Your December weather guide
MildWeather in Crete in December
Crete in December is a reasonable choice for milder days away from the UK, but not for a reliably sunny beach holiday. Average daytime highs are 15.6°C, nights fall to 10°C, and the sea is a bracing 18°C. It suits travellers happy to wear layers, take walks when the weather allows and change plans around rain. Go for the milder temperatures rather than the promise of warmth, and keep your daytime plans flexible.
Long-term climate averages for Heraklion, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Crete, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Heraklion.
- Average daytime high
- 15.6°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 19°C
- Average night-time low
- 10.0°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 7°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +7.9°C
- London averages 7.7°C in December
- Sea temperature
- 18.0°C
- year to year: 17°C to 19°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 3.5h
- 36% of 9.6 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 11
- 70 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 82%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 26.8°C
- 2010-12-02
- Record low 1991-2020
- 3.2°C
- 2010-12-12
- Flight from London
- ≈ 4 h 6 min
- 2678 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 Crete and ranks 74th of 134 destinations we compare for December - see where else is hot in December. Within Greece it is 13th of 44 (Greece in December). Against London's average high of 7.7°C in December, Crete is 7.9°C warmer by day and 7.3°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in December
The typical December day in Crete peaks at 15.6°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 19.0°C or more. Roughly 1 in 500 days top 25°C. Nights average 10.0°C; one night in ten drops to 7.3°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 26.8°C (2010-12-02) and the coldest night 3.2°C (2010-12-12).
Rain in December
Wet (more than 8 rainy days): about 11 days with 1 mm or more, 70 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest December was 2018 with 140 mm, the driest 2006 with 13 mm. Humidity averages 82%.
Sea temperature in December
The sea averages 18.0°C - bracing (18-22°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 17.0°C to 18.9°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (25.9°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 3.5 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 9.6 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:21 and sets about 17:08 local time in mid-December. Average cloud cover is 64%.
Is December a good time to visit Crete?
December is not the strongest month here: mild days and frequent rain. The best months for Crete on our scoring are August, July, June; months averaging 25°C or more: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
Milder than London, without summer warmth
The daytime high is 7.9°C above London's December average, so Crete offers a noticeable lift in temperature without feeling like summer. The warmer days can reach 19°C or more, making outdoor time appealing when the sun appears, but those are not conditions to count on throughout your stay. Pack light layers for daytime and a warmer jacket for evenings rather than relying on summer clothing. Swimming is a more cautious proposition: the sea is below the 22°C benchmark for comfortable swimming. If warm water and long stretches of sunbathing are central to your holiday, December is a poor fit.
Leave room for rain and shorter days
Rain is the main catch, with about 11 rainy days during the month. That makes a waterproof jacket more useful than a tightly packed outdoor itinerary: leave room to move walks to a drier part of the day and have indoor alternatives ready. There are about 3.5 hours of sunshine within 9.6 hours of daylight, so daylight does not mean continuous sun. Start outdoor plans earlier rather than leaving them until late afternoon, and use brighter spells when they arrive. December works best if you can enjoy a mild but wet break; it is less suitable if reliable sunshine is the reason for travelling.
A little perspective
Crete 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 | 14.2°C | 8.2°C | 16.2°C | 3.8 | 73 | 12 | 0% |
| February | 14.8°C | 8.2°C | 15.5°C | 4.6 | 71 | 11 | 0% |
| March | 17.2°C | 9.3°C | 15.6°C | 6.0 | 57 | 9 | 2% |
| April | 20.8°C | 11.8°C | 16.6°C | 7.8 | 38 | 6 | 14% |
| May | 25.3°C | 15.7°C | 19.3°C | 9.9 | 29 | 4 | 51% |
| Junebest | 29.3°C | 19.8°C | 22.8°C | 12.9 | 10 | 2 | 91% |
| Julybest | 30.9°C | 22.2°C | 25.1°C | 13.7 | 3 | 1 | 99% |
| Augustbest | 30.8°C | 22.5°C | 25.9°C | 12.7 | 5 | 1 | 100% |
| September | 28.3°C | 20.0°C | 24.9°C | 10.2 | 20 | 3 | 84% |
| October | 24.2°C | 16.8°C | 23.0°C | 6.6 | 38 | 6 | 39% |
| November | 19.5°C | 13.1°C | 20.4°C | 4.3 | 50 | 8 | 5% |
| DecemberSelected | 15.6°C | 10.0°C | 18.0°C | 3.5 | 70 | 11 | 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.
A little more detail
Crete in December FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Crete hot in December?
Crete is mild in December: the average daytime high is 15.6°C and nights average 10.0°C. Roughly 1 in 500 December days reach 25°C.
Can you swim in the sea in Crete in December?
The sea around Crete averages 18.0°C in December, which is bracing - fine for a quick dip, cool for long swims. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 17°C to 19°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Crete in December?
Crete sees about 11 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 70 mm of rain in a typical December. The wettest December between 1991 and 2020 was 2018 (140 mm) and the driest was 2006 (13 mm).
How sunny is Crete in December?
Crete gets around 3.5 hours of sunshine a day in December out of 9.6 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Crete compare with the UK in December?
Crete is on average 7.9°C warmer than London by day in December (15.6°C against 7.7°C).
What is the hottest December on record in Crete?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest December day in Crete reached 26.8°C on 2010-12-02, and the coldest night dropped to 3.2°C on 2010-12-12.
How cold can evenings and nights feel?
The average night low is 10°C, but the coldest 10% of nights fall to 7.3°C or below. Bring a warm layer and a jacket for evenings out. Packing only for the average daytime temperature would leave you underprepared.
How long is the flight from London?
The flight from London is about 4 h 6 min, putting Crete within short-haul reach. That makes it an option for a milder December break without a long-haul flight, though you should still expect rain and cool evenings rather than dependable beach weather.
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 Irákleion (Heraklion). Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 1.7 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