Magadan weather in December

In December, Magadan sees average daytime highs of -13°C and overnight lows near -16°C, with 23 mm of precipitation across 5.6 wet days and about 5.8 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about -11°C in the first days to -14°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 6 h 12 min at the start of December to 5 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Magadan's 12th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Magadan's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-13°
10th warmest
Overnight low
-16°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
23 mm
5.6 wet days
Daylight
5 h 42 min
9:02 AM – 2:44 PM
Cloud cover
83%
12th clearest
Wind
26 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
0.29 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Magadan is city in northeastern Russia.

Density
315/km²
people per km²
Founded
1929

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

A typical December day in Magadan reaches about -13°C in the afternoon and slips back to -16°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -19°C and -6°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-25°-20°-15°-10°-5°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1-10-13
2-11-14
3-11-14
4-11-14
5-11-14
6-11-14
7-12-15
8-12-15
9-12-15
10-12-15
11-12-15
12-13-15
13-13-16
14-13-16
15-13-16
16-13-16
17-13-16
18-13-16
19-13-16
20-13-16
21-14-16
22-14-17
23-14-17
24-14-17
25-14-17
26-14-17
27-14-17
28-14-17
29-14-17
30-14-17
31-14-17

How December really feels in Magadan

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
31 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

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

Magadan weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-15° / -19°174.66.36.50.0
Feb-15° / -19°133.64.98.70.0
Mar-10° / -15°235.67.211.30.0
Apr-3° / -8°265.56.614.10.0
May / -1°416.84.516.70.0
Jun / 547.80.118.21.1
Jul12° / 728.7017.63.0
Aug13° / 11°10710.6015.33.5
Sep / 849.70.512.61.9
Oct / -1°649.65.99.80.0
Nov-7° / -10°548.49.87.30.0
Dec-13° / -16°235.67.55.80.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 5% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 89%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11486
21585
31486
41486
51387
61387
71288
81288
91288
101288
111288
121189
131189
141189
151090
161090
171090
181090
191090
201090
211090
221090
231090
241090
251189
261189
271189
281288
291387
301387
311387

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Magadan gets around 23 mm of rain and snow over 5.6 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 19% and peaks near 23% on the wettest days, and about 8 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12330
22229
32229
42229
52228
62128
72128
82128
92128
102127
112027
122027
132026
141926
151925
161925
171824
181824
191723
201723
211722
221722
231621
241621
251621
261621
271620
281621
291621
301621
311621

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

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 25 km/h on the calmest days to 26 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
126breezy
226breezy
326breezy
426breezy
526breezy
626breezy
726breezy
826breezy
926breezy
1026breezy
1126breezy
1226breezy
1326breezy
1426breezy
1526breezy
1626breezy
1726breezy
1826breezy
1926breezy
2026breezy
2126breezy
2226breezy
2326breezy
2426breezy
2526breezy
2626breezy
2726breezy
2826breezy
2926breezy
3026breezy
3125breezy

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 6 h 12 min at the start of December to 5 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 24 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 8:39 AM to 9:07 AM, and sunset from 2:54 PM to 2:53 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
16.28:392:54
26.28:412:52
36.18:432:51
46.18:452:50
56.08:472:49
66.08:482:49
76.08:502:48
85.98:522:47
95.98:532:46
105.98:552:46
115.88:562:45
125.88:572:45
135.88:582:45
145.79:002:44
155.79:012:44
165.79:022:44
175.79:032:44
185.79:032:44
195.79:042:45
205.79:052:45
215.79:052:45
225.79:062:46
235.79:062:46
245.79:072:47
255.79:072:47
265.79:072:48
275.79:072:49
285.79:072:50
295.79:072:51
305.79:072:52
315.89:072:53

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 0.29 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.29 kWh/m² to a high of 5.59 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 0.29 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
10.4Dim
20.4Dim
30.3Dim
40.3Dim
50.3Dim
60.3Dim
70.3Dim
80.3Dim
90.3Dim
100.3Dim
110.3Dim
120.3Dim
130.3Dim
140.3Dim
150.3Dim
160.3Dim
170.3Dim
180.3Dim
190.3Dim
200.3Dim
210.3Dim
220.3Dim
230.3Dim
240.3Dim
250.3Dim
260.3Dim
270.3Dim
280.3Dim
290.3Dim
300.3Dim
310.3Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Magadan

In seasonPeak

None of Magadan's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Magadan's rainy season runs June–November, 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 Magadan?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
Beach & pool
never really warm enough

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Magadan.

What to pack for Magadan in December

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

In December, Magadan sees daytime highs around -13°C and nights near -16°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: a windbreaker. About 6 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coata windbreaker

Sea temperature near Magadan in December

The nearest coast averages about 0°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 19 km away) is warmest in August at about 13°C and coldest in February near -1°C.

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

0°5°10°15°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan-1Bracing
Feb-1Bracing
Mar-1Bracing
Apr-1Bracing
May1Bracing
Jun6Bracing
Jul12Bracing
Aug13Bracing
Sep10Bracing
Oct5Bracing
Nov2Bracing
Dec0Bracing

UV index in Magadan 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 Magadan peaks around July 13 at about 5 (moderate) — 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateLowJul 13UV 5Dec 19UV 0
UV index (midday)Level
Jan0Low
Feb1Low
Mar1Low
Apr3Moderate
May3Moderate
Jun5Moderate
Jul5High
Aug3Moderate
Sep2Moderate
Oct1Low
Nov0Low
Dec0Low
Location & terrain

Where is Magadan?

Magadan sits at 59.6°N, 150.8°E, 71 m above sea level, in Russia. The nearest listed city is Okha, 818 km away.

OkhaYelizovoPetropavlovsk-KamchatskyVilyuchinskNikolayevsk-on-AmureYakutskPoronayskKomsomolsk-on-Amur

Topography around Magadan

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Magadan has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 417 m around an average of 78 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 853 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,530 m.

The land around Magadan is covered by trees (46%) and artificial surfaces (24%) within 3 km, trees (47%) and water (31%) within 16 km, and water (41%) and trees (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
417 m
16 km
853 m
80 km
1,530 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmoss and lichen
December weather nearby: Okha 818 km · Yelizovo 847 km · Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky 868 km · Vilyuchinsk 873 km · Nikolayevsk-on-Amure 944 km · Yakutsk 1,170 km · Poronaysk 1,252 km · Komsomolsk-on-Amur 1,327 km

Russia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 32% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$17,547
2025
Happiness
5.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
76%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
6.8
per 100k, 2021
Road deaths
12
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 521
Religion
other Christian 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 Magadan (59.5627°, 150.8021°, elevation 71 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).