Sparta weather in December

In December, Sparta sees average daytime highs of 12°C and overnight lows near 5°C, with 96 mm of precipitation across 11.1 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 14°C in the first days to 11°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 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Sparta's 12th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sparta's year-round climate.

Daytime high
12°
10th warmest
Overnight low
3rd coldest
Precipitation
96 mm
11.1 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
7:42 AM – 5:10 PM
Cloud cover
55%
12th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.09 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.2
out of 10

Sparta is modern town in Laconia, Greece, near the site of ancient Sparta.

Density
192/km²
people per km²

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 14°C in the first days to 11°C by the end.

A typical December day in Sparta reaches about 12°C in the afternoon and slips back to 5°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 8°C and 16°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)
1146
2146
3146
4136
5136
6136
7135
8135
9135
10135
11135
12125
13125
14125
15125
16124
17124
18124
19124
20124
21124
22114
23114
24114
25114
26114
27114
28114
29114
30114
31114

Sparta weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan11° / 8510.51.39.72.7
Feb12° / 8310.81.810.62.9
Mar14° / 7410.10.711.74.2
Apr18° / 488.1012.96.1
May23° / 12°417.70147.6
Jun28° / 17°274.1014.57.5
Jul30° / 19°133014.36.2
Aug30° / 20°194.3013.46.1
Sep26° / 16°355.7012.37.8
Oct22° / 12°496.60117.4
Nov16° / 898.60105.5
Dec12° / 9611.11.19.53.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 48%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15347
25347
35446
45446
55545
65545
75545
85545
95644
105545
115446
125446
135347
145347
155248
165149
175149
185050
195050
205050
214951
224951
234951
244852
254951
264951
274951
284951
295050
305050
315050

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Sparta gets around 96 mm of rain and snow over 11.1 wet days in December, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 35% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1341
2351
3351
4352
5362
6362
7362
8362
9362
10362
11362
12362
13362
14362
15353
16353
17353
18353
19353
20354
21354
22354
23355
24355
25365
26365
27366
28366
29366
30366
31356

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 (%)
1982
2982
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8991
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 7 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:31 AM to 7:49 AM, and sunset from 5:09 PM to 5:18 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.67:315:09
29.67:325:09
39.67:335:09
49.67:335:09
59.67:345:09
69.67:355:09
79.57:365:09
89.57:375:09
99.57:385:09
109.57:385:09
119.57:395:09
129.57:405:09
139.57:405:10
149.57:415:10
159.57:425:10
169.57:425:10
179.57:435:11
189.57:445:11
199.57:445:11
209.57:455:12
219.57:455:12
229.57:465:13
239.57:465:13
249.57:475:14
259.57:475:14
269.57:475:15
279.57:485:15
289.57:485:16
299.57:485:17
309.57:495:17
319.57:495:18

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.09 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.09 kWh/m² to a high of 7.47 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.09 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.2Moderate
22.2Moderate
32.2Moderate
42.2Moderate
52.2Moderate
62.2Moderate
72.1Moderate
82.1Moderate
92.1Moderate
102.1Moderate
112.1Moderate
122.1Moderate
132.1Moderate
142.1Moderate
152.1Moderate
162.1Moderate
172.1Moderate
182.1Moderate
192.1Moderate
202.1Moderate
212.1Moderate
222.1Moderate
232.1Moderate
242.1Moderate
252.1Moderate
262.1Moderate
272.1Moderate
282.1Moderate
292.1Moderate
302.1Moderate
312.2Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Sparta

In seasonPeak

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

Sparta's rainy season runs October–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 Sparta?

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

3.2
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 Sparta.

What to pack for Sparta in December

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

In December, Sparta sees daytime highs around 12°C and nights near 5°C. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Sparta in December

The nearest coast averages about 18°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 35 km away) is warmest in August at about 26°C and coldest in February near 16°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 28 to Nov 26 — about 6 months when the water holds above 20°C.

15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan16Cool
Feb16Cool
Mar16Cool
Apr16Cool
May19Cool
Jun22Refreshing
Jul25Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep25Warm
Oct23Refreshing
Nov21Refreshing
Dec18Cool

UV index in Sparta 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 Sparta peaks around June 22 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 22UV 10Jan 10UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr8Very high
May7Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5High
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Sparta 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 Sparta is worst in April — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.8× the cleanest month (September, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodApr 1315 µg/m³Sep 238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun11Good
Jul11Good
Aug15Moderate
Sep8Good
Oct9Good
Nov10Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Sparta?

Sparta sits at 37.1°N, 22.4°E, 206 m above sea level, in Greece. The nearest listed city is Kalamata, 28 km away.

TrípoliNafplioÁrgosArchaia OlympiaKórinthosPýrgosAmaliáda

Topography around Sparta

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sparta has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 177 m around an average of 219 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,285 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,372 m.

The land around Sparta is covered by trees (66%) within 3 km, trees (66%) within 16 km, and trees (42%) and water (39%) within 80 km.

3 km
177 m
16 km
2,285 m
80 km
2,372 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Kalamata 28 km · Trípoli 49 km · Nafplio 64 km · Árgos 68 km · Archaia Olympia 95 km · Kórinthos 107 km · Pýrgos 110 km · Amaliáda 125 km

Greece travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 60% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$26,948
2025
Happiness
5.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
97%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
8.3
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
High
EF EPI 592
Religion
other 3%Muslim 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 Sparta (37.0745°, 22.4301°, elevation 206 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).