Rio de Janeiro weather in December
Temperature, sea and sunshine in December: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in December
Good
Best time to visit: January – December
What is the weather like in Rio de Janeiro in December?
In December, Rio de Janeiro is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 22 °C. The sea averages 24.0 °C – pleasant for swimming. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 15 days, totalling 136 mm. On about 16 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, December is a good month for a holiday in Rio de Janeiro.
December compared
How the weather changes from November to January. Tap a month to open it.
| NovemberNov | DecemberDec | JanuaryJan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 70 | 77 | 77 |
| Day | 28° | 30° | 31° |
| Night | 21° | 22° | 23° |
| Sea | 23° | 24° | 25° |
| Sun | 6 h | 7 h | 7 h |
| Rain days | 15 | 15 | 16 |
More details for December
- Daylight
- 13 h 32 min05:02 – 18:34
- UV index
- 12 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)
- Muggy days
- 30 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 16 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 68 %on average
- Hot days
- 16 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC−3America/Sao_Paulo
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %100 %
- Seaweight 25 %100 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %68 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %19 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in December
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Water bottle – drink plenty
- Insect repellent
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Rio de Janeiro in December: quick answers
Is Rio de Janeiro hot in December?
Yes. In December, Rio de Janeiro is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C and nights stay around 22 °C. On about 16 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more.
Can you swim in Rio de Janeiro in December?
Yes. In December the sea averages 24.0 °C – pleasant for swimming.
Does it rain much in Rio de Janeiro in December?
It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 136 mm.
Rio de Janeiro month by month
The whole year in Rio de JaneiroAll destinations: Brazil
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)