Zapolyarnyy weather in December

In December, Zapolyarnyy sees average daytime highs of -5°C and overnight lows near -10°C, with 32 mm of precipitation across 9.9 wet days and about 0 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about -4°C in the first days to -7°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 0 hours at the start of December to 0 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Zapolyarnyy's 11th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zapolyarnyy's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-5°
10th warmest
Overnight low
-10°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
32 mm
9.9 wet days
Daylight
0 hours
— – —
Cloud cover
84%
11th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
0 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Zapolyarnyy is human settlement in Pechengsky District, Murmansk Oblast, Russia.

Density
4/km²
people per km²
Founded
1956

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 -4°C in the first days to -7°C by the end.

A typical December day in Zapolyarnyy reaches about -5°C in the afternoon and slips back to -10°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -12°C and 1°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

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

How December really feels in Zapolyarnyy

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.

Zapolyarnyy weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-8° / -13°278.39.410.0
Feb-7° / -13°226.98.26.50.0
Mar-3° / -9°308.810.9110.0
Apr / -5°359.810.215.40.0
May / 5313.16.520.90.8
Jun12° / 7112.91.2242.8
Jul16° / 7513023.24.4
Aug14° / 6712.6017.53.7
Sep10° / 5512.30.712.91.9
Oct / -1°5612.47.28.40.1
Nov-3° / -7°308.48.92.80.0
Dec-5° / -10°329.910.900.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 8% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 85%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11288
21288
31288
41288
51387
61387
71585
81585
91585
101585
111585
121585
131684
141585
151585
161585
171684
181684
191684
201585
211585
221585
231585
241585
251585
261585
271585
281585
291585
301486
311486

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Zapolyarnyy gets around 32 mm of rain and snow over 9.9 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 31% and peaks near 34% on the wettest days, and about 11 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12730
22731
32832
42932
53033
63034
73134
83235
93235
103336
113336
123437
133437
143437
153437
163437
173336
183336
193235
203235
213135
223134
233134
243034
253034
262933
272933
282832
292732
302731
312731

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

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2015light breeze
2115light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 0 hours at the start of December to 0 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
80.0
90.0
100.0
110.0
120.0
130.0
140.0
150.0
160.0
170.0
180.0
190.0
200.0
210.0
220.0
230.0
240.0
250.0
260.0
270.0
280.0
290.0
300.0
310.0

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 0 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0 kWh/m² to a high of 4.63 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 0 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
10.0Dim
20.0Dim
30.0Dim
40.0Dim
50.0Dim
60.0Dim
70.0Dim
80.0Dim
90.0Dim
100.0Dim
110.0Dim
120.0Dim
130.0Dim
140.0Dim
150.0Dim
160.0Dim
170.0Dim
180.0Dim
190.0Dim
200.0Dim
210.0Dim
220.0Dim
230.0Dim
240.0Dim
250.0Dim
260.0Dim
270.0Dim
280.0Dim
290.0Dim
300.0Dim
310.0Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Zapolyarnyy?

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 Zapolyarnyy.

What to pack for Zapolyarnyy in December

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

In December, Zapolyarnyy sees daytime highs around -5°C and nights near -10°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Zapolyarnyy in December

The nearest coast averages about 5°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 50 km away) is warmest in August at about 11°C and coldest in March near 3°C.

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

0°5°10°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracing
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan4Bracing
Feb3Bracing
Mar3Bracing
Apr3Bracing
May4Bracing
Jun7Bracing
Jul10Bracing
Aug11Bracing
Sep9Bracing
Oct7Bracing
Nov6Bracing
Dec5Bracing

UV index in Zapolyarnyy 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 Zapolyarnyy peaks around July 13 at about 4 (moderate) — a little sun protection helps at midday. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 0 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 2 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateLowJul 13UV 4Jan 1UV 0
UV index (midday)Level
Jan0Low
Feb0Low
Mar1Low
Apr2Low
May3Moderate
Jun3Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug3Moderate
Sep1Low
Oct0Low
Nov0Low
Dec0Low
Location & terrain

Where is Zapolyarnyy?

Zapolyarnyy sits at 69.4°N, 30.8°E, 172 m above sea level, in Russia. The nearest listed city is Nikel, 23 km away.

Topography around Zapolyarnyy

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Zapolyarnyy has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 224 m around an average of 151 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 681 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 676 m.

The land around Zapolyarnyy is covered by moss and lichen (29%) and trees (23%) within 3 km, trees (34%), grassland (30%) and moss and lichen (24%) within 16 km, and trees (36%), grassland (27%) and water (26%) within 80 km.

3 km
224 m
16 km
681 m
80 km
676 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmoss and lichen
December weather nearby: Nikel 23 km · Murmansk 104 km · Polyarnyy 106 km · Severomorsk 110 km · Olenegorsk 173 km · Monchegorsk 185 km · Kovdor 207 km · Apatity 231 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 Zapolyarnyy (69.426°, 30.811°, elevation 172 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).