Your December weather guide
CoolWeather in Sunny Beach in December
Sunny Beach in December is a poor choice for winter warmth, but it can suit a break built around walks rather than beach time. Daytime highs average 8°C, nights fall to around 3°C and the sea is only about 10°C. Go prepared for cold, wet weather rather than expecting Bulgaria to feel warmer than home. If your main aim is swimming or sitting outside in light clothing, choose a different month.
Long-term climate averages for Nesebar (adjacent), not a forecast · 1991-2020
Sunny Beach, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Nesebar (adjacent).
- Average daytime high
- 8.1°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 14°C
- Average night-time low
- 3.0°C
- coldest 10% of nights: -2°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +0.4°C
- London averages 7.7°C in December
- Sea temperature
- 9.8°C
- year to year: 8°C to 11°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 3.3h
- 37% of 8.9 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 9
- 59 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 79%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 19.9°C
- 2010-12-03
- Record low 1991-2020
- -11.3°C
- 1996-12-29
- Flight from London
- ≈ 3 h 36 min
- 2304 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 10th warmest month of the year in Sunny Beach and ranks 123rd of 134 destinations we compare for December - see where else is hot in December. Against London's average high of 7.7°C in December, Sunny Beach is 0.4°C warmer by day and 0.3°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in December
The typical December day in Sunny Beach peaks at 8.1°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 13.9°C or more. Days over 25°C are rare. Nights average 3.0°C; one night in ten drops to -2.0°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 19.9°C (2010-12-03) and the coldest night -11.3°C (1996-12-29).
Rain in December
Wet (more than 8 rainy days): about 9 days with 1 mm or more, 59 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest December was 2012 with 152 mm, the driest 2015 with 2 mm. Humidity averages 79%.
Sea temperature in December
The sea averages 9.8°C - too cold for most (under 18°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 8.4°C to 11.2°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (25.3°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 3.3 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 8.9 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:32 and sets about 16:36 local time in mid-December. Average cloud cover is 63%.
Is December a good time to visit Sunny Beach?
December is not the strongest month here: cool days and frequent rain. The best months for Sunny Beach on our scoring are August, July, June; months averaging 25°C or more: Jul, Aug.
Expect winter clothing, not reliable warmth
The average daytime temperature is manageable for walking with a warm coat, but it offers little scope for travelling light. Pack layers, closed shoes and something warm for evenings, when the average low is 3°C. Milder days can reach 14°C or more, so a pleasant spell is possible, but that is not a reliable basis for booking. At the colder end, nights can drop to -2°C or below. Keep outdoor plans flexible and make sure your accommodation suits a winter stay. December works better for travellers comfortable with chilly weather than for anyone hoping to spend most of the day relaxing outdoors.
Plan around rain, short days and a cold sea
Rain affects about 9 days during the month, so waterproof outerwear and shoes are more useful than beach kit. That does not mean every day is wet, but you should have an indoor alternative rather than relying on uninterrupted outdoor time. There are about 8.9 hours of daylight, with roughly 3.3 hours of sunshine, making it sensible to put walks in the brighter part of the day rather than leave them until late. The sea averages 9.8°C and remains cold across its year-to-year range. Treat the coast as somewhere to walk beside, not somewhere to count on comfortable swimming, and choose December only if that trade-off suits you.
A little perspective
Sunny Beach through the year
December is highlighted. See how it compares with the rest of the year.
| Month | Day | Night | Sea | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6.6°C | 1.2°C | 7.0°C | 3.4 | 53 | 8 | 0% |
| February | 7.9°C | 1.9°C | 5.9°C | 3.8 | 47 | 7 | 0% |
| March | 10.8°C | 4.3°C | 6.7°C | 4.6 | 53 | 9 | 0% |
| April | 14.9°C | 8.0°C | 9.4°C | 6.0 | 45 | 8 | 0% |
| May | 20.0°C | 13.2°C | 15.6°C | 7.2 | 47 | 9 | 5% |
| Junebest | 24.6°C | 17.9°C | 21.3°C | 9.1 | 48 | 8 | 45% |
| Julybest | 27.2°C | 20.3°C | 24.3°C | 10.8 | 42 | 7 | 86% |
| Augustbest | 27.4°C | 20.7°C | 25.3°C | 10.2 | 31 | 5 | 85% |
| September | 23.1°C | 16.9°C | 22.6°C | 7.3 | 58 | 7 | 31% |
| October | 18.0°C | 12.4°C | 18.5°C | 4.7 | 62 | 7 | 3% |
| November | 12.9°C | 7.7°C | 14.0°C | 3.6 | 55 | 7 | 0% |
| DecemberSelected | 8.1°C | 3.0°C | 9.8°C | 3.3 | 59 | 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
- Sea
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.
Italy · 8°C by day · sea 12°C
Venice
Italy · 8°C by day
Verona
Italy · 8°C by day
Lake Garda
France · 8°C by day
Paris
Italy · 8°C by day · sea 12°C
Lido di Jesolo
A little more detail
Sunny Beach in December FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Sunny Beach hot in December?
Sunny Beach is cool in December: the average daytime high is 8.1°C and nights average 3.0°C. Days over 25°C are rare in December.
Can you swim in the sea in Sunny Beach in December?
The sea around Sunny Beach averages 9.8°C in December, which is cold for swimming without a wetsuit. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 8°C to 11°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Sunny Beach in December?
Sunny Beach sees about 9 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 59 mm of rain in a typical December. The wettest December between 1991 and 2020 was 2012 (152 mm) and the driest was 2015 (2 mm).
How sunny is Sunny Beach in December?
Sunny Beach gets around 3.3 hours of sunshine a day in December out of 8.9 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Sunny Beach compare with the UK in December?
Sunny Beach is on average 0.4°C warmer than London by day in December (8.1°C against 7.7°C).
What is the hottest December on record in Sunny Beach?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest December day in Sunny Beach reached 19.9°C on 2010-12-03, and the coldest night dropped to -11.3°C on 1996-12-29.
Is Sunny Beach warmer than London in December?
Only marginally. Sunny Beach averages a daytime high of 8.1°C, compared with London's 7.7°C, a difference of just 0.4°C. That is too small to make it a convincing choice if your reason for travelling is warmer weather.
When should I go instead for beach weather?
August, July and June are the strongest months here for holiday weather. If warmth and time in the sea are central to your trip, favour those over December, which is cool, wet and poorly suited to a conventional beach holiday.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid) and NOAA Coral Reef Watch 5 km sea temperatures, 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Nesebar (Nesebar (adjacent)). Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 2 km from that point. 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