Carcassonne weather in December

In December, Carcassonne sees average daytime highs of 10°C and overnight lows near 4°C, with 77 mm of precipitation across 11.1 wet days and about 8.9 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 10°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Carcassonne's 11th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Carcassonne's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10°
11th warmest
Overnight low
3rd coldest
Precipitation
77 mm
11.1 wet days
Daylight
8 h 48 min
8:22 AM – 5:11 PM
Cloud cover
71%
11th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
1.34 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.0
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 10°C through the month.

A typical December day in Carcassonne reaches about 10°C in the afternoon and slips back to 4°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 4°C and 14°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 3°C cooler than November and on par with January.

-5°10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1104
2104
3104
4104
5104
6104
7104
8104
9104
10104
11104
12104
13104
14104
15104
16104
1793
1893
1993
2093
2193
2293
2393
2493
2593
2693
2793
2893
2993
3093
3193

How December really feels in Carcassonne

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 15 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
15
wind chill below the day's low

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

Carcassonne weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 8111.72.29.21.6
Feb10° / 6410.32.110.22.1
Mar13° / 6910.41.211.63.8
Apr16° / 8211.80.213.24.7
May20° / 11°7811.30.114.46.0
Jun24° / 14°537.6015.17.2
Jul26° / 16°377014.97.3
Aug27° / 16°417.5013.87.2
Sep23° / 13°537.7012.37.2
Oct18° / 10°679.4010.85.9
Nov13° / 8311.10.59.53.3
Dec10° / 7711.11.18.92.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 70%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12971
22971
32872
42971
53070
63070
73070
83169
93169
103169
113169
123268
133367
143367
153367
163367
173268
183268
193268
203268
212971
222971
232971
242971
252971
262971
272971
282971
292971
302971
312971

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Carcassonne gets around 77 mm of rain and snow over 11.1 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 39% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1393
2393
3393
4393
5393
6393
7383
8383
9373
10373
11363
12353
13353
14343
15343
16343
17333
18333
19334
20334
21334
22344
23344
24344
25344
26354
27354
28354
29355
30355
31355

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 (%)Comfortable (%)
1991
2991
3991
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
91000
101000
111000
121000
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in December

Winds average 14 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 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 8:09 AM to 8:29 AM, and sunset from 5:11 PM to 5:19 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.08:095:11
29.08:105:11
39.08:115:11
49.08:125:11
59.08:135:11
68.98:145:10
78.98:155:10
88.98:165:10
98.98:175:10
108.98:185:10
118.98:195:10
128.98:195:10
138.88:205:11
148.88:215:11
158.88:225:11
168.88:225:11
178.88:235:11
188.88:245:12
198.88:245:12
208.88:255:13
218.88:255:13
228.88:265:13
238.88:265:14
248.88:275:14
258.88:275:15
268.88:275:16
278.88:285:16
288.88:285:17
298.88:285:18
308.88:285:18
318.88:295:19

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.34 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.34 kWh/m² to a high of 6.31 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.34 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.4Dim
21.4Dim
31.4Dim
41.4Dim
51.4Dim
61.4Dim
71.4Dim
81.4Dim
91.4Dim
101.4Dim
111.4Dim
121.4Dim
131.3Dim
141.3Dim
151.3Dim
161.3Dim
171.3Dim
181.3Dim
191.3Dim
201.3Dim
211.3Dim
221.3Dim
231.3Dim
241.3Dim
251.3Dim
261.3Dim
271.4Dim
281.4Dim
291.4Dim
301.4Dim
311.4Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Carcassonne?

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 Carcassonne.

What to pack for Carcassonne in December

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

In December, Carcassonne sees daytime highs around 10°C and nights near 4°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Carcassonne in December

The nearest coast averages about 14°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 64 km away) is warmest in August at about 22°C and coldest in February near 12°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 30 to Sep 19 — about 2.7 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan12Bracing
Feb12Bracing
Mar12Bracing
Apr14Bracing
May16Cool
Jun19Cool
Jul21Refreshing
Aug22Refreshing
Sep20Refreshing
Oct18Cool
Nov16Cool
Dec14Bracing

UV index in Carcassonne 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 Carcassonne 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 highHighModerateLowJul 16UV 9Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep5High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Carcassonne 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 Carcassonne is worst in March — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodMar 2015 µg/m³Jul 2110 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan14Moderate
Feb13Moderate
Mar15Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May12Good
Jun12Good
Jul10Good
Aug10Good
Sep10Good
Oct11Good
Nov11Good
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Carcassonne?

Carcassonne sits at 43.2°N, 2.3°E, 113 m above sea level, in France. The nearest listed city is Castres, 44 km away.

Topography around Carcassonne

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Carcassonne has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 130 m around an average of 119 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 579 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,862 m.

The land around Carcassonne is covered by artificial surfaces (35%) and trees (25%) within 3 km, trees (43%) within 16 km, and trees (49%) and cropland (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
130 m
16 km
579 m
80 km
2,862 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Castres 44 km · Narbonne 53 km · Pamiers 61 km · Béziers 71 km · Perpignan 73 km · Albi 81 km · Balma 81 km · Toulouse 85 km

France travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / E
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 77% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$48,986
2025
Happiness
6.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.3
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
5.1
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 539
Religion
Roman Catholic 47%none 33%Muslim 4%Protestant 2%

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 Carcassonne (43.2165°, 2.3486°, elevation 113 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).