December Weather in Costa Rica - 2024

For a long time now, Costa Rica has been a favorite with snowbirds and other retirees. It is often nicknamed the "Switzerland of the Americas" and is considered to be a safe spot in Central America, which is a very important feat for snowbirds. It has been ranked as one of the most visited international destinations. It is a peaceful, democratic country, and it has not had an army since 1948. About 26 percent of the country comprises of conservation and natural protected territory. The cost of living in Costa Rica is the highest in Central America. Depending on the location you can expect to pay similar prices for drinks, hotels, restaurants, and groceries as in Hawaii.

Although the local language is Spanish, many locals (known as ticos) speak English.

Weather December 2024 in Costa Rica:

Generally, December in Costa Rica will be quite hot, with an average temperature of around 87°F / 31°C. As there is not a lot of humidity, it will feel comfortable. You can expect around 7 rainy days, with on average 0.7 inches / 18 mm of rain during the month of December.
Comfortable (not really humid) with nice temperatures

December weather in Costa Rica

To get a good overview of the type of weather you can expect in December in Costa Rica, we will look at the day and night temperature, minimum and maximum water temperature, and if December is comfortable or humid

Generally, December in Costa Rica will be quite hot. Historical data shows that you can expect an average temperature of around 87°F / 31°C. As there is not a lot of humidity, it will feel comfortable. During the night, it will cool down to around 68°F / 20°C. Many will prefer a location with air conditioning due to the humidity level.

Costa Rica has rainy days in December. You can expect around 7 rainy days, with on average 0.7 inches / 18 mm of rain during the whole month.

But remember that rain can be short and heavy for many tropical locations, particularly during the rainy season. It means that the number of days with rain and the amount of rain can be high, but you will still see many lovely days with a short period of heavy rain.

Average temperature
Average Sea temperature
Wintersun Comfort grade and huricane risk

The forecast for December 2024 is based on historical data and are averages. They will give a good indication what you can expect, but the daily temperature and rain will fluctuate during the month.

December weather in Costa Rica in more detail

To get a better feeling for the type of weather, you can expect in December in Costa Rica, we will look at the temperature, rain, wind, humidity, water temperature, and sun and clouds

- What will the temperature be in Costa Rica in December

Generally, you can expect in December an average temperature of 87°F / 31°C during the day and an average of 68°F / 20°C during the night. In December, during the warmest part of the afternoon, the temperature can often get as high as 91°F / 33°C, and at the end of the night, it can get as low as 62°F / 17°C.

When looking at the whole year, October is the coldest month, with an average temperature of around 82°F / 28°C. March and April are the hottest months, with an average temperature of around 95°F / 35°C. When comparing December with the temperature in the month before and after, this is almost equal to November, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 84°F / 29°C. And almost equal to January, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 91°F / 33°C.

Day and night temperature variation for Costa Rica during the year.
Day and night temperature variation for Costa Rica during the year.

But average temperatures only tell half of the story. It is also good to check the maximum and minimum temperatures. When looking at the whole year, March and April are the hottest months, with a temperature of around 98°F / 37°C. August, September, October and November are the coldest months, with a temperature of around 89°F / 32°C. When comparing December with the temperature in the month before and after, this is almost equal to November, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 89°F / 32°C. And almost equal to January, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 93°F / 34°C.

In the following graph, you can see how many cold and hot days you can expect in Costa Rica each month:

Day and night temperature variation for Costa Rica during the year.
Day and night temperature variation for Costa Rica during the year.

- Can you expect rain in December in Costa Rica?

Generally, you can expect about 7 rain days in December, with on average 0.7 inches / 18 mm of rain.

When looking at the whole year, February and March are the driest months, with an average rainfall of around 0.1 inches / 2 mm. June is the wettest month, with an average rainfall of around 6.3 inches / 160 mmmm. When comparing December with the month before and after, this is a lot less than November, which sees around 2.3 inches / 59 mm of rain. And a lot more than January, which sees around 0.1 inches / 3 mm of rain

Rain days for Costa Rica during the year.
Rain days for Costa Rica during the year.

If we look at the number of days with rain, February is the month with the least amount of rain days with an average of between 1 and 2 days. July is the month with the most rain days with an average of between 26 and 27 days. When comparing December with the month before and after, this is less than November, which sees an average of between 15 and 16 days of rain. And slightly more than January, which sees an average of between 2 and 3 days of rain

There is one thing that is important to know, in many tropical destinations rain can be short and heavy, particularly during the rainy season. It means that the number of days with rain and the amount of rain can be high, but you will still see many lovely days with a short period of heavy rain.

- What will the water temperature be in Costa Rica for December

You can expect in December, the water temperature for Costa Rica to be between 86°F / 30°C and 80°F / 27°C.

To compare the water temperature we will use the maximum water temperature. You can expect this temperature on a more sunny day, close to the shore, when the wind does not mix the relatively warmer and colder water.

March has the highest water temperature, with an average of between 86°F / 30°C and 87°F / 31°C. November has the lowest water temperature, with around 84°F / 29°C. When comparing the water temperature from December with the month before and after, December has a water temperature almost equal to November, with a water temperature of around 84°F / 29°C. And almost equal to the water temperature from January, that is an average of between 84°F / 29°C and 86°F / 30°C.

Water temperature for Costa Rica during the year.
Water temperature for Costa Rica during the year.

- Can you expect in December a lot of sunny days in Costa Rica

Generally, you can expect around 16 sunny days in December and around 13 partly sunny days. The remaining days will be cloudy.

When looking at the whole year, March is the month with the highest number of sunny days, with an average of between 26 and 27 sunny days. August is the month with the lowest number of sunny days, with around 0 sunny days. When comparing December with the number of sunny days in the month before and after, it is a lot higher than November, with around 5 sunny days. And less than January, with an average of between 25 and 26 sunny days

The number of sunny, partly sunny, and cloudy days for Costa Rica
The number of sunny, partly sunny, and cloudy days for Costa Rica

We have looked at the sunny days in Costa Rica. Let's also look at the cloudy or overcast days. September is the month with the highest number of cloudy days, with an average of between 16 and 17 cloudy days. March is the month with the lowest number of cloudy days, with around 0 cloudy days. When comparing December with the number of cloudy days in the month before and after, it is slightly lower than November, with around 7 cloudy days. And almost equal to January, with an average of between 0 and 1 cloudy days

- Will it be comfortable in December in Costa Rica?

Generally, December in Costa Rica will not be very humid, and will feel comfortable.

We use the humidity and temperature in Costa Rica to calculate the Wintersun Expert Comfort level for each month. The lower the Wintersun Expert Comfort level, the more comfortable it will be. Only for certain people, extremely dry air can feel slightly uncomfortable.

When looking at the whole year, January has the lowest humidity, with a Wintersun Expert comfort level of "very comfortable" (low humidty). May, August and September And have the highest humidity, with a Wintersun Expert comfort level of "slightly uncomfortable" (moderately humid). When comparing December with the month before and after, this is almost equal to November, which has a Wintersun Comfort level of "comfortable" (not very humid). And slightly more than January, which has a Wintersun Comfort level of "very comfortable" (low humidty)

Wintersun Expert Humidity / Comfort level for Costa Rica
Wintersun Expert Humidity / Comfort level for Costa Rica

What to do in Costa Rica in December

Costa Rica has tons of places that are worth visiting, but here are a couple of suggestions:

  • Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio: it is a small national park in the central pacific conservation area on the pacific coast of Costa Rica, 132 km (82 Miles) from the national capital of San Jose. It opens every other day of the week, except Mondays.
  • Stone Spheres of Costa Rica: They are an assortment of over three hundred retro spheres located on the Diquis Delta and on Isla del Cano. They are also called bolas de piedra. Some myths and mystery surround them.
  • National Museum of Costa Rica: it is located in San Jose. It is situated in the Bellavista Fortress. It was originally built as a military barracks in 1917. The bullet holes in the walls are a great tourist attraction.
  • San Jose Central Market: it is a vibrant bustling market for various kinds of food, fresh farm produce, and beautiful souvenirs.
  • Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park: Through the park, you get to experience the beauty of Costa Rica's amazing wildlife from the hanging bridges, and also get to observe the majestic Arenal Volcano.
  • National Theater of Costa Rica: located in San Jose, the national theatre opened to the public on 21 October 1897 with a performance of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust. The building is considered to be one of the finest historic buildings in the capital. Its lavish furnishing and exquisite interior make it a top tourist attraction.
  • Importadora Monge: This is a beautiful city park with really unique artworks with an iconic bandstand.
  • The beaches: the costal line of Costa Rica has several sandy beaches that attract tourists from all over.
  • The Volcano parks: you can get to see a real volcano if it is safe enough to get up close.

Is it humid in Costa Rica in December?

A lot of people ask interested in the humidity or relative humidity for Costa Rica in December. But the real question they want to ask is not about humidity but the amount of moisture in the air. Or better, about comfort. Will it be comfortable in December in Costa Rica, or will high humidity make it uncomfortable.

To answer this question, we have to look at the dew point. Relative humidity can change a lot in Costa Rica during the day and night, as it changes when the amount of moisture changes and, but also when the temperature changes. It is a lot less reliable for comfort. Where the dew point only varies with the amount of moisture in the air.

Looking at the dew point, we can see that for the month of December, you can expect that Costa Rica will not be very humid, and will feel comfortable.

January is the month with the most comfort. It will have a low humidty, and will feel very comfortable. May, August and September are the most uncomfortable months. It will be moderately humid, and can feel slightly uncomfortable for some. In the graph, you can see that there is not a lot of difference between the most comfortable and most uncomfortable months.

Humidity level for Costa Rica
Humidity level for Costa Rica

Is December a good time to go to Costa Rica?

Trying to answer the question of whether December is a good time to go to Costa Rica is not as easy as it first seems. Some people like colder weather, and others prefer a warmer climate. Some are fine with some humidity, and others are not. If your location has air conditioning, the night temperature is less important.

These are some examples. I will try to answer the question with a more generic person in mind. The more detailed information in this article should be enough to check further if this applies to you as well.

If we look at the average temperature for Costa Rica in December, we can see that it will be too hot for a lot of visitors. In December, you can expect it to be quite hot, with an average temperature of around 87°F / 31°C. As there is not a lot of humidity, it will feel comfortable. During the night, it will be around 68°F / 20°C.

As the number of overcast days is not high, you can enjoy the sun with around 16 sunny days and 13 partly sunny days.

The last aspect we will look at is rain. You can expect around 7 rainy days, with on average 0.7 inches / 18 mm of rain during December. More then 5 days rain per month makes the chance higher you will see some rain during a shorter stay. But a day with rain does not mean a day you can not enjoy.

We have looked at the average day temperature, the night temperature, humidity, the number of overcast days, and the rain. We think that December in Costa Rica is not the most optimal destination. But that doesn't mean it is not a good time for you to go. As said before, each visitor has their own preferences when it comes to the weather.

Does it rain all day in Costa Rica in December?

In Costa Rica, it does not rain all day in December. You can expect around 7 rainy days, with on average 0.7 inches / 18 mm of rain during the month.

Another way of looking at the rain is the number of sunny days. For Costa Rica, there are, on average 16 sunny days and 13 partly sunny days in December. That clearly shows that it is not raining all the time.

And, as for many tropical locations, rain can be short and heavy. This applies particularly during the rainy season. It means that the number of days with rain and the amount of rain can be high, but you will still see many lovely days with a short period of heavy rain.

Is December the rainiest month in Costa Rica?

December is not the month with the most rainy days, and not the month with the most rain.

To answer what the rainiest month is in Costa Rica, we will both look at the month with the most rain, and the month with the highest number of rainy days.

July is the month with the the highest number of rainiest days. On average, you can expect 27 days with rain. February is the month with the lowest number of rainy days, with aproximately 1 day.

July is the month with the most rain. This is not equal as the one with the most rainy days. On average, you can expect 6.3 inches / 160 mm of rain. February is the month with the least amount of rain. This is not the same month as the one with the lowest number of rainy days. You can expect approximately 0.1 inches / 2 mm of rain.

Is December the most sunniest month in Costa Rica?

December is not the month with the most sunny days, not the month with the most partly sunny days, and it is not the month with the lowest number of overcast days.

To answer what the sunniest month is in Costa Rica, we will of course look at the month with the most sunniest days, but also look at the month with the biggest number of days that are sunny or partly sunny.

March is the month with the highest number of sunny days. On average, you can expect 16 sunny days, and 13 partly suny days. August is the month with the lowest number of sunny days.

January is the month with the highest number of sunny days and partly sunny days combined. While September is the month with the lowest number of sunny days and partly sunny days combined.

The last thing we will look at is the number of overcast days. March is the month with the lowest number of overcast days. While September is the month with the highest number of overcast days.

More information about Costa Rica

Weather in Costa Rica in other months

What to do in Costa Rica for each month

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