Gjirokastër weather in December

In December, Gjirokastër sees average daytime highs of 10°C and overnight lows near 1°C, with 205 mm of precipitation across 13.4 wet days and about 9.2 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 11°C in the first days to 9°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Gjirokastër's 10th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gjirokastër's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10°
11th warmest
Overnight low
3rd coldest
Precipitation
205 mm
13.4 wet days
Daylight
9 h 12 min
7:01 AM – 4:11 PM
Cloud cover
57%
10th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
1.74 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.0
out of 10

Gjirokastër is town in Albania.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 11°C in the first days to 9°C by the end.

A typical December day in Gjirokastër reaches about 10°C in the afternoon and slips back to 1°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 6°C and 13°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 5°C cooler than November and about 1°C warmer than January.

-10°-5°10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1123
2113
3113
4113
5112
6112
7112
8112
9102
10102
11102
12101
13101
14101
15101
1691
1791
1891
1991
2090
2190
2290
2390
2490
2590
2690
2790
2890
2990
3090
3190

How December really feels in Gjirokastër

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 20 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
20
wind chill below the day's low

The story in December is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Gjirokastër weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -0°14811.529.51.7
Feb10° / 14911.52.810.42.1
Mar13° / 14212.41.111.73.5
Apr17° / 11012.30135.0
May21° / 10°8611014.26.6
Jun26° / 14°437014.87.7
Jul28° / 17°254.8014.67.2
Aug29° / 17°254.8013.66.9
Sep24° / 14°1128.6012.37.4
Oct20° / 1539.4010.96.5
Nov14° / 22612.30.39.84.1
Dec10° / 20513.41.39.22.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 53%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24258
34357
44357
54357
64456
74654
84654
94654
104753
114753
124852
134852
144753
154852
164753
174951
184852
194951
204951
214852
224852
234852
244852
254951
264951
274951
284852
294951
304951
314951

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Gjirokastër gets around 205 mm of rain and snow over 13.4 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 43% and peaks near 45% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1452
2452
3452
4452
5452
6453
7443
8443
9444
10444
11434
12435
13435
14435
15435
16435
17435
18435
19435
20435
21435
22435
23435
24435
25435
26425
27425
28425
29415
30415
31405

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in December

Winds average 5 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 5 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:48 AM to 7:07 AM, and sunset from 4:10 PM to 4:18 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.46:484:10
29.36:494:10
39.36:504:10
49.36:514:10
59.36:524:09
69.36:534:09
79.36:544:09
89.26:554:09
99.26:564:09
109.26:564:09
119.26:574:10
129.26:584:10
139.26:594:10
149.26:594:10
159.27:004:10
169.27:014:11
179.27:014:11
189.27:024:11
199.27:024:12
209.17:034:12
219.17:044:12
229.17:044:13
239.17:044:13
249.17:054:14
259.27:054:14
269.27:064:15
279.27:064:16
289.27:064:16
299.27:074:17
309.27:074:18
319.27:074:18

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.74 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.74 kWh/m² to a high of 7.12 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.74 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.8Dim
21.8Dim
31.8Dim
41.8Dim
51.8Dim
61.8Dim
71.8Dim
81.8Dim
91.8Dim
101.8Dim
111.8Dim
121.8Dim
131.8Dim
141.8Dim
151.8Dim
161.7Dim
171.7Dim
181.7Dim
191.7Dim
201.7Dim
211.7Dim
221.7Dim
231.7Dim
241.8Dim
251.8Dim
261.8Dim
271.8Dim
281.8Dim
291.8Dim
301.8Dim
311.8Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Gjirokastër

In seasonPeak

In December, Gjirokastër sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Gjirokastër's rainy season runs September–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Gjirokastër?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

2.0
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Gjirokastër.

What to pack for Gjirokastër in December

From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In December, Gjirokastër sees daytime highs around 10°C and nights near 1°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 13 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Gjirokastër in December

The nearest coast averages about 17°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 32 km away) is warmest in August at about 25°C and coldest in February near 15°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 27 to Nov 13 — about 5.6 months when the water holds above 20°C.

15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan15Cool
Feb15Bracing
Mar15Bracing
Apr16Cool
May19Cool
Jun22Refreshing
Jul24Refreshing
Aug25Warm
Sep24Warm
Oct22Refreshing
Nov20Cool
Dec17Cool

UV index in Gjirokastër in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Gjirokastër peaks around July 24 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 24UV 9Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Gjirokastër in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Gjirokastër is worst in April — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1915 µg/m³Dec 168 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb12Good
Mar14Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun13Moderate
Jul14Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct10Good
Nov9Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Gjirokastër?

Gjirokastër sits at 40.1°N, 20.1°E, 286 m above sea level, in Albania. The nearest listed city is Sarande, 25 km away.

SarandeDhërmiCorfuZagorochoriaVlorëBeratPatos FshatIoánnina

Topography around Gjirokastër

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Gjirokastër.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Gjirokastër has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 876 m around an average of 390 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,072 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,590 m.

The land around Gjirokastër is covered by grassland (57%) within 3 km, grassland (56%) and trees (30%) within 16 km, and trees (45%), grassland (25%) and water (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
876 m
16 km
2,072 m
80 km
2,590 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Sarande 25 km · Dhërmi 43 km · Corfu 54 km · Zagorochoria 66 km · Vlorë 71 km · Berat 72 km · Patos Fshat 75 km · Ioánnina 76 km

Albania travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 43% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$12,998
2025
Happiness
5.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
71%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.4
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
11.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 532
Religion
Muslim 57%Roman Catholic 10%Orthodox 7%other 6%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Gjirokastër (40.0758°, 20.1389°, elevation 286 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).