Early December 1 December
54°F
Typical afternoon high
40% historical wet-day frequency
Croatia · Beach
Croatia's coast
in December.
Is December a good time?
Cool days.
Fewer overnight stays than November.
December averages 53°F afternoons and 61°F seas, with about 12 rain days. Check seasonal openings.
- Afternoons
- 53°F
- Sea
- 61°F
- Visitor demand
- 2%of August peak
Historical Jadranska Hrvatska regional averages, not a forecast or a measure of queues. Overnight demand compares average stays per day. Croatia's whole Adriatic side, from Istria in the north to Dubrovnik in the far south: Zadar, Split, Hvar and the islands, plus the inland Lika highlands around Plitvice Lakes. These figures describe all of it together.
Overall match
3.9/10 · scores & prioritiesWhat matters most?
Weather 50% · Crowds 30% · Cost 20%
#10 of 12 months here · Balanced mix
Weather2.1/10Poor
CrowdsOff seasoncheck seasonal openings; overnight stays do not measure queuesFor its size, typical for Europe this month
CostModeratefor Europe; Croatia-wide price level
Overall combines weather, overnight demand and cost. It does not include sea temperature.
Plan your December
What to expect.
What should I pack?
Afternoons around 53°F (12°C): a sweater and a light jacket; nights around 41°F (5°C): a warm coat. Bring rain gear: about 12 days with at least 1 mm of rain. About 9 hours of daylight.
Can I swim in December?
The sea averages 61°F. Our swimming guide: cold: short dips, or a wetsuit. Your comfort will vary. This is open water near the coast, not a beach-specific reading.
Monthly coastal averages from NOAA, 2011–2025. Sea temperature is separate from the weather and Overall scores.
A typical day: temperatures & daylightAfternoons, nights, sea temperature & daylight Show detailsHide details
About 9 hours of daylight.
The sun rises about 07:26 and sets about 16:19 (local time, mid-month). Mornings start around 41°F (5°C); afternoons reach about 53°F (12°C). Expect rain on about 12 days in a typical December.
Typical afternoon
53°F (12°C)
average daily high, 15 recent Decembers
Night low
41°F (5°C)
average daily minimum
Sea
61°F (16°C)
cold; open water near the coast, NOAA satellite record 2011–2025
Daylight
8h 53m
on the 15th, computed from latitude
Early, middle or late?
Early or late December?
Early and late December have similar afternoon averages. The afternoon high averages 54°F on the 1st, versus 52°F on the 31st. Historical wet-day frequency falls from 40% to 32% between those dates.
Mid December 15 December
53°F
Typical afternoon high
32% historical wet-day frequency
Late December 31 December
52°F
Typical afternoon high
32% historical wet-day frequency
Historical daily averages from 2011–2025, smoothed over two weeks. A seasonal pattern, not a forecast. This does not establish which week has the lowest prices or fewest visitors.
Public holidays · 2026: 25 Dec Christmas; 26 Dec Christmas.
Daily calendar & holiday datesDecember 2026 · historical weather & dated holidays Show calendarHide calendar
December 2026 calendar
Weather shows historical patterns, not a forecast. Holidays and events use the dates shown for 2026.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 154° | 254° | 354° | 453° | 553° | 653° | |
| 753° | 853° | 953° | 1053° | 1153° | 1253° | 1353° |
| 1453° | 1553° | 1653° | 1753° | 1853° | 1953° | 2053° |
| 2153° | 2253° | 2353° | 2453° | 2553° | 2653° | 2753° |
| 2852° | 2952° | 3052° | 3152° |
Afternoon high rain likely (25%+) local school holidays public holiday event
Afternoons cool from about 53°F (12°C) in the first week to 52°F (11°C) in the last. The chance of a wet day runs 24–42%.
School-holiday dates for December 2026 aren't available in our data yet. A day without a school marker doesn't mean schools are open. Public holidays: 25 Dec Christmas; 26 Dec Christmas. Elsewhere in December 2026, the share of people living where schools are out on a typical day: France 39%, Germany 29%, Italy 35%, Spain 32%. (School holidays: OpenHolidays, ODbL.)
Crowds, cost and getting there
Visitor season
Will it be busy?
Off season. December averages 2% of August's overnight stays per day. Fewer overnight stays than November. Check seasonal accommodation and activity openings.
Overnight stays across Jadranska Hrvatska do not measure queues, day visitors or congestion at individual sights. For its size, typical for Europe this month.
Hotel price season
Will it be cheaper?
A little below usual. Estimated from national hotel prices and local visitor demand; no measured regional room rate is available.
Fewer overnight stays do not automatically mean cheaper rooms. Check actual quotes for your trip.
Croatia as a whole
Near EU average
2024 restaurants and hotels price level: 95 where the EU average is 100. A relative index, not a room rate.
Recorded US nonstop flights · 2024
None recorded this month
runs May to September; 2024 schedule, Eurostat
Year-to-year variation
How much does December vary?
Across the recorded years
In the 15 years from 2011 to 2025, the month's afternoons averaged between 50°F (10°C) and 56°F (13°C); in 13 of them they were within 3°F (1.5°C) of the typical 53°F (12°C). Rain days ranged from 0 to 17; half the years had 7–13.
Rain days in each December
Rain days
12
at least 1 mm, typical year; about 16 in a wet year
Mostly sunny days
8 of 31
cloud cover under 30%
Years with a 95°F+ day
0 of 15
no December in the last 15 years had a day at or above 95°F (35°C)
Good weather days
2 of 31
rated very good or better
See every recorded DecemberHistorical monthly averages, year by year Show detailsHide details
| Year | Afternoon high | Rain days |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 53°F | 15 |
| 2012 | 50°F | 13 |
| 2013 | 54°F | 5 |
| 2014 | 52°F | 12 |
| 2015 | 56°F | 0 |
| 2016 | 52°F | 0 |
| 2017 | 51°F | 13 |
| 2018 | 51°F | 11 |
| 2019 | 54°F | 13 |
| 2020 | 54°F | 17 |
| 2021 | 52°F | 13 |
| 2022 | 55°F | 17 |
| 2023 | 55°F | 9 |
| 2024 | 52°F | 8 |
| 2025 | 55°F | 7 |
Checked against official climate averages for Dubrovnik, Hvar, Mali Losinj, Rijeka, Rovinj, Split-Marjan and Zadar. How we check
Compare dates
November, December
or January?
| Typical conditions | Nov | Dec | Jan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 59°F | 53°F | 50°F |
| Sea | 66°F | 61°F | 58°F |
| Rain days | 12 | 12 | 11 |
| Overnight demand | 2% | 2% | 1% |
November: Warmer afternoons and warmer sea than December. More overnight demand. Check seasonal accommodation and activity openings. November guide →
January: Cooler afternoons and cooler sea than December. Less overnight demand. Check seasonal accommodation and activity openings. January guide →
Overnight demand measures accommodation stays, not queues. Sea temperatures are monthly coastal averages.
Compare any of the 12 monthsChoose another month and compare it with December Show comparisonHide comparison
Yellow marks the top three months on the Balanced mix. December stays as your reference.
March and November have a Weather score at least 1.0 point higher than December, without a substantially busier visitor season.
Your comparison
December or November?
Overnight stays are 2% of the busiest month; check seasonal openings.
National hotel prices and local visitor demand suggest well below usual. No measured regional room rate is available.
Read the November guide →| Typical conditions | December | November |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 53°F | 59°F |
| Nights | 41°F | 47°F |
| Sea | 61°F | 66°F |
| Rain days | 12 | 12 |
| Visitor season | Off season | Off season |
| Overall / 10 | 3.9 | 4.6 |
| Month rank | #10 | #9 |
Every month, in detail Show detailsHide details
| Month | Overall | Rank | High | Low | Sea | Rain days | Weather | Visitor season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3.5 | #12 | 50°F | 38°F | 58°F | 11 | 1.5 | Off season |
| February | 3.9 | #11 | 53°F | 39°F | 56°F | 8 | 1.9 | Off season |
| March | 4.8 | #8 | 58°F | 43°F | 56°F | 8 | 3.6 | Off season |
| April | 6.5 | #7 | 65°F | 49°F | 58°F | 8 | 5.8 | Low season |
| May | 7.6 | #3 | 72°F | 56°F | 64°F | 9 | 7.4 | Low season |
| June | 8.1 | #1 | 81°F | 65°F | 72°F | 5 | 9.7 | Moderate season |
| July | 7.4 | #4 | 86°F | 69°F | 77°F | 4 | 9.9 | Peak season |
| August | 7.1 | #5 | 86°F | 68°F | 78°F | 4 | 9.8 | Peak season |
| September | 7.6 | #2 | 77°F | 61°F | 75°F | 8 | 8.6 | Moderate season |
| October | 7.1 | #6 | 68°F | 54°F | 70°F | 9 | 6.6 | Low season |
| November | 4.6 | #9 | 59°F | 47°F | 66°F | 12 | 3.2 | Off season |
| December | 3.9 | #10 | 53°F | 41°F | 61°F | 12 | 2.1 | Off season |
Near here
Nearby places in December
Nearby regions, nearest first. Distances are centre to centre, as the crow flies; they are not road distances or journey times.
ZagrebCroatia · about 100 miles
Balanced Overall 5.3 · Fair weather, 45°F (7°C) · Busy season · Cost pricey
Slavonia & eastern Croatiaabout 110 miles
Balanced Overall 6.7 · Good weather, 46°F (8°C) · Low season · Cost moderate
Ljubljana, Lake Bled & western Sloveniaabout 140 miles
Balanced Overall 6.8 · Fair weather, 46°F (8°C) · Low season · Cost moderate
MarcheItaly · about 140 miles
Balanced Overall 5.4 · Fair weather, 55°F (13°C) · Low season · Cost moderate
Friuli Venezia GiuliaItaly · about 180 miles
Balanced Overall 3.8 · Poor weather, 50°F (10°C) · Low season · Cost moderate
Elsewhere in Europe
Better December weather than Croatia's coast
Croatia's coast's weather ranks 44 of 77 beach regions this month. These beach regions outside Croatia have clearly better weather on your dates, nearest first, each compared with Croatia's coast.
MarcheItaly · about 140 miles
Fair weather (3.4): 2°F warmer afternoons, 4 fewer rain days, pricier
AbruzzoItaly · about 170 miles
Fair weather (3.3): about as warm, 3 fewer rain days, pricier
Amalfi Coast & NaplesCampania · Italy · about 240 miles
Fair weather (3.7): 5°F warmer afternoons, busier for its season (low season)
BasilicataItaly · about 270 miles
Fair weather (3.2): about as warm, 5 fewer rain days, pricier
SicilyItaly · about 470 miles
Good weather (5.5): 8°F warmer afternoons, 4 fewer rain days
How we knowSources, regional scope & scoring method Show detailsHide details
It's off season, 2% of the busiest month and 93% below its average month. That means about 17,000 overnight visitors on a typical December night across the region, 30% of them from Croatia itself. Rentals booked through Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor add up to 7,700 more: 46 for every 100 counted above. Some are the same properties counted twice.
| Climate suitability (HCI:Beach, 0–100) | 46 |
| How our weather was checked | Official climate averages for Dubrovnik, Hvar, Mali Losinj, Rijeka, Rovinj, Split-Marjan and Zadar from the national weather service, every month: afternoon highs typically within 1°F (0.7°C), night lows within 2°F (0.8°C). |
| Tourist nights per 1,000 residents per day | 13 |
| Busiest month here | August · 642 |
| Visitors as share of people present | 1.3% |
| Rank among Europe's regions this month | 74th percentile |
| Domestic share of nights | 30% |
| Platform rental nights per 100 counted nights | 46 |
| Visitor share if every platform night were extra | 1.8% |
| National hotel-price season | Croatia historical 2024–2025 index: About usual (−4% vs its average month). Not a local room quote. |
| Population used | 1.3 million |
| Statistical region | HR03 · Jadranska Hrvatska |
Crowds: Eurostat nights spent at tourist accommodation, by month and NUTS 2 region, 2024–2025 average. Overnight visitors per night is the month's nights divided by its days; the per-1,000 figure is Eurostat's, against each year's population. Platform rentals: Eurostat nights booked via Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor, 2024–2025 average, shown separately because some properties are in both counts. Weather: Holiday Climate Index computed from ERA5 reanalysis with daily highs, night lows and rain days corrected from open national weather-service station records, 2011–2025, population-weighted to the region; day-by-day figures are the same data averaged by date. Heat and rain odds are counted across those years. Sunrise and sunset: NOAA solar equations, local time. Prices: Eurostat price level index and HICP, national. Full method · this region's data.