Gävle weather in December

In December, Gävle sees average daytime highs of 1°C and overnight lows near -4°C, with 42 mm of precipitation across 9.6 wet days and about 5.4 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 2°C in the first days to -0°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 5 h 54 min at the start of December to 5 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Gävle's 10th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gävle's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
-4°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
42 mm
9.6 wet days
Daylight
5 h 18 min
9:08 AM – 2:27 PM
Cloud cover
74%
10th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
0.16 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Gävle is urban area in Gävle Municipality, Sweden.

Air quality
Good
PM10 16.2 µg/m³ · 2019
Founded
1446

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 2°C in the first days to -0°C by the end.

A typical December day in Gävle reaches about 1°C in the afternoon and slips back to -4°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -5°C and 6°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 3°C cooler than November and about 1°C warmer than January.

-15°-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12-2
22-2
32-2
42-2
52-2
62-2
72-2
82-2
92-3
102-3
111-3
121-3
131-3
141-3
151-3
161-4
171-4
181-4
191-4
200-4
210-4
220-4
230-5
240-5
250-5
260-5
270-5
280-5
290-5
300-5
310-5

How December really feels in Gävle

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
9 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

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

Gävle 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-0° / -5°338.16.96.20.0
Feb / -6°287.16.98.50.0
Mar / -3°287.46.111.30.1
Apr / 337.62.214.22.1
May15° / 449.30.416.94.5
Jun19° / 6110.5018.65.9
Jul22° / 12°6811.5017.96.3
Aug21° / 11°7212015.56.0
Sep16° / 458.8012.64.9
Oct / 559.70.59.71.9
Nov / -0°469.93.970.1
Dec / -4°429.66.95.40.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 72%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12377
22377
32476
42476
52476
62476
72476
82476
92674
102674
112773
122872
132872
142971
152971
163169
173169
183169
193268
203268
213268
223268
233268
243169
253070
263070
273070
282971
292872
302872
312971

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Gävle gets around 42 mm of rain and snow over 9.6 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 31% and peaks near 33% on the wettest days, and about 7 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13318
23318
33218
43218
53218
63219
73219
83219
93219
103120
113120
123120
133121
143021
153021
162922
172922
182923
192923
202924
213024
223025
233025
243126
253126
263126
273126
283127
293227
303227
313227

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 14 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
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light 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 5 h 54 min at the start of December to 5 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 30 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 8:44 AM to 9:13 AM, and sunset from 2:38 PM to 2:36 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
15.98:442:38
25.88:462:37
35.88:482:36
45.78:502:34
55.78:522:33
65.68:542:32
75.68:562:32
85.68:572:31
95.58:592:30
105.59:002:29
115.49:022:29
125.49:032:28
135.49:052:28
145.49:062:28
155.39:072:27
165.39:082:27
175.39:092:27
185.39:102:27
195.39:112:27
205.39:112:28
215.39:122:28
225.39:122:28
235.39:132:29
245.39:132:29
255.39:132:30
265.39:142:31
275.39:142:32
285.39:142:33
295.39:132:34
305.49:132:35
315.49:132:36

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 0.16 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.16 kWh/m² to a high of 5.51 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 0.16 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
10.2Dim
20.2Dim
30.2Dim
40.2Dim
50.2Dim
60.2Dim
70.2Dim
80.2Dim
90.2Dim
100.2Dim
110.2Dim
120.2Dim
130.1Dim
140.1Dim
150.1Dim
160.1Dim
170.1Dim
180.1Dim
190.1Dim
200.1Dim
210.1Dim
220.1Dim
230.1Dim
240.2Dim
250.2Dim
260.2Dim
270.2Dim
280.2Dim
290.2Dim
300.2Dim
310.2Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Gävle?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Gävle.

What to pack for Gävle in December

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

In December, Gävle sees daytime highs around 1°C and nights near -4°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 Gävle 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 14 km away) is warmest in August at about 17°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°10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan1Bracing
Feb1Bracing
Mar1Bracing
Apr2Bracing
May6Bracing
Jun11Bracing
Jul16Cool
Aug17Cool
Sep13Bracing
Oct9Bracing
Nov6Bracing
Dec3Bracing

UV index in Gävle 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 Gävle peaks around June 17 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateLowJun 17UV 5Dec 19UV 0
UV index (midday)Level
Jan0Low
Feb1Low
Mar2Low
Apr2Moderate
May4Moderate
Jun5Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug4Moderate
Sep3Moderate
Oct1Low
Nov0Low
Dec0Low
Location & terrain

Where is Gävle?

Gävle sits at 60.7°N, 17.1°E, 3 m above sea level, in Sweden. The nearest listed city is Sandviken, 21 km away.

Gamla UppsalaUppsalaBorlängeEnköpingHudiksvallVästerås

Topography around Gävle

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Gävle has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 55 m around an average of 20 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 104 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 499 m.

The land around Gävle is covered by trees (45%) and artificial surfaces (35%) within 3 km, trees (70%) within 16 km, and trees (63%) and water (26%) within 80 km.

3 km
55 m
16 km
104 m
80 km
499 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: Sandviken 21 km · Falun 83 km · Gamla Uppsala 90 km · Uppsala 95 km · Borlänge 95 km · Enköping 116 km · Hudiksvall 117 km · Västerås 122 km

Sweden travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 87% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$63,133
2025
Happiness
7.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.1
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
3.1
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Very high
EF EPI 609
Religion
Church of Sweden 54%none or unspecified 37%other 9%

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 Gävle (60.6745°, 17.1417°, elevation 3 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).