Piteå weather in December

In December, Piteå sees average daytime highs of -2°C and overnight lows near -7°C, with 50 mm of precipitation across 10.5 wet days and about 2.9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about -1°C in the first days to -4°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 3 h 48 min at the start of December to 2 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Piteå's 11th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Piteå's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-2°
10th warmest
Overnight low
-7°
4th coldest
Precipitation
50 mm
10.5 wet days
Daylight
2 h 42 min
10:09 AM – 12:52 PM
Cloud cover
77%
11th clearest
Wind
17 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
0.02 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Piteå is locality and the seat of Piteå Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden.

Air quality
Good
PM10 21.6 µg/m³ · 2019

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 -1°C in the first days to -4°C by the end.

A typical December day in Piteå reaches about -2°C in the afternoon and slips back to -7°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -10°C and 3°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 3°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

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

How December really feels in Piteå

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.

Piteå weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-5° / -10°429.210.44.30.0
Feb-5° / -10°297.287.70.0
Mar-1° / -7°327.3811.10.0
Apr / -3°327514.70.1
May / 408.10.818.32.1
Jun14° / 589.60214.2
Jul18° / 13°7111.4019.85.7
Aug17° / 12°6610.7016.35.3
Sep12° / 569.1012.73.3
Oct / 579.62.79.10.6
Nov / -3°5210.57.85.60.0
Dec-2° / -7°5010.5102.90.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% 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 76%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12278
22377
32377
42377
52377
62476
72476
82575
92476
102476
112476
122476
132476
142575
152575
162575
172674
182674
192674
202674
212575
222575
232575
242575
252575
262476
272476
282476
292476
302476
312476

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Piteå gets around 50 mm of rain and snow over 10.5 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 34% and peaks near 34% on the wettest days, and about 10 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13429
23429
33429
43430
53430
63430
73431
83431
93431
103432
113432
123432
133432
143432
153433
163433
173333
183333
193333
203334
213334
223334
233334
243334
253334
263334
273334
283335
293335
303335
313335

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

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 17 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
117light breeze
217light breeze
317light breeze
417light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1917light breeze
2017light breeze
2117light breeze
2217light breeze
2317light breeze
2417light breeze
2517light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 3 h 48 min at the start of December to 2 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 54 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 9:28 AM to 10:11 AM, and sunset from 1:19 PM to 1:03 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
13.89:281:19
23.79:321:17
33.79:351:14
43.69:381:12
53.59:411:09
63.49:441:07
73.39:471:05
83.29:501:03
93.19:531:01
103.19:5612:59
113.09:5812:58
122.910:0112:56
132.910:0312:55
142.810:0512:53
152.810:0712:52
162.710:0912:52
172.710:1112:51
182.610:1212:50
192.610:1312:50
202.610:1412:50
212.610:1512:50
222.610:1612:51
232.610:1612:51
242.610:1612:52
252.610:1612:53
262.610:1612:54
272.710:1512:56
282.710:1512:57
292.810:1412:59
302.810:131:01
312.910:111:03

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 0.02 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.02 kWh/m² to a high of 5.7 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 0.02 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
10.1Dim
20.1Dim
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 Piteå?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Piteå.

What to pack for Piteå in December

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

In December, Piteå sees daytime highs around -2°C and nights near -7°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 Piteå in December

The nearest coast averages about 2°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 15°C and coldest in February 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
Jun9Bracing
Jul14Bracing
Aug15Cool
Sep12Bracing
Oct8Bracing
Nov4Bracing
Dec2Bracing

UV index in Piteå 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 Piteå peaks around July 15 at about 5 (moderate) — a little sun protection helps at midday. It bottoms out near December 17 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 15UV 5Dec 17UV 0
UV index (midday)Level
Jan0Low
Feb0Low
Mar1Low
Apr3Moderate
May4Moderate
Jun4Moderate
Jul5Moderate
Aug3Moderate
Sep2Low
Oct1Low
Nov0Low
Dec0Low
Location & terrain

Where is Piteå?

Piteå sits at 65.3°N, 21.5°E, 6 m above sea level, in Sweden. The nearest listed city is Luleå, 43 km away.

TornioKemiRaaheUmeåHaukipudas

Topography around Piteå

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Piteå has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 51 m around an average of 11 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 213 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 589 m.

The land around Piteå is covered by trees (42%) and water (26%) within 3 km, trees (52%) and water (30%) within 16 km, and trees (59%) and water (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
51 m
16 km
213 m
80 km
589 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
December weather nearby: Luleå 43 km · Boden 57 km · Skellefteå 68 km · Tornio 136 km · Kemi 150 km · Raahe 158 km · Umeå 175 km · Haukipudas 181 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 Piteå (65.3172°, 21.4794°, elevation 6 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).