El Chaltén

Santa Cruz Weather in December

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Santa Cruz, Argentina in December.

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El Calafate El Chaltén Río Gallegos Los Antiguos

Planning a journey to Santa Cruz, Argentina 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 Santa Cruz in December

Santa Cruz, Argentina is a region in Argentina. The weather in Santa Cruz in December can be quite varied, with temperatures that range from cold to warm and precipitation levels ranging from low to heavy. The month of December is in the summer season.

Temperatures

During the day the temperature is cold in El Chaltén at 8°C (46°F) and warm in Caleta Olivia at 23°C (73°F). As night falls, temperatures generally drop to 12°C (54°F) in Caleta Olivia and 1°C (34°F) in El Chaltén.

For a closer look at conditions across Santa Cruz, Argentina, refer to the map below.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From low rainfall in Caleta Olivia with an average of 15 mm (0.6 in) to heavy rainfall in El Chaltén with 219 mm (8.6 in).

Average sunshine

Many locations offer abundant sunshine during this month. For instance, El Calafate enjoys approximately 257 hours of sunlight, ideal for those seeking sunny weather.

Explore Santa Cruz by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Santa Cruz — and find the best time to visit. (based on El Calafate)

January16°C (61°F) February16°C (61°F) March13°C (55°F) April10°C (50°F) May6°C (43°F) June3°C (37°F) This monthJuly3°C (37°F) August4°C (39°F) September7°C (45°F) October10°C (50°F) November12°C (54°F) December14°C (57°F)
Best Time to Visit Santa Cruz →

Best Places to Visit in Santa Cruz in December

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

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 Santa Cruz

What is the weather like in December for some of the most popular destinations in Santa Cruz, Argentina?

Temperature range in Santa Cruz (December)

Precipitation variation in Santa Cruz (December)

El Calafate

In December El Calafate generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 14°C (57°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 4°C (39°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
14°C (57°F)
16°C (61°F)
Min temperature
2°C (36°F)
4°C (39°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly sun hours
251 hours
257 hours
255 hours
Monthly rainfall
62 mm (2.4 in)
75 mm (3 in)
71 mm (2.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
5 days
5 days
5 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
tolerable
tolerable
Climate in El Calafate →

El Chaltén

In December El Chaltén generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C (46°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C (34°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
7°C (45°F)
8°C (46°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
-1°C (30°F)
1°C (34°F)
2°C (36°F)
Monthly sun hours
250 hours
260 hours
250 hours
Monthly rainfall
187 mm (7.4 in)
219 mm (8.6 in)
211 mm (8.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
4 days
4 days
4 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in El Chaltén →

Río Gallegos

In December Río Gallegos generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 19°C (66°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 7°C (45°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
17°C (63°F)
19°C (66°F)
20°C (68°F)
Min temperature
5°C (41°F)
7°C (45°F)
8°C (46°F)
Monthly sun hours
146 hours
127 hours
135 hours
Monthly rainfall
35 mm (1.4 in)
53 mm (2.1 in)
46 mm (1.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
7 days
9 days
11 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
pleasant
perfect
Climate in Río Gallegos →

Los Antiguos

In December Los Antiguos generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 17°C (63°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 9°C (48°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
14°C (57°F)
17°C (63°F)
19°C (66°F)
Min temperature
7°C (45°F)
9°C (48°F)
10°C (50°F)
Monthly sun hours
292 hours
310 hours
303 hours
Monthly rainfall
47 mm (1.9 in)
46 mm (1.8 in)
37 mm (1.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
3 days
3 days
2 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
tolerable
pleasant
Climate in Los Antiguos →

Puerto Deseado

In December Puerto Deseado generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 21°C (70°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 11°C (52°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
19°C (66°F)
21°C (70°F)
23°C (73°F)
Min temperature
9°C (48°F)
11°C (52°F)
13°C (55°F)
Monthly sun hours
168 hours
144 hours
169 hours
Monthly rainfall
19 mm (0.7 in)
23 mm (0.9 in)
18 mm (0.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
5 days
7 days
6 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
perfect
Climate in Puerto Deseado →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Santa Cruz, in Argentina.

In our records: Argentina December extremes

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

  • In our records, the warmest December day in Argentina reached 48°C (118°F) in Santiago del Estero on December 19, 1995.

Popular cities in December

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Santa Cruz in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
El Calafate 14°C (57°F) 4°C (39°F) 75 mm (3 in)
El Chaltén 8°C (46°F) 1°C (34°F) 219 mm (8.6 in)
Río Gallegos 19°C (66°F) 7°C (45°F) 53 mm (2.1 in)
Los Antiguos 17°C (63°F) 9°C (48°F) 46 mm (1.8 in)
Puerto Deseado 21°C (70°F) 11°C (52°F) 23 mm (0.9 in)
Caleta Olivia 23°C (73°F) 12°C (54°F) 15 mm (0.6 in)

Santa Cruz weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Santa Cruz, Argentina in December?

December in Santa Cruz, Argentina brings tolerable weather. In El Calafate, daytime temperatures are typically around 14°C (57°F) and nighttime lows hover near 4°C (39°F).

What is the average temperature in Santa Cruz, Argentina in December?

El Calafate averages a daytime maximum of 14°C (57°F) in December, with overnight lows close to 4°C (39°F).

Does Santa Cruz, Argentina get a lot of rain in December?

Not particularly. El Calafate averages just 75 mm (3 in) of rain in December, making it a mostly dry month for Santa Cruz, Argentina.

Is December a Good Time to Visit Santa Cruz, Argentina?

We consider December to be one of the best times to travel to Santa Cruz, Argentina. Typically, the climate in El Calafate is tolerable. It's worth noting that weather conditions might differ depending on the location you visit.

On average, the best time to visit Santa Cruz, Argentina is in January, February and December with generally tolerable weather in El Calafate. The weather in April, May, June, July, August, September and October, on the other hand, tends to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Santa Cruz.

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

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

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Glacier walk on The Perito Moreno glacier

The Perito Moreno glacier and the rupture of this glacier is considered one of the most impressive natural spectacles in the world. You can wait here until a large piece of ice crumbles and plunges into the water with a lot of noise.

Must visit in Argentina →