Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky weather in December

In December, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky sees average daytime highs of -5°C and overnight lows near -8°C, with 117 mm of precipitation across 10.9 wet days and about 7.4 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about -3°C in the first days to -6°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 7 h 42 min at the start of December to 7 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky's 4th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-5°
10th warmest
Overnight low
-8°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
117 mm
10.9 wet days
Daylight
7 h 18 min
9:42 AM – 5:02 PM
Cloud cover
62%
4th clearest
Wind
18 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
0.76 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is city in far-eastern Russia.

Density
500/km²
people per km²
Founded
1740

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 -3°C in the first days to -6°C by the end.

A typical December day in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky reaches about -5°C in the afternoon and slips back to -8°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -10°C and 0°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 5°C cooler than November and about 1°C warmer than January.

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

How December really feels in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

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.

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky 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 daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-6° / -9°11612.313.67.90.0
Feb-5° / -9°9110.311.59.50.0
Mar-2° / -6°11411.612.611.50.0
Apr / -3°9610.110.913.60.0
May / 6895.215.50.3
Jun10° / 639.90.216.62.1
Jul13° / 10°729.9016.23.7
Aug15° / 11°10710.9014.54.2
Sep12° / 10810.90.212.43.2
Oct / 13912.5310.30.9
Nov / -3°13611.7108.40.0
Dec-5° / -8°11710.911.37.40.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 55%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24852
34753
44753
54654
64753
74654
84654
94555
104654
114555
124555
134555
144555
154555
164654
174555
184555
194555
204555
214555
224555
234555
244456
254456
264456
274456
284456
294357
304258
314258

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky gets around 117 mm of rain and snow over 10.9 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 38% on the wettest days, and about 11 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13838
23837
33737
43736
53736
63736
73736
83736
93637
103637
113637
123536
133536
143536
153536
163537
173537
183537
193537
203537
213537
223437
233437
243437
253437
263437
273537
283538
293638
303639
313640

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.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 18 km/h on the calmest days to 19 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
318light breeze
418light breeze
518light breeze
618light breeze
718light breeze
818light breeze
918light breeze
1018light breeze
1118light breeze
1218light breeze
1318light breeze
1418light breeze
1518light breeze
1618light breeze
1718light breeze
1818light breeze
1918light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2518light breeze
2618light breeze
2718light breeze
2818light breeze
2918light breeze
3018light breeze
3118light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 7 h 42 min at the start of December to 7 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 9:25 AM to 9:47 AM, and sunset from 5:06 PM to 5:10 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
17.79:255:06
27.69:265:05
37.69:275:05
47.69:295:04
57.69:305:04
67.59:315:03
77.59:335:03
87.59:345:02
97.59:355:02
107.49:365:02
117.49:375:02
127.49:385:02
137.49:395:02
147.49:405:02
157.39:415:02
167.39:425:02
177.39:425:02
187.39:435:02
197.39:445:02
207.39:445:03
217.39:455:03
227.39:455:04
237.39:465:04
247.39:465:05
257.39:475:05
267.39:475:06
277.39:475:07
287.39:475:07
297.39:475:08
307.49:475:09
317.49:475:10

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 0.76 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.76 kWh/m² to a high of 5.49 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 0.76 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
10.9Dim
20.9Dim
30.8Dim
40.8Dim
50.8Dim
60.8Dim
70.8Dim
80.8Dim
90.8Dim
100.8Dim
110.8Dim
120.8Dim
130.8Dim
140.8Dim
150.8Dim
160.8Dim
170.8Dim
180.8Dim
190.8Dim
200.8Dim
210.8Dim
220.8Dim
230.8Dim
240.8Dim
250.8Dim
260.8Dim
270.8Dim
280.8Dim
290.8Dim
300.8Dim
310.8Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
Beach & pool
never really warm enough

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

What to pack for Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in December

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

In December, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky sees daytime highs around -5°C and nights near -8°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in December

The nearest coast averages about 3°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 21 km away) is warmest in August at about 12°C and coldest in March near 0°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
Jan1Bracing
Feb0Bracing
Mar0Bracing
Apr1Bracing
May3Bracing
Jun7Bracing
Jul11Bracing
Aug12Bracing
Sep11Bracing
Oct8Bracing
Nov5Bracing
Dec3Bracing

UV index in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky 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 Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky peaks around May 23 at about 5 (high) — a little sun protection helps at midday. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 0 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 6 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateLowMay 23UV 5Dec 20UV 0
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb1Low
Mar2Moderate
Apr4Moderate
May5High
Jun5High
Jul5High
Aug5High
Sep3Moderate
Oct2Low
Nov1Low
Dec0Low
Location & terrain

Where is Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky?

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky sits at 53.1°N, 158.6°E, 166 m above sea level, in Russia. The nearest listed city is Vilyuchinsk, 21 km away.

MagadanOkhaPoronayskNikolayevsk-on-AmureYuzhno-SakhalinskKorsakov

Topography around Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 373 m around an average of 136 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 623 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,421 m.

The land around Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is covered by trees (45%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 3 km, trees (46%), water (24%) and grassland (21%) within 16 km, and trees (50%) and water (23%) within 80 km.

3 km
373 m
16 km
623 m
80 km
3,421 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmoss and lichen
December weather nearby: Vilyuchinsk 21 km · Yelizovo 21 km · Magadan 868 km · Okha 1,040 km · Poronaysk 1,162 km · Nikolayevsk-on-Amure 1,192 km · Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 1,319 km · Korsakov 1,338 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 Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (53.0639°, 158.6275°, elevation 166 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).