Your December weather guide
CoolWeather in Vienna in December
Vienna in December suits a winter city break if you are happy to dress for cold weather and take regular indoor breaks. Average daytime highs are 3.8°C, nights fall to -1.6°C, and sunshine averages just 2.3 hours a day. Go for a trip built around shorter outdoor spells rather than long days wandering. The main catch is the combination of cold evenings, limited daylight and enough rain to make waterproof clothing useful.
Long-term climate averages for Vienna, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Vienna, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Vienna.
- Average daytime high
- 3.8°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 9°C
- Average night-time low
- -1.6°C
- coldest 10% of nights: -7°C or lower
- Compared with London
- -3.9°C
- London averages 7.7°C in December
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 2.3h
- 28% of 8.2 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 9
- 39 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 83%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 13.9°C
- 2006-12-08
- Record low 1991-2020
- -22.2°C
- 1996-12-29
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h 18 min
- 1232 km, short-haul (estimate for a direct flight)
Records are observed extremes within 1991-2020, not typical holiday conditions. Warm-day percentages are shares of days, not day counts.
How December compares
December is the 11th warmest month of the year in Vienna. Against London's average high of 7.7°C in December, Vienna is 3.9°C cooler by day and 4.3°C cooler at night.
Daytime and night-time in December
The typical December day in Vienna peaks at 3.8°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 9.1°C or more. Days over 25°C are rare. Nights average -1.6°C; one night in ten drops to -6.5°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings - it is genuinely cool after dark. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest December day here reached 13.9°C (2006-12-08) and the coldest night -22.2°C (1996-12-29).
Rain in December
Wet (more than 8 rainy days): about 9 days with 1 mm or more, 39 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest December was 2018 with 72 mm, the driest 2013 with 10 mm. Humidity averages 83%.
Sunshine and daylight
Around 2.3 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 8.2 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:39 and sets about 16:01 local time in mid-December. Average cloud cover is 72%.
Is December a good time to visit Vienna?
December is not the strongest month here: cool days and frequent rain. The best months for Vienna on our scoring are August, July, June; months averaging 25°C or more: Jul, Aug.
Expect proper winter cold, especially after dark
A warm coat, gloves, a scarf and shoes that keep your feet warm are sensible basics, not optional extras for the evening. The average night is below freezing, while the coldest 10% of nights reach -6.5°C or lower, so pack layers rather than relying on a light jacket. There can be milder spells: the warmest 10% of days reach 9.1°C or more. Treat those as a welcome bonus rather than the basis of your packing. This month works best if you enjoy being outside in crisp conditions but are comfortable interrupting a walk to warm up indoors.
Use the daylight and keep wet-weather plans flexible
With about 8.2 hours of daylight, it makes sense to put outdoor plans in the middle of the day and leave indoor time for later. Daylight does not mean clear skies: the limited sunshine makes a trip that depends on bright weather a poor bet. Rain falls on about 9 days, so bring a waterproof outer layer and footwear you can comfortably walk in when it is wet. You do not need to assume every day will be a washout, but a flexible schedule will serve you better than fixed outdoor plans. December is less suited to travellers who want to spend most of their time outside.
A little perspective
Vienna through the year
December is highlighted. See how it compares with the rest of the year.
| Month | Day | Night | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3.1°C | -2.8°C | 2.4 | 35 | 8 | 0% |
| February | 5.5°C | -2.1°C | 3.3 | 32 | 8 | 0% |
| March | 10.1°C | 1.1°C | 4.3 | 46 | 9 | 0% |
| April | 15.7°C | 5.5°C | 5.9 | 45 | 9 | 2% |
| May | 19.9°C | 10.4°C | 6.3 | 73 | 12 | 13% |
| Junebest | 23.7°C | 14.2°C | 6.9 | 76 | 12 | 38% |
| Julybest | 25.8°C | 16.3°C | 7.3 | 78 | 12 | 58% |
| Augustbest | 25.7°C | 16.1°C | 7.1 | 70 | 10 | 55% |
| September | 20.3°C | 11.9°C | 5.4 | 72 | 9 | 12% |
| October | 14.6°C | 7.2°C | 3.8 | 48 | 9 | 0% |
| November | 8.6°C | 2.8°C | 2.4 | 44 | 9 | 0% |
| DecemberSelected | 3.8°C | -1.6°C | 2.3 | 39 | 9 | 0% |
Day = average daytime high, night = average night-time low, 1991-2020.Sun is hours per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more.
Day, night and sea
Monthly average temperatures, 1991-2020
- Day
- Night
Best months here
On warmth, low rainfall and sunshine, start with these.
Keep exploring
Similar in December
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Vienna in December FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Vienna hot in December?
Vienna is cool in December: the average daytime high is 3.8°C and nights average -1.6°C. Days over 25°C are rare in December.
How much does it rain in Vienna in December?
Vienna sees about 9 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 39 mm of rain in a typical December. The wettest December between 1991 and 2020 was 2018 (72 mm) and the driest was 2013 (10 mm).
How sunny is Vienna in December?
Vienna gets around 2.3 hours of sunshine a day in December out of 8.2 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Vienna compare with the UK in December?
Vienna is on average 3.9°C cooler than London by day in December (3.8°C against 7.7°C).
What is the hottest December on record in Vienna?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest December day in Vienna reached 13.9°C on 2006-12-08, and the coldest night dropped to -22.2°C on 1996-12-29.
Is Vienna colder than London in December?
Yes. Vienna's average daytime high is 3.8°C, compared with 7.7°C in London, a difference of 3.9°C. If you are packing from London, allow for colder daytime walks as well as nights that typically fall below freezing.
When should I go instead if I want warmer weather?
June, July and August are better choices if warmth is central to your trip. December is near the cold end of Vienna's year, so choose it because you are comfortable with winter conditions, not because you expect mild weather.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid), 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Vienna. Sunshine hours are estimated from average cloud cover.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C