Zadar weather in December

In December, Zadar sees average daytime highs of 11°C and overnight lows near 6°C, with 109 mm of precipitation across 11 wet days and about 8.8 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 13°C in the first days to 10°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 54 min at the start of December to 8 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Zadar's 10th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zadar's year-round climate.

Daytime high
11°
10th warmest
Overnight low
3rd coldest
Precipitation
109 mm
11 wet days
Daylight
8 h 42 min
7:34 AM – 4:16 PM
Cloud cover
54%
10th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.4 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.9
out of 10

Zadar is city and settlement in Zadar County, Croatia.

Density
1,312/km²
people per km²
Founded
~383 BCE

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 13°C in the first days to 10°C by the end.

A typical December day in Zadar reaches about 11°C in the afternoon and slips back to 6°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 7°C and 15°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 4°C cooler than November and about 1°C warmer than January.

-5°10°15°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1138
2138
3138
4128
5127
6127
7127
8127
9127
10127
11127
12127
13117
14116
15116
16116
17116
18116
19116
20116
21116
22116
23116
24116
25116
26116
27116
28115
29105
30105
31105

Zadar weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan10° / 84100.59.12.4
Feb11° / 819.10.710.22.7
Mar14° / 769.50.411.64.3
Apr17° / 11°769.9013.25.7
May22° / 16°718.8014.57.1
Jun26° / 20°476.5015.27.5
Jul29° / 22°304.30156.6
Aug29° / 22°514.7013.86.6
Sep25° / 18°1007.8012.37.4
Oct20° / 14°11210.4010.86.5
Nov15° / 10°13912.40.19.44.4
Dec11° / 109110.38.82.9

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 48%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14654
24654
34852
44852
54951
65050
75050
85149
95149
105248
115248
125248
135248
145347
155446
165347
175347
185347
195347
205347
215347
225347
235347
245248
255347
265347
275347
285248
295248
305248
315248

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Zadar gets around 109 mm of rain and snow over 11 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 36% and peaks near 42% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1420
2410
3410
4400
5390
6390
7380
8380
9370
10370
11361
12361
13361
14351
15351
16351
17351
18351
19351
20351
21341
22342
23342
24342
25342
26331
27331
28331
29331
30331
31331

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 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1964
2973
3973
4982
5982
6982
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in December

Winds average 15 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2015light breeze
2115light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 54 min at the start of December to 8 h 42 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 7:21 AM to 7:40 AM, and sunset from 4:17 PM to 4:24 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.97:214:17
28.97:224:17
38.97:234:16
48.97:244:16
58.97:254:16
68.87:264:16
78.87:274:16
88.87:284:16
98.87:294:16
108.87:294:16
118.87:304:16
128.77:314:16
138.77:324:16
148.77:334:16
158.77:334:16
168.77:344:16
178.77:354:17
188.77:354:17
198.77:364:17
208.77:364:18
218.77:374:18
228.77:384:19
238.77:384:19
248.77:384:20
258.77:394:20
268.77:394:21
278.77:394:21
288.77:404:22
298.77:404:23
308.77:404:23
318.77:404:24

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.4 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.4 kWh/m² to a high of 6.95 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.4 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.5Dim
21.5Dim
31.5Dim
41.4Dim
51.4Dim
61.4Dim
71.4Dim
81.4Dim
91.4Dim
101.4Dim
111.4Dim
121.4Dim
131.4Dim
141.4Dim
151.4Dim
161.4Dim
171.4Dim
181.4Dim
191.4Dim
201.4Dim
211.4Dim
221.4Dim
231.4Dim
241.4Dim
251.4Dim
261.4Dim
271.4Dim
281.4Dim
291.4Dim
301.4Dim
311.4Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Zadar?

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

2.9
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Zadar.

What to pack for Zadar in December

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

In December, Zadar sees daytime highs around 11°C and nights near 6°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Zadar in December

The nearest coast averages about 16°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 28 km away) is warmest in August at about 25°C and coldest in February near 13°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 3 to Oct 21 — about 4.6 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan14Bracing
Feb13Bracing
Mar13Bracing
Apr14Bracing
May18Cool
Jun22Refreshing
Jul24Warm
Aug25Warm
Sep23Refreshing
Oct20Refreshing
Nov18Cool
Dec16Cool

UV index in Zadar in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Zadar peaks around July 16 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 1 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highModerateLowJul 16UV 9Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May7High
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep5High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Zadar?

Zadar sits at 44.1°N, 15.2°E, 2 m above sea level, in Croatia. The nearest listed city is Sibenik, 68 km away.

SibenikBihaćCazinBosanska KrupaCresSplitSolinVelika Kladuša

Topography around Zadar

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Zadar has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 104 m around an average of 15 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 271 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,733 m.

The land around Zadar is covered by water (53%) and artificial surfaces (33%) within 3 km, water (45%) and trees (20%) within 16 km, and water (47%) and trees (28%) within 80 km.

3 km
104 m
16 km
271 m
80 km
1,733 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Sibenik 68 km · Bihać 93 km · Cazin 110 km · Bosanska Krupa 113 km · Cres 114 km · Split 119 km · Solin 120 km · Velika Kladuša 127 km

Croatia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 53% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$27,104
2025
Happiness
6.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
87%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
7.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Very high
EF EPI 617
Religion
Roman Catholic 79%other Christian 5%none or atheist 5%Orthodox 3%

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 Zadar (44.1158°, 15.2251°, elevation 2 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).