Kotka weather in December

In December, Kotka sees average daytime highs of -0°C and overnight lows near -4°C, with 59 mm of precipitation across 12.3 wet days and about 5.5 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 1°C in the first days to -2°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 6 hours at the start of December to 5 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Kotka's 12th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kotka's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-0°
10th warmest
Overnight low
-4°
4th coldest
Precipitation
59 mm
12.3 wet days
Daylight
5 h 24 min
9:26 AM – 2:50 PM
Cloud cover
85%
12th clearest
Wind
18 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
0.14 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Kotka is urban area in Kotka, Finland.

Air quality
Good
PM10 18.7 µg/m³ · 2019

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 1°C in the first days to -2°C by the end.

A typical December day in Kotka reaches about -0°C in the afternoon and slips back to -4°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -7°C and 5°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 3°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

-20°-10°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11-2
21-2
31-2
41-2
51-2
61-2
71-2
81-3
91-3
101-3
110-3
120-3
130-3
140-4
150-4
160-4
170-4
18-1-4
19-1-5
20-1-5
21-1-5
22-1-5
23-1-5
24-1-5
25-1-5
26-2-6
27-2-6
28-2-6
29-2-6
30-2-6
31-2-6

How December really feels in Kotka

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 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
31
15 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

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

Kotka weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-3° / -7°4710.910.96.30.0
Feb-3° / -8°429.29.28.60.0
Mar / -5°3797.211.30.0
Apr / 358.82.614.20.9
May13° / 439.50.116.93.7
Jun17° / 10°6411.1018.55.3
Jul21° / 14°5810.1017.86.4
Aug20° / 13°6611.6015.45.9
Sep15° / 5810.2012.64.2
Oct / 6411.619.71.3
Nov / -0°61125.17.10.0
Dec-0° / -4°5912.395.50.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 7% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 86%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11288
21288
31189
41288
51288
61288
71288
81288
91288
101288
111189
121288
131288
141387
151387
161387
171486
181486
191585
201585
211585
221684
231684
241783
251783
261783
271783
281783
291783
301783
311783

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Kotka gets around 59 mm of rain and snow over 12.3 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 39% and peaks near 42% on the wettest days, and about 9 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14226
24126
34126
44126
54126
64026
74026
84026
93926
103927
113927
123827
133828
143828
153828
163829
173829
183829
193830
203830
213931
223931
233931
243932
253932
263932
273932
283932
293933
303933
313933

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 18 km/h in December, the windiest month of the year.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 17 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
117light breeze
217light breeze
317light breeze
417light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1818light breeze
1918light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2518light breeze
2618light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 6 hours at the start of December to 5 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 30 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 9:03 AM to 9:31 AM, and sunset from 3:01 PM to 2:59 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
16.09:033:01
25.99:053:00
35.99:072:58
45.89:092:57
55.89:112:56
65.79:132:55
75.79:142:54
85.69:162:54
95.69:182:53
105.69:192:52
115.59:202:52
125.59:222:51
135.59:232:51
145.49:242:51
155.49:252:50
165.49:262:50
175.49:272:50
185.49:282:50
195.49:292:50
205.39:302:51
215.39:302:51
225.39:312:51
235.39:312:52
245.39:322:53
255.49:322:53
265.49:322:54
275.49:322:55
285.49:322:56
295.49:322:57
305.49:322:58
315.59:312:59

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 0.14 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.14 kWh/m² to a high of 5.61 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 0.14 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
10.2Dim
20.2Dim
30.2Dim
40.2Dim
50.2Dim
60.2Dim
70.2Dim
80.1Dim
90.1Dim
100.1Dim
110.1Dim
120.1Dim
130.1Dim
140.1Dim
150.1Dim
160.1Dim
170.1Dim
180.1Dim
190.1Dim
200.1Dim
210.1Dim
220.1Dim
230.1Dim
240.1Dim
250.1Dim
260.1Dim
270.1Dim
280.1Dim
290.1Dim
300.2Dim
310.2Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Kotka?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Kotka.

What to pack for Kotka in December

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

In December, Kotka sees daytime highs around -0°C and nights near -4°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Kotka in December

The nearest coast averages about 4°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 17°C and coldest in February near 0°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

0°10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan1Bracing
Feb0Bracing
Mar0Bracing
Apr2Bracing
May6Bracing
Jun12Bracing
Jul17Cool
Aug17Cool
Sep14Bracing
Oct10Bracing
Nov7Bracing
Dec4Bracing

UV index in Kotka in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 0. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kotka peaks around June 20 at about 5 (high) — a little sun protection helps at midday. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 0 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 4 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateLowJun 20UV 5Dec 19UV 0
UV index (midday)Level
Jan0Low
Feb1Low
Mar2Low
Apr3Moderate
May4Moderate
Jun5High
Jul5Moderate
Aug4Moderate
Sep2Moderate
Oct1Low
Nov0Low
Dec0Low
Location & terrain

Where is Kotka?

Kotka sits at 60.5°N, 26.9°E, 1 m above sea level, in Finland. The nearest listed city is Karhula, 6.0 km away.

OrimattilaLahtiMäntsälä

Topography around Kotka

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kotka has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 32 m around an average of 4 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 87 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 177 m.

The land around Kotka is covered by water (59%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 3 km, water (54%) and trees (34%) within 16 km, and water (51%) and trees (40%) within 80 km.

3 km
32 m
16 km
87 m
80 km
177 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
December weather nearby: Karhula 6.0 km · Hamina 18 km · Anjala 25 km · Kouvola 46 km · Porvoo 71 km · Orimattila 76 km · Lahti 90 km · Mäntsälä 91 km

Finland travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 85% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$56,149
2025
Happiness
7.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
3.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Very high
EF EPI 603
Religion
Lutheran 67%none 31%other 2%Greek Orthodox 1%

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 Kotka (60.4664°, 26.9458°, elevation 1 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).