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Zurich in December: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

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

Weather in Zurich in December 2024

OK Weather
Chill
☁️
Cloudy
December could be a good time to visit Zurich, as the weather is generally fine. The average high temperature is around +41°F, and there are typically 1 sunny days in December. However, expect about 7 rainy days, and total monthly rainfall of approximately 85 mm. The weather is changeable so pack for every eventuality. Search flights in one click on Avionero.
Good to know:
  • December is usually the wettest month of the year in Zurich;

Average weather

☀️
+41°F
Avg. max. temperature
+9°F
Min.
+63°F
Max.
85 mm
Total precipitation
84%
Avg. humidity
2 m/s
Avg. wind
1 ☀️
Sunny Days
20 ⛅️
Cloudy
7 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Zurich has OK weather in December.

Average temperature in Zurich in December

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

Going from a maximum of +61°F during the day to a minimum of +18°F during the night, the temperature in December averages around +41°F.

The average maximum temperature goes up 50% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +39°F to +61°F.

Is Zurich warm or cold in December?

Zurich is typically chill in December.

Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +46°F to +41°F. The minimum temperature also goes down from +37°F to +32°F.

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

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

Climate in Zurich in December

Zurich weather looks like this, on average, in December and the surrounding months.
NovemberDecemberJanuary
Avg. temperature
+46°F+41°F+39°F
Min. temperature
+16°F+9°F-6°F
Max. temperature
+72°F+63°F+61°F
Rainfall
90 mm85 mm72 mm
Wind
2 m/s2 m/s2 m/s
Humidity
84%84%82%
Air pressure
1017 HPa1018 HPa1019 HPa
Sunny days
212
Cloudy days
192018
Rainy days
877
Snowy days
134

December weather is still as ok as in November. It’s getting colder in December. From +46°F in the day, the average maximum temperature lowers to +41°F. As December arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 90 mm to 85 mm. Humidity levels don’t change as the month goes on, averaging around 84%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during December, staying around 2 m/s. The days becoming less sunny, going from 2 sunny days in November to 1 in December.

January brings much the same weather, it remains ok.

Wind

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

The average wind speed is 2 m/s getting up to 6 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in Zurich is gradually increasing during December, going from 2 m/s to 3 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during December in Zurich based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 55% chance of rain on an average day in December, with total rainfall of approximately 99 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 15 mm, which is considered light rain. December is a pretty wet month with over 17 rainy days, so don’t forget to pack an umbrella, raincoat, and a pair of wellies.
Here’s how December is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
Zurich wettest month is July, where a typical day has a 39% chance of precipitation and 154 mm of rainfall per day. February, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 21% chance of precipitation and 62 mm of rainfall per day.

Snow

Amount of snow in mm during December in Zurich based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 10% chance of snow on an average day in December, with a total monthly snowfall of approximately 26 mm.

December is one of the snowiest months in Zurich.

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

How was the weather last December in Zurich?

This is the weather in Zurich in December 2023:
1 December
☁️
+39°F
2 December
☁️
+41°F
3 December
☁️
+37°F
4 December
☁️
+36°F
5 December
🌧️
+42°F
6 December
☁️
+39°F
7 December
☁️
+38°F
8 December
☁️
+40°F
9 December
🌨️
+35°F
10 December
🌨️
+34°F
11 December
🌫️
+31°F
12 December
☁️
+27°F
13 December
☁️
+26°F
14 December
🌧️
+39°F
15 December
🌧️
+38°F
16 December
🌨️
+33°F
17 December
☁️
+31°F
18 December
🌫️
+31°F
19 December
🌫️
+40°F
20 December
🌫️
+46°F
21 December
☁️
+49°F
22 December
🌧️
+54°F
23 December
🌧️
+55°F
24 December
🌧️
+53°F
25 December
🌫️
+47°F
26 December
☀️
+51°F
27 December
☁️
+45°F
28 December
☀️
+49°F
29 December
☁️
+53°F
30 December
🌧️
+49°F
31 December
☀️
+60°F
In December 2023 Zurich had 3 sunny days, 13 cloudy days, and 7 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +41°F, with an absolute maximum of +61°F and a minimum of +27°F. The average humidity was 87%, with a maximum of 98% and a minimum of 59%. The average wind speed was 2 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 the Years

This is how Zurich climate has changed over the last 43 years.

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

The average temperature was the lowest in 2005 (+37°F) and the highest in 2015 (+49°F). The driest year was 2016 with only 4 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2019 with 223 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Zurich in December:

Is December a good time to visit Zurich?

It’s always a good time to visit Zurich, but the weather is changeable in December, so plan a mix of indoor and outdoor activities and exploring, and pack for every eventuality.

Can you sunbathe in Zurich in December?

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

Is Zurich rainy in December?

Zurich 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 Zurich in December?

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

Other cities in Switzerland

Check out the weather for other cities in Switzerland.

Monthly weather in Zurich

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Zurich, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2022.

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.