Copán (Copán Ruinas) weather in December

December in Copán: warm, a little rain, with clean air — an excellent time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Copán🇭🇳 Honduras · Northern Central America · City85
  1. 88Jan
  2. 89Feb
  3. 83Mar
  4. 78Apr
  5. 65May
  6. 54Jun
  7. 69Jul
  8. 64Aug
  9. 56Sep
  10. 68Oct
  11. 79Nov
  12. 85Dec

#3 of 12 months in Copán · #289 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 85/100 (tier A)

Days
24°C
Nights
18°C
Wet days
17
Sun
8.9 h
Humidity
90%
Daylight
11 h
Copán, Honduras
Photo: Adalberto Hernandez Vega from Copan Ruinas, Hond · CC BY 2.0

Traveller notes on Copán in December

Notes from nearby Suchitoto (101 km away)

Copán doesn't have its own notes for December yet — these are about Suchitoto, close enough to share the season.

Forum posters name December as one of the nicest months to visit El Salvador - the rainy season has ended but the countryside stays vividly green rather than turning dusty and brown, with pleasant, comfortable temperatures throughout. Posters describe the dry season starting around November as bringing sunny days in the high-70s to low-80sF with essentially no humidity, a pattern that continues into December and holds through the broader November-to-April/May dry-season window posters consistently recommend for the country overall. Posters describe Suchitoto itself as a lovely, colorful, walkable colonial town with strong culinary options - a favorite early stop for visitors arriving right as the dry season begins.
Tripadvisor community · December · 1 month ago · about Suchitoto · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Copán

Copán Ruinas forum posters are consistent that July, though squarely in the rainy season, doesn't mean a lost day: mornings are usually clear and pleasant for touring the ruins, with the rain typically arriving as a dramatic hour-or-two downpour in the late afternoon or evening. One traveler specifically said full-day rain or drizzle was rare during their visit. The advice that comes up again and again is to plan ruins-and-outdoor time for the morning and treat the afternoon storm as a good excuse for a long lunch, since it genuinely shouldn't derail a trip.
MayaRuinsTraveler · July · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Forum posters describe November through March as a genuinely nice stretch here, with January - the coolest month of the year - still comfortably mild rather than cold, thanks to the town's highland setting keeping temperatures well short of the lowland heat found elsewhere in Honduras. Posters consistently recommend staying in Copan Ruinas town itself rather than the outskirts, calling it a pleasant, walkable base for exploring the nearby Maya ruins. One forum thread specifically discusses planning a January/February trip to Honduras as a winter escape, with posters framing this window as a reliable, comfortable choice for ruins-focused sightseeing.
Tripadvisor community · January · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from Copán's card on the map.

Copán climate normals — December

Daytime high24°C / 74°F🌤 warm
Nighttime low18°C / 64°F
Feels like (high)26°C / 79°F
Rainfall74 mm / 2.9 in🌦 some rain
Rainy days17 days
Humidity90%💦 very humid
Dew point18°C / 65°F
Sunshine8.9 h/day
Daylight11.3 h
Wind13 km/h / 8 mph
Air quality (US AQI)31🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Copán in December

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

Busyschool holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Copán's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Best weatherCopán's weather peaks December–February.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Copán in December

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Season

    Dry season

    15 Nov – 30 Apr · usually

    The paths through the Acropolis and out to Las Sepulturas stay firm, and the tunnels under the main group are workable. The hills around the town go brown by March and the river drops to nothing.

What's on around the world in December →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Copán — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Copán?

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Copán in December — FAQ

Is December a good time to visit Copán?
December in Copán: warm, a little rain, with clean air — an excellent time to visit. It ranks #3 of 12 months for Copán on SeasonMap's comfort score (85/100).
What is the weather like in Copán in December?
In December, Copán averages a daily high of 23.5°C and a low of 17.8°C, with about 74.2 mm of rain over roughly 16.6 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Copán in December?
Copán has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 31 in December.

Within 300 km: Antigua Guatemala's Quema del Diablo on 7 Dec, and Lake Atitlán's Santo Tomas at Chichicastenango on 13–21 Dec.