Beirut weather in December

In December, Beirut sees average daytime highs of 17°C and overnight lows near 12°C, with 133 mm of rain across 11.3 wet days and about 9.8 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 18°C in the first days to 16°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 54 min at the start of December to 9 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Beirut's 10th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Beirut's year-round climate.

Daytime high
17°
10th warmest
Overnight low
12°
4th coldest
Rainfall
133 mm
11.3 wet days
Daylight
9 h 48 min
6:41 AM – 4:27 PM
Cloud cover
43%
10th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
2.55 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.5
out of 10

Beirut is capital and largest city of Lebanon.

Air quality
Elevated
PM2.5 19 µg/m³ · 2016
Founded
~1499 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 18°C in the first days to 16°C by the end.

A typical December day in Beirut reaches about 17°C in the afternoon and slips back to 12°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 13°C and 20°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 4°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11913
21913
31813
41813
51813
61813
71813
81813
91812
101712
111712
121712
131712
141712
151712
161712
171712
181712
191612
201611
211611
221611
231611
241611
251611
261611
271611
281611
291611
301611
311611

Beirut 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 daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan15° / 10°14413.8104.4
Feb15° / 10°13811.310.74.7
Mar17° / 12°1059.411.75.9
Apr20° / 14°465.612.87.4
May24° / 18°17313.78.7
Jun26° / 22°20.714.29.1
Jul29° / 24°00.1148.1
Aug29° / 24°10.313.37.6
Sep28° / 23°61.212.28.3
Oct25° / 20°304.511.18.3
Nov21° / 16°787.710.27.3
Dec17° / 12°13311.39.85.5

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 31%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17030
27030
36931
46931
56931
66832
76832
86832
96931
106931
116832
126832
136832
146832
156832
166832
176832
186931
196931
207030
217129
227129
237129
247129
257228
267129
277129
287129
297129
307030
316931

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Beirut gets around 133 mm of rain over 11.3 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 37% and peaks near 44% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
132
232
333
434
535
635
736
837
937
1038
1138
1238
1338
1438
1538
1638
1738
1837
1937
2037
2136
2236
2336
2437
2538
2638
2739
2840
2942
3043
3144

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 98% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1937
2937
3946
4946
5955
6955
7964
8964
9973
10973
11982
12982
13982
14991
15991
16991
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in December

Winds average 12 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
712calm
812calm
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712light breeze
1812light breeze
1912light breeze
2012light breeze
2112light breeze
2212light breeze
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2612light breeze
2712light breeze
2812light breeze
2912light breeze
3012light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 54 min at the start of December to 9 h 48 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 6:31 AM to 6:48 AM, and sunset from 4:25 PM to 4:34 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.96:314:25
29.96:314:25
39.96:324:25
49.96:334:25
59.96:344:25
69.86:354:25
79.86:354:25
89.86:364:25
99.86:374:25
109.86:384:25
119.86:384:26
129.86:394:26
139.86:404:26
149.86:404:26
159.86:414:27
169.86:414:27
179.86:424:27
189.76:434:28
199.76:434:28
209.76:444:28
219.76:444:29
229.76:454:29
239.76:454:30
249.76:464:30
259.76:464:31
269.76:464:31
279.86:474:32
289.86:474:32
299.86:474:33
309.86:484:34
319.86:484:34

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.55 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.55 kWh/m² to a high of 7.77 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.55 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.8Moderate
22.8Moderate
32.7Moderate
42.7Moderate
52.7Moderate
62.6Moderate
72.6Moderate
82.6Moderate
92.6Moderate
102.6Moderate
112.5Moderate
122.5Moderate
132.5Moderate
142.5Moderate
152.5Moderate
162.5Moderate
172.5Moderate
182.5Moderate
192.5Moderate
202.5Moderate
212.5Moderate
222.5Moderate
232.5Moderate
242.5Moderate
252.5Moderate
262.5Moderate
272.5Moderate
282.5Moderate
292.5Moderate
302.5Moderate
312.5Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Beirut

In seasonPeak

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

Beirut's rainy season runs November–March, 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 Beirut?

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

5.5
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
1.3
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Beirut for sightseeing.

What to pack for Beirut in December

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

In December, Beirut sees daytime highs around 17°C and nights near 12°C. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Beirut in December

The nearest coast averages about 21°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 28°C and coldest in March near 17°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 3 to Dec 23 — about 7.7 months when the water holds above 20°C.

15°20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan18Cool
Feb18Cool
Mar17Cool
Apr19Cool
May21Refreshing
Jun25Warm
Jul27Warm
Aug28Tropical
Sep28Warm
Oct26Warm
Nov23Refreshing
Dec21Refreshing

UV index in Beirut in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Beirut peaks around June 21 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 11 at about 3 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 21UV 10Jan 11UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul10Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Beirut 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 Beirut is worst in April — around 29 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (August, 12 µg/m³).

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Beirut's WHO annual average of 19 µg/m³.

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateApr 1529 µg/m³Aug 1912 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan18Moderate
Feb22Moderate
Mar25Moderate
Apr29Moderate
May25Moderate
Jun18Moderate
Jul14Moderate
Aug12Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct15Moderate
Nov18Moderate
Dec17Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Beirut?

Beirut sits at 33.9°N, 35.5°E, 40 m above sea level, in Lebanon. The nearest listed city is Ra’s Bayrūt, 2.0 km away.

AleyJouniehByblosZahleSidonJezzineGhazieh

Topography around Beirut

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Beirut has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 106 m around an average of 32 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,129 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,079 m.

The land around Beirut is covered by artificial surfaces (58%) and water (32%) within 3 km, water (60%) and trees (21%) within 16 km, and grassland (36%) and water (34%) within 80 km.

3 km
106 m
16 km
1,129 m
80 km
3,079 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Ra’s Bayrūt 2.0 km · Aley 13 km · Jounieh 14 km · Byblos 29 km · Zahle 37 km · Sidon 39 km · Jezzine 40 km · Ghazieh 44 km

Lebanon travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type A / B / C / D / G
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 38% of US
price level, 2024
GDP per capita
$4,473
2024
Happiness
3.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
48%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
2.2
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
16.4
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 477
Religion
Muslim 68%Christian 32%Druze 5%

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 Beirut (33.8933°, 35.5016°, elevation 40 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).