Santa Teresa

Costa Rica Weather in December

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Costa Rica in December.

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Jacó San José Tamarindo Fortuna

Planning a trip to Costa Rica this December? Here's what you need to know about the weather:

What to Expect in Costa Rica in December

Costa Rica has a wide variety of climate types. During December, you can expect temperatures that range from pleasant to very warm and precipitation levels ranging from low to heavy.

Temperatures

The average maximum daytime temperatures vary from pleasant in Cachí at 22°C (72°F) to very warm in Santa Cruz at 32°C (90°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 23°C (73°F) in Santa Cruz and 14°C (57°F) in Cachí.

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

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From low rainfall in Ocotal with an average of 12 mm (0.5 in) to heavy rainfall in Matapalo with 509 mm (20 in).

Average sunshine

Many locations offer abundant sunshine during this month. For instance, Jacó enjoys approximately 233 hours of sunlight, ideal for those seeking sunny weather.

Explore Costa Rica by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Costa Rica — and find the best time to visit. (based on Jacó)

January29°C (84°F) February29°C (84°F) March30°C (86°F) April29°C (84°F) May29°C (84°F) This monthJune29°C (84°F) July28°C (82°F) August28°C (82°F) September28°C (82°F) October28°C (82°F) November28°C (82°F) December28°C (82°F)
Best Time to Visit Costa Rica →

Best Places to Visit in Costa Rica in December

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

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 Costa Rica

What is the weather like in December for some of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica?

Temperature range in Costa Rica (December)

Precipitation variation in Costa Rica (December)

Jacó

In December Jacó generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 28°C (82°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
28°C (82°F)
28°C (82°F)
29°C (84°F)
Min temperature
24°C (75°F)
24°C (75°F)
25°C (77°F)
Monthly sun hours
183 hours
233 hours
264 hours
Monthly rainfall
440 mm (17 in)
190 mm (7.5 in)
77 mm (3 in)
Monthly rainy days
15 days
13 days
10 days
Weather conditions
poor
tolerable
perfect
Climate in Jacó →

San José

In December San José generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 24°C (75°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 16°C (61°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
24°C (75°F)
24°C (75°F)
24°C (75°F)
Min temperature
16°C (61°F)
16°C (61°F)
15°C (59°F)
Monthly sun hours
178 hours
244 hours
283 hours
Monthly rainfall
319 mm (13 in)
150 mm (5.9 in)
83 mm (3.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
18 days
16 days
12 days
Weather conditions
poor
pleasant
perfect
Climate in San José →

Tamarindo

In December Tamarindo generally has very high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 31°C (88°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 24°C (75°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
30°C (86°F)
31°C (88°F)
32°C (90°F)
Min temperature
25°C (77°F)
24°C (75°F)
24°C (75°F)
Monthly sun hours
206 hours
258 hours
295 hours
Monthly rainfall
118 mm (4.6 in)
14 mm (0.6 in)
4.2 mm (0.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
10 days
7 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
perfect
perfect
Climate in Tamarindo →

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

In December Puerto Viejo de Talamanca generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 28°C (82°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 23°C (73°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
28°C (82°F)
28°C (82°F)
27°C (81°F)
Min temperature
24°C (75°F)
23°C (73°F)
23°C (73°F)
Monthly sun hours
138 hours
145 hours
158 hours
Monthly rainfall
517 mm (20 in)
424 mm (17 in)
265 mm (10 in)
Monthly rainy days
20 days
17 days
12 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca →

Fortuna

In December Fortuna generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 27°C (81°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 20°C (68°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
27°C (81°F)
27°C (81°F)
27°C (81°F)
Min temperature
20°C (68°F)
20°C (68°F)
19°C (66°F)
Monthly sun hours
183 hours
233 hours
264 hours
Monthly rainfall
317 mm (12 in)
222 mm (8.7 in)
130 mm (5.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
14 days
10 days
Weather conditions
poor
unpleasant
pleasant
Climate in Fortuna →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Costa Rica.

Popular cities in December

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Costa Rica in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Jacó 28°C (82°F) 24°C (75°F) 190 mm (7.5 in)
San José 24°C (75°F) 16°C (61°F) 150 mm (5.9 in)
Tamarindo 31°C (88°F) 24°C (75°F) 14 mm (0.6 in)
Fortuna 27°C (81°F) 20°C (68°F) 222 mm (8.7 in)
Santa Teresa 29°C (84°F) 25°C (77°F) 70 mm (2.8 in)
Uvita 26°C (79°F) 21°C (70°F) 412 mm (16 in)

Costa Rica weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Costa Rica in December?

Costa Rica typically experiences tolerable weather in December, part of the season. Daytime highs in Jacó average around 28°C (82°F), and temperatures drop to about 24°C (75°F) at night.

What is the average temperature in Costa Rica in December?

Daytime temperatures in Jacó peak at roughly 28°C (82°F) in December, dropping to about 24°C (75°F) overnight.

Does Costa Rica get a lot of rain in December?

Rainfall in Costa Rica peaks during December. Jacó averages roughly 190 mm (7.5 in), so frequent and sometimes heavy showers are the norm.

Is December a Good Time to Visit Costa Rica?

In our opinion, December is a good time to visit Costa Rica with overall tolerable weather in Jacó.

Generally speaking, January and February provide perfect weather in Jacó. On the other hand, the months of May, June, July, August, September, October and November tend to have poor weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Costa Rica.

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

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.

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