Cartagena weather by month & the best time to visit
Colombia · coastal city break · tropical — wet & dry seasons climate
The best time to visit Cartagena is January — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 94/100), with February and March close behind. Cartagena averages about 2,547 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 29°C / 84°F and roughly 2 mm of rain in January.
When is the best time to visit Cartagena?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Cartagena is January, then February and March. The dullest month is May (66/100, 178 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Cartagena?
Cartagena gets a lot of sun: around 2,547 hours a year. January (94/100) is noticeably better than May (66). It ranks #6 of 49 destinations in Colombia for annual sunshine, above the national median of 1,819 hours. Rain has a clear season: the wettest stretch, around October, carries about 44% of the annual 1,369 mm.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 94 | 29° / 84°F | 25° / 77°F | 2 mm | 10 | 29° / 84°F |
| February | 93 | 30° / 86°F | 25° / 77°F | 3 mm | 11 | 29° / 84°F |
| March | 92 | 30° / 86°F | 26° / 79°F | 10 mm | 11 | 29° / 84°F |
| April | 83 | 30° / 86°F | 26° / 79°F | 60 mm | 11 | 30° / 86°F |
| May | 66 | 30° / 86°F | 27° / 81°F | 178 mm | 10 | 30° / 86°F |
| June | 69 | 30° / 86°F | 27° / 81°F | 135 mm | 10 | 30° / 86°F |
| July | 66 | 30° / 86°F | 27° / 81°F | 160 mm | 10 | 30° / 86°F |
| August | 66 | 30° / 86°F | 27° / 81°F | 160 mm | 10 | 30° / 86°F |
| September | 66 | 29° / 84°F | 27° / 81°F | 182 mm | 10 | 31° / 88°F |
| October | 66 | 29° / 84°F | 27° / 81°F | 242 mm | 9 | 30° / 86°F |
| November | 66 | 29° / 84°F | 27° / 81°F | 181 mm | 9 | 30° / 86°F |
| December | 84 | 29° / 84°F | 26° / 79°F | 56 mm | 9 | 30° / 86°F |
Sea temperature in Cartagena by month
The sea off Cartagena is warmest in September at around 31°C / 88°F, and coolest in January at 29°C / 84°F. The water sits at a comfortable 21°C or warmer roughly all year round. Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
Head-to-head
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Cartagena: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Cartagena?
Cartagena is a coastal city break in Colombia with a tropical — wet & dry seasons climate — the sea reaches 31°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) year-round.
How many hours of sunshine does Cartagena get a year?
Cartagena gets about 2,547 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around January.
When is the best time to visit Cartagena?
The sunniest time to visit Cartagena is January, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 94/100 (with February and March close behind). Expect daytime highs around 29°C / 84°F.
What is the least sunny month in Cartagena?
May is the least sunny month in Cartagena, scoring 66/100 with about 178 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Cartagena?
The sea in Cartagena ranges from about 29°C (January) to 31°C (September). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Cartagena?
The typical midday UV index in Cartagena peaks around 11 (extreme) in February, easing to about 9 (very high) in October. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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