Warsaw in December averages a high of 3.6°C and a low of -0.4°C, with rain or sleet falling on about 12 days and daylight on the 15th running to 7 hours 44 minutes. It's the city's least sunny month and one of its colder ones, with the shortest day of the year on the 21st. December suits travellers who want a quiet, cosy, markedly wintry city break around the Old Town rather than long hours outdoors — it is not one of Warsaw's computed best months, those being May, June and September.
December in Warsaw at a glance
- Temperature
- Average high 3.6 °C, average low −0.4 °C — the 11th warmest month of the year.
- Rain
- 12 days with at least 1 mm, 54 mm in total — the 5th wettest month by rain days.
- Sunshine
- The least sunny month of Warsaw's year (relative ranking — modelled data overstates absolute hours).
- Daylight
- 7 h 44 min on December 15 (8 h 01 min on the 1st, 7 h 47 min on the last day); the shortest day of the year is December 21 (7 h 42 min).
- Crowds
- Average: visitor nights in the region run at 1.0× an average month. Busiest month August, quietest January (Eurostat, 2022–2025).
- Verdict
- The best months for Warsaw are May, June, September; December is for travellers who don't mind the cold.
- Source
- ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2016–2025 averages; daylight computed for the city's latitude; crowds from Eurostat nights spent at tourist accommodation (region by month).
What Warsaw is like in December
December sits at the cold end of Warsaw's year: an average high of 3.6°C and low of -0.4°C, a clear step down from November's 7.1°C high, though still milder than January's 2.1°C. Rain or sleet is recorded on about 12 days, more often than November's 10 but fewer than January's 13, out of 54 mm of precipitation for the month. Daylight is short and shrinking — 8 h 01 min on the 1st, down to 7 h 44 min by the 15th and bottoming out at 7 h 42 min on the 21st, the shortest day of the year. Among nearby cities, Wrocław (4.9°C) and Prague (4.8°C) run a touch milder and drier, while Vilnius is colder and wetter at 1.2°C and 15 rain days.
This is Warsaw dressed for winter: short days, a cold Old Town square, and a holiday rhythm built around Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and St. Stephen's Day on the 24th–26th. School holidays in Germany, the Netherlands and France overlap the back half of the month, feeding into the Christmas period, though visitor nights in the region still run at an average 1.0× an ordinary month — nowhere near August's level, and busier than quiet January. It's a month for museums, churches and long café stops, with brisk daylight walks through the Old Town before dark closes in by late afternoon.
Flights to Warsaw in December 2026
| From | Lowest fare found |
|---|---|
| London | €24 |
| Paris | €26 |
| Berlin | €50 |
| Amsterdam | €88 |
| Stockholm | €17 |
| New York | €281 |
Lowest fares found in recent flight searches (Aviasales), collected 11 November 2026. A guide to price level only — fares change daily and may not be available when you search.
Where else to go in December: warmest, driest and least crowded cities →
Where to stay in December
Holidays in December 2026
- 24 Dec
- Christmas Eve — public holiday in Poland
- 25 Dec
- Christmas Day — public holiday in Poland
- 26 Dec
- St. Stephen's Day — public holiday in Poland
- Germany
- School holidays 19 Dec – 12 Jan (dates vary by region) — expect more visitors from there.
- Netherlands
- School holidays 19 Dec – 3 Jan (dates vary by region) — expect more visitors from there.
- France
- School holidays 20 Dec – 3 Jan (dates vary by region) — expect more visitors from there.
December in nearby cities
The numbers side by side
Tips for December
- Pack a proper winter coat, hat and gloves for highs around 3.6°C and lows near freezing.
- Bring waterproof shoes, since rain or sleet falls on roughly 12 days through the month.
- Front-load outdoor sightseeing into the short daylight window — as little as 7 h 42 min around the 21st — and save museums and indoor stops for after dark.
- Book ahead if travelling over Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or St. Stephen's Day, when school holidays elsewhere overlap; for a slightly milder, drier version of the month, Wrocław or Prague edge out Warsaw.
Hotels in Warsaw
See live prices and availability for stays in Warsaw on a major booking site.
Frequently asked
Is Warsaw worth visiting in December?
Yes, if you're prepared for cold, short days and some rain — it's a good month for Old Town walks between café and museum stops, though it isn't one of Warsaw's computed best months (May, June and September take that spot).
How cold is Warsaw in December?
Average highs sit at 3.6°C and lows at -0.4°C, making it the 11th warmest month of the year in Warsaw.
Does it rain a lot in Warsaw in December?
There are about 12 rain days and 54 mm of precipitation, making it the 5th wettest month by rain days — more than November's 10 days but fewer than January's 13.
How many hours of daylight does Warsaw get in December?
Around 7 h 44 min on December 15, shrinking to the year's shortest day on December 21 at 7 h 42 min.
More on Warsaw
Sources
- Open-Meteo historical weather API — December climate normals for Warsaw, 2016–2025 averages (ERA5 reanalysis, CC BY 4.0)
- NOAA solar calculation method — daylight computed for Warsaw's latitude (sunrise to sunset, standard refraction)
- Nager.Date — public holidays in Poland, December 2026
- OpenHolidays API — school holidays in the main source markets, December 2026
- ReasonStay methodology — how figures are computed and checked
An independent guide to Warsaw in December — every figure computed from open data, no invented numbers. Booking links are affiliate links (how we're funded).