Valledupar climate
Valledupar (Colombia) has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). The average temperature over the year is 28 °C83 °F, and about 718 mm28 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Valledupar climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3392 | 2170 | 2781 | 40.2 |
| Feb | 3594 | 2170 | 2882 | 40.2 |
| Mar | 3595 | 2272 | 2984 | 200.8 |
| Apr | 3595 | 2374 | 2984 | 451.8 |
| May | 3494 | 2475 | 2985 | 1124.4 |
| Jun | 3494 | 2475 | 2985 | 682.7 |
| Jul | 3594 | 2475 | 2984 | 502.0 |
| Aug | 3595 | 2475 | 2985 | 702.7 |
| Sep | 3493 | 2475 | 2984 | 903.6 |
| Oct | 3391 | 2475 | 2883 | 1415.5 |
| Nov | 3290 | 2374 | 2882 | 833.3 |
| Dec | 3391 | 2272 | 2781 | 321.3 |
| Year | 3595 | 2170 | 2883 | 71828 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75% | 36% | 5.5 | 11:34 |
| Feb | 70% | 38% | 5.9 | 11:47 |
| Mar | 69% | 56% | 5.6 | 12:03 |
| Apr | 72% | 75% | 5.2 | 12:21 |
| May | 77% | 81% | 5.0 | 12:36 |
| Jun | 76% | 75% | 5.4 | 12:44 |
| Jul | 74% | 73% | 5.5 | 12:41 |
| Aug | 75% | 78% | 5.4 | 12:28 |
| Sep | 78% | 80% | 5.2 | 12:10 |
| Oct | 82% | 82% | 4.8 | 11:53 |
| Nov | 84% | 70% | 4.6 | 11:38 |
| Dec | 80% | 47% | 5.1 | 11:31 |
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 Valledupar is like
The warmest month is August, with an average high of 35 °C95 °F and a low of 24 °C75 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average 33 °C92 °F and lows 21 °C70 °F. Temperatures barely change through the year: the warmest and the coolest month differ by only 2.3 °C4.2 °F.
Annual precipitation is moderate at about 718 mm28 in. The wettest three-month stretch is September–November, which brings 44% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: January and February. The wettest month is October (141 mm5.5 in), the driest is February (4 mm0.2 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 69% in March to 84% in November. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 36%) are typical of January. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 1 km/h (1 mph) in October to 3 km/h (2 mph) in March. Daylight lasts from about 11.5 hours in December to 12.7 hours in June.
Best time to visit Valledupar
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are December and January: average highs of 33 °C91 °F to 33 °C92 °F with 4 mm0.2 in to 32 mm1.3 in of precipitation per month.
The most challenging month is October, which is hot, with average highs of 33 °C91 °F and humid (82% relative humidity).
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to 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 Valledupar
- Wetter months (May and June, August–November) — highs 3290 to 35 °C95 °F, lows 2374 to 24 °C75 °F, about 94 mm3.7 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, July) — highs 3391 to 35 °C95 °F, lows 2170 to 24 °C75 °F, about 26 mm1.0 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water.
How Valledupar compares
Compared with Santa Marta, about 134 km to the northwest, Valledupar has practically the same average temperature and receives 15% less precipitation (718 mm28 in vs 847 mm33 in). The difference is largest in January (1 °C1.8 °F cooler).
Of the 48 places in Colombia covered by World Climates, Valledupar is the 4th warmest by annual mean temperature and the 47th wettest by annual precipitation. See all of them on the Colombia climate page.
Places in other countries with the most similar temperature and rainfall pattern: Maracaibo (Venezuela, BSh), Machiques (Venezuela, Aw) and Erode (India, Aw).
Nearby places
- Machiques 89 km · 29 °C84 °F · 781 mm31 in
- Riohacha 126 km · 28 °C82 °F · 931 mm37 in
- Santa Marta 134 km · 29 °C84 °F · 847 mm33 in
- Maicao 150 km · 28 °C83 °F · 675 mm27 in
- Barranquilla 176 km · 28 °C82 °F · 1,126 mm44 in
- Maracaibo 181 km · 29 °C84 °F · 678 mm27 in
- Sabanalarga 183 km · 28 °C83 °F · 935 mm37 in
- Cabimas 197 km · 30 °C86 °F · 704 mm28 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Valledupar?
August is the warmest month in Valledupar, with an average high of 35 °C (95 °F) and an average low of 24 °C (75 °F).
What is the coldest month in Valledupar?
January is the coldest month, with an average high of 33 °C (92 °F) and an average low of 21 °C (70 °F).
When does it rain the most in Valledupar?
October is the wettest month with about 141 mm (5.5 in) of precipitation; February is the driest with about 4 mm (0.2 in).
What is the best time to visit Valledupar?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are December and January.
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 — most of all 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 1,031 m, while Valledupar lies at about 160 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +5.7 °C10.2 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.