Puerto Plata (Sosua) weather in December
December in Puerto Plata: hot, a little rain, with clean air — an excellent time to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#5 of 12 months in Puerto Plata · #98 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 90/100 (tier S)
- Days
- 30°C
- Nights
- 20°C
- Wet days
- 14
- Sun
- 9.9 h
- Humidity
- 81%
- Daylight
- 11 h
Traveller notes on Puerto Plata in December
Other months in Puerto Plata
Forum posters describe January days typically in the high-70s to mid-80sF, cooling to around 72F at night - genuinely warm and beach-friendly overall. Posters note this technically falls within a cooler, wetter stretch for Puerto Plata specifically (November-February), distinct from the broader Dominican Republic's December-April 'dry season' framing that applies better to the south coast - so some rain, most commonly arriving in the early evening (roughly 6-8pm) before clearing, is a real and fairly regular feature even in January. Posters describe ocean conditions as good for swimming despite the rain risk, and generally rate January's warm days and cool but comfortable evenings as a solid trade-off against the possibility of an evening shower.
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Puerto Plata climate normals — December
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Puerto Plata 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.
Peak crowdsWinter high season, Christmas and New Year peak, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Puerto Plata'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).
Fair weatherPuerto Plata's weather doesn't swing hard through the year — comfort stays fairly steady in every month.
What's on in Puerto Plata in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Winter high season
15 Dec – 15 Apr · usuallyWinter-sun seasonCrowdedBook earlyCharter flights from Canada and the north-east US fill the all-inclusives along Playa Dorada from mid-December. The town side of the bay, and the cable car up Isabel de Torres, get busy with them.
- Holiday
Christmas and New Year peak
18 Dec – 5 JanChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook earlyPeak season: Dominicans living abroad come home and North American and European visitors arrive, so flights, resorts and rental cars fill and rates are at their highest. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Puerto Plata — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Puerto Plata?
Puerto Plata in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Puerto Plata?
- December in Puerto Plata: hot, a little rain, with clean air — an excellent time to visit. It ranks #5 of 12 months for Puerto Plata on SeasonMap's comfort score (90/100).
- What is the weather like in Puerto Plata in December?
- In December, Puerto Plata averages a daily high of 29.6°C and a low of 20.2°C, with about 59.8 mm of rain over roughly 13.6 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Puerto Plata in December?
- Puerto Plata has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 34 in December.
Within 300 km: Providenciales' Maskanoo on 26 Dec, and Samaná's Christmas and New Year on 18 Dec – 2 Jan.