Santa Marta climate
Santa Marta (Colombia) has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). The average temperature over the year is 29 °C84 °F, and about 847 mm33 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Santa Marta climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3289 | 2576 | 2883 | 20.1 |
| Feb | 3290 | 2577 | 2983 | 20.1 |
| Mar | 3290 | 2578 | 2984 | 60.3 |
| Apr | 3290 | 2679 | 2985 | 301.2 |
| May | 3289 | 2780 | 2984 | 1144.5 |
| Jun | 3289 | 2780 | 2985 | 833.3 |
| Jul | 3290 | 2680 | 2985 | 793.1 |
| Aug | 3289 | 2780 | 2985 | 963.8 |
| Sep | 3188 | 2780 | 2984 | 1305.1 |
| Oct | 3086 | 2680 | 2883 | 1756.9 |
| Nov | 3086 | 2679 | 2883 | 1044.1 |
| Dec | 3188 | 2578 | 2883 | 261.0 |
| Year | 3290 | 2576 | 2984 | 84733 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71% | 26% | 5.7 | 11:32 |
| Feb | 67% | 25% | 6.2 | 11:45 |
| Mar | 68% | 38% | 6.3 | 12:02 |
| Apr | 72% | 58% | 6.1 | 12:22 |
| May | 78% | 71% | 5.6 | 12:38 |
| Jun | 78% | 67% | 5.8 | 12:47 |
| Jul | 77% | 62% | 6.0 | 12:43 |
| Aug | 79% | 67% | 5.9 | 12:29 |
| Sep | 81% | 72% | 5.7 | 12:10 |
| Oct | 83% | 76% | 5.2 | 11:51 |
| Nov | 83% | 63% | 4.9 | 11:36 |
| Dec | 77% | 38% | 5.2 | 11:28 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Santa Marta is like
The warmest month is June, with an average high of 32 °C89 °F and a low of 27 °C80 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average 32 °C89 °F and lows 25 °C76 °F. Temperatures barely change through the year: the warmest and the coolest month differ by only 1.2 °C2.1 °F.
Annual precipitation is moderate at about 847 mm33 in. The wettest three-month stretch is September–November, which brings 48% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: January–March. The wettest month is October (175 mm6.9 in), the driest is February (2 mm0.1 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 67% in February to 83% in October. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 25%) are typical of February. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 8 km/h (5 mph) in September to 16 km/h (10 mph) in February. Daylight lasts from about 11.5 hours in December to 12.8 hours in June.
Best time to visit Santa Marta
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are December–April. Average highs then reach 31 °C88 °F to 32 °C90 °F. Precipitation is 2 mm0.1 in to 30 mm1.2 in per month.
The most challenging month is October, which is hot, with average highs of 30 °C86 °F, very wet (175 mm6.9 in) and humid (83% relative humidity).
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Santa Marta
- Wetter months (May–November) — highs 3086 to 32 °C90 °F, lows 2679 to 27 °C80 °F, about 112 mm4.4 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Drier months (December–April) — highs 3188 to 32 °C90 °F, lows 2576 to 26 °C79 °F, about 13 mm0.5 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water.
How Santa Marta compares
The nearest larger place is Barranquilla, about 71 km to the southwest. Compared with it, Santa Marta is on average 0.9 °C1.7 °F warmer. It receives 25% less precipitation (847 mm33 in vs 1,126 mm44 in). The difference is largest in March (1.5 °C2.7 °F warmer).
World Climates covers 48 places in Colombia. By annual mean temperature, Santa Marta is the 2nd warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 46th wettest. See all of them on the Colombia climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Maracaibo (Venezuela, BSh), Chinandega (Nicaragua, Aw) and León (Nicaragua, Aw).
Nearby places
- Climate in Barranquilla 71 km · 28 °C82 °F · 1,126 mm44 in
- Climate in Sabanalarga 104 km · 28 °C83 °F · 935 mm37 in
- Climate in Valledupar 134 km · 28 °C83 °F · 718 mm28 in
- Climate in Riohacha 144 km · 28 °C82 °F · 931 mm37 in
- Climate in Cartagena 170 km · 28 °C82 °F · 1,370 mm54 in
- Climate in Maicao 214 km · 28 °C83 °F · 675 mm27 in
- Climate in Machiques 222 km · 29 °C84 °F · 781 mm31 in
- Climate in Magangué 230 km · 29 °C84 °F · 1,002 mm39 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Santa Marta?
June is the warmest month in Santa Marta. Its average high is 32 °C (89 °F) and its average low is 27 °C (80 °F).
What is the coldest month in Santa Marta?
January is the coldest month. Its average high is 32 °C (89 °F) and its average low is 25 °C (76 °F).
When does it rain the most in Santa Marta?
October is the wettest month with about 175 mm (6.9 in) of precipitation. February is the driest with about 2 mm (0.1 in).
What is the best time to visit Santa Marta?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are December–April.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.
The grid cell’s average elevation is 245 m, while Santa Marta lies at about 14 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +1.5 °C2.7 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.