25°C (77°F)
Monthly sun hours
175 hours
173 hours
167 hours
Monthly rainfall
113 mm (4.4 in)
200 mm (7.9 in)
225 mm (8.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
13 days
13 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
unpleasant
unpleasant
Climate in Arorangi →

Avarua

In December Avarua generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 27°C (81°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
26°C (79°F)
27°C (81°F)
28°C (82°F)
Min temperature
24°C (75°F)
25°C (77°F)
25°C (77°F)
Monthly sun hours
175 hours
173 hours
167 hours
Monthly rainfall
114 mm (4.5 in)
200 mm (7.9 in)
225 mm (8.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
13 days
13 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
unpleasant
unpleasant
Climate in Avarua →

Ngatangiia

In December Ngatangiia generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 27°C (81°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 24°C (75°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
26°C (79°F)
27°C (81°F)
28°C (82°F)
Min temperature
24°C (75°F)
24°C (75°F)
25°C (77°F)
Monthly sun hours
175 hours
173 hours
167 hours
Monthly rainfall
114 mm (4.5 in)
199 mm (7.8 in)
225 mm (8.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
13 days
13 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
Climate in Ngatangiia →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in the Cook Islands.

In our records: the Cook Islands December extremes

Notable December records observed across cities in the Cook Islands in our climate database (1976 – 2026). Historic readings can vary in quality, so treat these as illustrative.

  • Based on our data, the coldest December night in the Cook Islands dropped to 5°C (41°F) in Aitutaki on December 3, 2016.

Popular cities in December

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in the Cook Islands in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Rarotonga 27°C (81°F) 25°C (77°F) 200 mm (7.9 in)
Arutanga 28°C (82°F) 25°C (77°F) 223 mm (8.8 in)
Arorangi 27°C (81°F) 25°C (77°F) 200 mm (7.9 in)
Rakahanga 29°C (84°F) 26°C (79°F) 267 mm (11 in)
Pukapuka 29°C (84°F) 26°C (79°F) 333 mm (13 in)
Penrhyn 29°C (84°F) 27°C (81°F) 161 mm (6.3 in)

The Cook Islands weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in the Cook Islands in December?

In December, the Cook Islands generally has unpleasant weather conditions. Rarotonga sees daytime temperatures near 27°C (81°F), with nights cooling to roughly 25°C (77°F).

What is the average temperature in the Cook Islands in December?

Average temperatures in the Cook Islands during December range from a nighttime low near 25°C (77°F) to a daytime high around 27°C (81°F) in Rarotonga.

Does the Cook Islands get a lot of rain in December?

Expect plenty of rainfall. Rarotonga records an average of 200 mm (7.9 in) in December, putting it among the wetter months for the Cook Islands.

Is December a Good Time to Visit the Cook Islands?

In our opinion, December may not be the ideal time to visit the Cook Islands due to the typically unpleasant weather in Rarotonga.

On average, the best time to visit the Cook Islands is in June, August, September and October with generally perfect weather in Rarotonga. On the other hand, the months of January, February and December tend to have unpleasant weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in the Cook Islands.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to the Cook Islands? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in the Cook Islands.

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

Bucket list

Need travel inspiration? Check out our bucket list articles and be inspired.

The perfect escape to get away from it all

Still relatively untouched the Cook Islands are what paradise looks like in your wildest dreams. Expect tropical and green landscapes, mesmerizing turquoise waters and powder soft white sand.
Must visit in the Cook Islands →