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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Antigua in December

Antigua in December: 51% of days see measurable rain, 82°F average high, 16% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Antigua in December is historically a poor month for sun: only 16% of days clear across 8 years (n=248, avg high 82°F). March is the clearest month for Antigua historically. Historical average, not a forecast.

What you are reading: 8-year historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis, not a forecast. A month that is historically 90% clear can still be overcast on your specific trip. For this week’s actual forecast, see the live Antigua page. Both can be true at once: “historically strong in this month; this particular week is not.” We label which is which.

Early vs. Late December

Clear-sky percentage for Antigua in December, split by half-month. “n” is the number of days sampled across 8 years (2018–2025).
Period % Clear days Sample (n) Avg high
Early December
1st–15th		 8% n=120 82°F
Late December
16th–end		 23% n=128 82°F
Full month average 16% n=248 82°F

Sunshine & warmth in December

A second measure using actual sunshine hours (ERA5 sunshine_duration), not the daily weather code. A Lowcountry day with 12 hours of sun and a 25-minute afternoon storm is counted below as a warm, sunny day — because it was. How we define this.

Sunshine-based metrics for Antigua in December. Primary: % of days ≥ 72°F with > 6 h of sunshine.
Period Warm & sunny (≥72°F, >6 h sun) Sample (n)
Early December
1st–15th		 99% n=120
Late December
16th–end		 100% n=128
Full month average 100% n=248
10.5 h median sunshine per day 99% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 51% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 16%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 100%. The 84-point gap is from brief afternoon convective storms that stamp the whole day as “rain” in the WMO code but leave the bulk of the sunshine untouched.

Bottom line

Antigua is a poor choice for sun in December: just 16% of days clear historically (n=248). March is the historically strongest month for sun here. The 8-year record is consistent — this is not a fluke bad stretch.

→ See all destinations in March — historically the best month for sun in Antigua.

Every month in Antigua

Compare across all months with data. Numbers are historical clear-sky %.

Historical clear-sky % for Antigua, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 14% n=248 All destinations →
February 7% n=226 All destinations →
March 18% n=248 All destinations →
April 8% n=240 All destinations →
May 5% n=248 All destinations →
June 4% n=240 All destinations →
July 4% n=248 All destinations →
August 4% n=248 All destinations →
September 5% n=240 All destinations →
October 6% n=248 All destinations →
November 8% n=240 All destinations →
December ← this page 16% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Antigua in December?

Yes, frequently. In Antigua, 51% of days in December see measurable rain, based on 8 years of ERA5 historical data (n=248 days, 2018–2025). This is a historical average, not a forecast.

Is Antigua good for sun in December?

Not usually. Antigua is historically overcast in December: only 16% of days are clear (avg high 82°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025). March is historically far better for sun here.

How Antigua compares in December

Head-to-head clear-sky comparisons against destinations travelers plausibly weigh against Antigua this month — same passport tier, similar flight distance, both sides from the same 8-year ERA5 record.

All percentages are historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 8 full years (2018–2025). “Clear” means avg high ≥ 72 °F, precipitation < 1 mm, and a non-precipitation weather code. This is history, not a forecast. The live 7-day outlook for any destination is on its own page and may differ from the long-run average. Data from Open-Meteo.