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Gothenburg in December: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Planning a trip and want to know what the weather in Gothenburg in December will be like? Take a look at our weather guide for Gothenburg, based on historical data.
Check flight prices to Gothenburg on Avionero:
December

Weather in Gothenburg in December 2024

Uncomfortable Weather
Cool
🌧️
Rainy
🌊
Cold water
If you are thinking of traveling to Gothenburg in December, think and plan carefully. The average daytime high temperature is usually around +3°C, and there are only about 3 sunny days in total throughout the whole month. Pack for extremes to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible. Search flights in one click on Avionero.
Good to know:
  • December is usually the wettest month of the year in Gothenburg;

Average weather

☀️
+3°C
Avg. max. temperature
-18°C
Min.
+11°C
Max.
67 mm
Total precipitation
88%
Avg. humidity
4 m/s
Avg. wind
3 ☀️
Sunny Days
9 ⛅️
Cloudy
12 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Gothenburg has uncomfortable weather in December.

Average temperature in Gothenburg in December

Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Gothenburg for December based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

Going from a maximum of +8°C during the day to a minimum of -9°C during the night, the temperature in December averages around +2°C.

The average maximum temperature goes up 35% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from -3°C to +3°C.

Is Gothenburg warm or cold in December?

Gothenburg is typically cool in December.

Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +7°C to +3°C. The minimum temperature also goes down from +2°C to 0°C.

Pack a sweater and a jacket as there will be cooler temperatures.

December is one of the coolest months in Gothenburg, here is the comparison with other months:

Water temperature in Gothenburg in December

Water in Gothenburg in December is Cold. It varies from +2°C to +9°C, with an average of +6°C. Note that the air temperature is lower than the water temperature, averaging around +3°C.

In December, water temperatures are average relative to the rest of the year:

The warmest water temperatures in Gothenburg are reached in August, when the average sea temperature rises to +19°C. The coldest water temperatures are in March, with an average of +3°C.

Can you swim in Gothenburg in December?

We would not recommend swimming in Gothenburg in December, the water is very cold (+6°C on average). Consider swimming only if you are an experienced cold-water swimmer with proper gear.
🦭
Cold
Below +16°C
🏄‍♂️
Fresh
16°C - 21°C
🏊
Comfortable
21°C - 25°C
👙
Warm
25°C - 28°C
🔥
Very warm
+28°C and up
You will need a full-body wetsuit, cap, gloves, a warm change of clothes, and a hot drink ready for after your swim.

Climate in Gothenburg in December

Gothenburg weather looks like this, on average, in December and the surrounding months.
NovemberDecemberJanuary
Avg. temperature
+7°C+3°C+2°C
Min. temperature
-12°C-18°C-23°C
Max. temperature
+15°C+11°C+11°C
Rainfall
80 mm67 mm56 mm
Wind
4 m/s4 m/s4 m/s
Avg. water temperature
+9°C+6°C+3°C
Humidity
86%88%87%
Air pressure
1010 HPa1009 HPa1010 HPa
Sunny days
334
Cloudy days
8910
Rainy days
16129
Snowy days
378

December weather is still as bad as in November. It’s getting colder in December. From +7°C in the day, the average maximum temperature lowers to +3°C. As December arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 80 mm to 67 mm. Humidity rises from 86% to 88%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during December, staying around 4 m/s. The amount of sunny days stay about the same, averaging 3 sunny days during the month.

January brings much the same weather, it remains bad.

Wind

Wind speed in Gothenburg in December based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The average wind speed is 4 m/s getting up to 7 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in Gothenburg is gradually increasing during December, going from 5 m/s to 6 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during December in Gothenburg based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 39% chance of rain on an average day in December, with total rainfall of approximately 63 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 14 mm, which is considered light rain. December is a pretty wet month with over 12 rainy days, so don’t forget to pack an umbrella, raincoat, and a pair of galoshes.
Here’s how December is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
Gothenburg wettest month is October, where a typical day has a 58% chance of precipitation and 106 mm of rainfall per day. February, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 21% chance of precipitation and 39 mm of rainfall per day.

Snow

Amount of snow in mm during December in Gothenburg based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 16% chance of snow on an average day in December, with a total monthly snowfall of approximately 25 mm.

December is one of the snowiest months in Gothenburg.

Here’s how December is compared with other months in the amount of snow, total mm:

How was the weather last December in Gothenburg?

This is the weather in Gothenburg in December 2023:
1 December
☁️
-3°C
2 December
☁️
-4°C
3 December
☁️
-3°C
4 December
🌨️
-2°C
5 December
☀️
-2°C
6 December
🌨️
-1°C
7 December
🌨️
-2°C
8 December
☁️
+1°C
9 December
🌨️
+1°C
10 December
☁️
+3°C
11 December
🌨️
+2°C
12 December
☁️
+1°C
13 December
☁️
-2°C
14 December
☁️
-2°C
15 December
🌫️
+6°C
16 December
☁️
+8°C
17 December
🌫️
+8°C
18 December
🌫️
+8°C
19 December
☁️
+7°C
20 December
☁️
+5°C
21 December
🌧️
+6°C
22 December
☀️
+1°C
23 December
☀️
0°C
24 December
☁️
+6°C
25 December
🌧️
+7°C
26 December
☀️
+4°C
27 December
☀️
+2°C
28 December
🌧️
+6°C
29 December
🌧️
+7°C
30 December
🌧️
+4°C
31 December
☁️
+3°C
In December 2023 Gothenburg had 5 sunny days, 13 cloudy days, and 5 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +2°C, with an absolute maximum of +8°C and a minimum of -4°C. The average humidity was 91%, with a maximum of 100% and a minimum of 70%. The average wind speed was 4 m/s, with a maximum of 11 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in December?

Climate Change over Years

This is how Gothenburg climate have been changing during last 43 years period.

The climate in Gothenburg in December has not changed much over the last 43 years.

The average temperature was the lowest in 1987 (+8°C) and the highest in 2020 (+13°C). The driest year was 1996 with only 526 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2000 with 1351 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Gothenburg in December:

Is December a good time to visit Gothenburg?

There is never a bad time to go to Gothenburg, but the weather isn’t the best in December, so plan on enjoying the great indoor attractions of Gothenburg and pack for the extremes in weather.

Can you sunbathe in Gothenburg in December?

Not really, December is not the best time to sunbathe, unless you visit a local solarium.

Can you swim in Gothenburg in December?

Swimming in Gothenburg in December is challenging and not recommended for inexperienced swimmers or without proper equipment and preparation.

Is Gothenburg rainy in December?

Gothenburg is often rainy in December. You may get a bit damp when outside, so pack an umbrella, and maybe even a raincoat.

Is it sunny in Gothenburg in December?

Usually, it’s not very sunny in Gothenburg in December, often it’s pretty cloudy. Pack for any eventuality; layering can help reduce the number of bulky items needed.

Other cities in Sweden

Check out the weather for other cities in Sweden.

Monthly weather in Gothenburg

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Gothenburg, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2023.

For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.