Early December 1 December
29°F
Typical afternoon high
44% historical wet-day frequency
Finland · Regional guide
Finnish Lapland & the east
in December.
Is December a good time?
Cold days.
More overnight stays than November.
December averages 28°F afternoons and 36°F seas, with about 15 rain days. Later December is typically cooler.
- Afternoons
- 28°F
- Coastal sea
- 36°F
- Visitor demand
- 93%of July peak
Historical Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi regional averages, not a forecast or a measure of queues. Overnight demand compares average stays per day. Covers Rovaniemi, Saariselkä, Levi, Oulu and Savonlinna; conditions vary within the region.
Rovaniemi & the Levi area
Planning a snow holiday?
Snow & daylight
December brings a daylight tradeoff. Nearby stations consistently recorded snow cover, but midmonth daylight is only about 2½ hours near Rovaniemi. Near Levi, the sun stays below the horizon; there is still twilight. Compare March for longer days.
Compare accommodation quotes
Lapland averages · 2024–2025
- December
- €299
- March
- €213
- November
- €201
Per occupied unit-night, including VAT. Multiple accommodation types across Lapland; these are not town-specific rates or current quotes.
Check your activity before booking
Before booking, check Levi's open slopes and your Rovaniemi activity's dates and conditions.
Based on two rural/lowland stations, not town centres, individual slopes or guaranteed trip conditions. Sources and scope · operator references checked 6 October 2026.
Warm-weather match
2.1/10 · scores & prioritiesThis rating uses beach-weather comfort across northern and eastern Finland. It does not assess snow holidays, skiing or northern lights. Sea temperatures describe the coast, not inland lakes.
What matters most?
Weather 50% · Crowds 30% · Cost 20%
#12 of 12 for warm-weather travel · Balanced mix
Warm-weather comfort1.0/10Poor
CrowdsPeak seasonvs its own year; overnight stays do not measure queuesFor its size, one of Europe's busiest this month
CostExpensivefor Europe
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 28°F (−2°C): a winter coat, hat and gloves. Bring rain gear: about 15 days with at least 1 mm of rain. About 3 hours of daylight.
Can I swim in December?
The sea averages 36°F. Our swimming guide: very cold: wetsuit weather. 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 3 hours of daylight.
The sun rises about 10:24 and sets about 13:49 (local time, mid-month). Mornings start around 19°F (−7°C); afternoons reach about 28°F (−2°C). Expect rain on about 15 days in a typical December.
Typical afternoon
28°F (−2°C)
average daily high, 15 recent Decembers
Night low
19°F (−7°C)
average daily minimum
Sea
36°F (2°C)
very cold; open water near the coast, NOAA satellite record 2011–2025
Daylight
3h 25m
on the 15th, computed from latitude
Early, middle or late?
Early or late December?
Early December is typically warmer. The afternoon high averages 29°F on the 1st, versus 24°F on the 31st. Historical wet-day frequency falls from 44% to 38% between those dates.
Mid December 15 December
28°F
Typical afternoon high
46% historical wet-day frequency
Late December 31 December
24°F
Typical afternoon high
38% 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 129° | 229° | 329° | 429° | 528° | 628° | |
| 728° | 828° | 928° | 1028° | 1128° | 1228° | 1328° |
| 1428° | 1528° | 1628° | 1728° | 1828° | 1928° | 2028° |
| 2127° | 2228° | 2328° | 2428° | 2528° | 2627° | 2727° |
| 2826° | 2925° | 3024° | 3124° |
Afternoon high rain likely (25%+) local school holidays public holiday event
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.
Afternoons cool from about 29°F (−2°C) in the first week to 26°F (−3°C) in the last. The chance of a wet day runs 38–46%.
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 and cost
Visitor season
Will it be busy?
Peak season. December averages 93% of July's overnight stays per day. More overnight stays than November.
Overnight stays across Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi do not measure queues, day visitors or congestion at individual sights. For its size, one of Europe's busiest this month.
Accommodation price season
Will it be cheaper?
Well above usual.
For a Lapland budget, start with the local figure: the 2024–2025 December accommodation average was €299 in Lapland, versus €227 across northern and eastern Finland, per occupied unit per night. Includes VAT and multiple accommodation types; historical averages, not booking quotes. If dates are flexible, also price-check November (local average €201); confirm snow conditions and activity dates separately. Sources and scope.
Wider region: northern and eastern Finland
€227
2024–2025 monthly average; accommodation revenue per occupied unit per night; not a current booking quote. +61% vs this region's usual month.
Finland as a whole
Above EU average
2024 restaurants and hotels price level: 127 where the EU average is 100. A relative index, not a room rate.
Statistics Finland 11ix covers hotels and other registered accommodation, including VAT. Units and coverage.
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 16°F (−9°C) and 34°F (1°C); in 6 of them they were within 3°F (1.5°C) of the typical 28°F (−2°C). Rain days ranged from 10 to 21; half the years had 10–16.
Rain days in each December
Rain days
15
at least 1 mm, typical year; about 18 in a wet year
Mostly sunny days
1 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
0 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 | 34°F | 21 |
| 2012 | 16°F | 13 |
| 2013 | 31°F | 19 |
| 2014 | 29°F | 15 |
| 2015 | 33°F | 14 |
| 2016 | 29°F | 10 |
| 2017 | 30°F | 16 |
| 2018 | 27°F | 11 |
| 2019 | 32°F | 17 |
| 2020 | 31°F | 15 |
| 2021 | 20°F | 10 |
| 2022 | 25°F | 15 |
| 2023 | 21°F | 10 |
| 2024 | 28°F | 10 |
| 2025 | 31°F | 15 |
Checked against 91 local weather stations. How we check
Compare dates
November, December
or January?
| Typical conditions | Nov | Dec | Jan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 34°F | 28°F | 22°F |
| Sea | 41°F | 36°F | 33°F |
| Rain days | 11 | 15 | 11 |
| Overnight demand | 49% | 93% | 69% |
November: Warmer afternoons, warmer sea and fewer rain days than December. Less overnight demand. November guide →
January: Cooler afternoons, cooler sea and fewer rain days than December. Less overnight demand. 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.
January, April to June and August to November have fewer overnight stays than December, with a similar or higher Weather score.
Your comparison
December or November?
Overnight stays are 49% of the busiest month.
Historical regional accommodation revenue (2024–2025 monthly average): €150 per occupied unit per night. An average, not a booking quote. For a Lapland budget, start with the local figure: the 2024–2025 November accommodation average was €201 in Lapland, versus €150 across northern and eastern Finland, per occupied unit per night. Includes VAT and multiple accommodation types; historical averages, not booking quotes.
Read the November guide →| Typical conditions | December | November |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 28°F | 34°F |
| Nights | 19°F | 26°F |
| Sea | 36°F | 41°F |
| Rain days | 15 | 11 |
| Visitor season | Peak season | Moderate season |
| Warm-weather match / 10 | 2.1 | 3.0 |
| Month rank | #12 | #8 |
Every month, in detail Show detailsHide details
| Month | Overall | Rank | High | Low | Sea | Rain days | Weather | Visitor season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2.8 | #9 | 22°F | 12°F | 33°F | 11 | 1.0 | Busy season |
| February | 2.2 | #11 | 24°F | 13°F | 32°F | 9 | 1.0 | Peak season |
| March | 2.5 | #10 | 32°F | 19°F | 32°F | 7 | 1.0 | Busy season |
| April | 3.0 | #6 | 43°F | 27°F | 33°F | 8 | 1.0 | Moderate season |
| May | 5.4 | #4 | 56°F | 40°F | 37°F | 7 | 3.4 | Low season |
| June | 5.8 | #2 | 66°F | 50°F | 51°F | 10 | 5.6 | Busy season |
| July | 5.4 | #3 | 71°F | 55°F | 61°F | 12 | 6.6 | Peak season |
| August | 5.9 | #1 | 67°F | 51°F | 61°F | 12 | 5.6 | Busy season |
| September | 4.5 | #5 | 57°F | 44°F | 56°F | 10 | 2.6 | Moderate season |
| October | 3.0 | #7 | 43°F | 34°F | 47°F | 11 | 1.0 | Moderate season |
| November | 3.0 | #8 | 34°F | 26°F | 41°F | 11 | 1.0 | Moderate season |
| December | 2.1 | #12 | 28°F | 19°F | 36°F | 15 | 1.0 | Peak season |
Elsewhere in Europe
Warm-weather alternatives in December
These comparisons use warm-weather comfort, not snow or skiing conditions. Finnish Lapland & the east's warm-weather comfort ranks 77 of 77 beach regions this month. These beach regions outside Finland have clearly better warm-weather comfort on your dates, nearest first, each compared with Finnish Lapland & the east.
Venice & the VenetoItaly · about 1480 miles
Poor weather (2.0): 22°F warmer afternoons, 9 fewer rain days, quieter for its season (low season), cheaper
MarcheItaly · about 1620 miles
Fair weather (3.4): 27°F warmer afternoons, 7 fewer rain days, quieter for its season (low season), cheaper
Liguria & the Cinque TerreItaly · about 1620 miles
Poor weather (2.8): 27°F warmer afternoons, 6 fewer rain days, quieter for its season (low season), cheaper
AbruzzoItaly · about 1690 miles
Fair weather (3.3): 27°F warmer afternoons, 6 fewer rain days, quieter for its season (low season), cheaper
French Riviera & ProvenceFrance · about 1690 miles
Fair weather (3.8): 28°F warmer afternoons, 8 fewer rain days, quieter for its season (low season), cheaper
How we knowSources, regional scope & scoring method Show detailsHide details
The Finnish series covers hotels, cottages and other registered accommodation with at least 20 beds or electrical caravan pitches. A rental unit may be a room, a cottage or an electrical pitch. Prices include VAT. Accommodation coverage.
It's peak season, 93% of the busiest month and 39% above its average month. That means about 30,000 overnight visitors on a typical December night across the region, 33% of them from Finland itself. Rentals booked through Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor add up to 17,000 more: 57 for every 100 counted above. Some are the same properties counted twice.
| Climate suitability (HCI:Beach, 0–100) | 29 |
| How our weather was checked | 91 open weather stations in this region, January and July: afternoon highs typically within 1°F (0.1°C), night lows within 1°F (0.6°C). |
| Tourist nights per 1,000 residents per day | 24 |
| Busiest month here | July · 26 |
| Visitors as share of people present | 2.3% |
| Rank among Europe's regions this month | 92nd percentile |
| Domestic share of nights | 33% |
| Platform rental nights per 100 counted nights | 57 |
| Visitor share if every platform night were extra | 3.6% |
| Population used | 1.3 million |
| Statistical region | FI1D · Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi |
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; the first figure is regional (Statistics Finland, StatFin 11ix: average room price per occupied room (incl. VAT)). Full method · this region's data.