Your December weather guide
CoolWeather in Sorrento in December
Sorrento in December is a reasonable choice for a mild winter break, but not for warmth or swimming. Average highs are around 13°C, nights fall to about 9°C, and there are roughly 13 rainy days. For a UK traveller, the appeal is being outdoors in gentler temperatures rather than leaving winter behind. Go if you are happy with layers, flexible plans and cool evenings; choose another month if sunshine and sea bathing are the priority.
Long-term climate averages for Sorrento, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Sorrento, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Sorrento.
- Average daytime high
- 13.2°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 16°C
- Average night-time low
- 9.4°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 6°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +5.5°C
- London averages 7.7°C in December
- Sea temperature
- 16.9°C
- year to year: 16°C to 18°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 4.1h
- 45% of 9.1 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 13
- 155 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 75%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 20.8°C
- 2014-12-01
- Record low 1991-2020
- -0.1°C
- 2014-12-31
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h 48 min
- 1619 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 Sorrento and ranks 98th of 134 destinations we compare for December - see where else is hot in December. Within Italy it is 3rd of 16 (Italy in December). Against London's average high of 7.7°C in December, Sorrento is 5.5°C warmer by day and 6.7°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in December
The typical December day in Sorrento peaks at 13.2°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 15.9°C or more. Days over 25°C are rare. Nights average 9.4°C; one night in ten drops to 5.6°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 20.8°C (2014-12-01) and the coldest night -0.1°C (2014-12-31).
Rain in December
Wet (more than 8 rainy days): about 13 days with 1 mm or more, 155 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest December was 2020 with 372 mm, the driest 2015 with 0 mm. Humidity averages 75%.
Sea temperature in December
The sea averages 16.9°C - too cold for most (under 18°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 16.0°C to 17.7°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (26.4°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 4.1 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 9.1 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:19 and sets about 16:36 local time in mid-December. Average cloud cover is 55%.
Is December a good time to visit Sorrento?
December is not the strongest month here: cool days and frequent rain. The best months for Sorrento on our scoring are July, August, June; months averaging 25°C or more: Jul, Aug.
Milder than London, but keep your winter layers
Sorrento's average December daytime temperature is 5.5°C higher than London's, a useful improvement for spending time outside without expecting summer conditions. Milder days can reach around 16°C, but that is not the everyday expectation. Pack layers you can adjust, with a warm outer layer for evenings rather than relying on a light jumper. The colder nights can fall to around 6°C or below, so the average low does not tell the whole story. December suits travellers who prefer cool conditions for walking and do not need beach weather. If heat is central to the trip, June, July or August would be a better fit.
Make plans that can bend around the rain
Rain is the main catch: December is wet enough that outdoor plans need room to change. Around 13 days have measurable rain, so waterproof footwear and a proper raincoat are more useful than packing just for the milder temperatures. That does not mean every wet day is a complete washout, but you should be comfortable moving outdoor time around showers and keeping an indoor alternative in mind. With about 4.1 hours of sunshine within 9.1 hours of daylight, there is scope for brighter spells, not a promise of long sunny days. Put your main outdoor plans into daylight hours and avoid making the trip depend on consistently dry weather.
A little perspective
Sorrento 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 | 12.1°C | 8.0°C | 15.1°C | 4.2 | 123 | 12 | 0% |
| February | 12.2°C | 7.7°C | 14.2°C | 4.9 | 105 | 11 | 0% |
| March | 14.1°C | 9.2°C | 14.2°C | 5.4 | 106 | 11 | 0% |
| April | 16.6°C | 11.4°C | 15.4°C | 6.3 | 88 | 11 | 0% |
| May | 20.4°C | 15.0°C | 18.8°C | 7.8 | 60 | 8 | 4% |
| Junebest | 24.3°C | 18.9°C | 22.8°C | 10.2 | 29 | 5 | 41% |
| Julybest | 27.1°C | 21.6°C | 25.4°C | 12.0 | 16 | 3 | 87% |
| Augustbest | 27.8°C | 22.4°C | 26.4°C | 10.9 | 22 | 4 | 93% |
| September | 24.3°C | 19.4°C | 24.4°C | 7.4 | 89 | 9 | 40% |
| October | 20.8°C | 16.3°C | 21.9°C | 5.7 | 131 | 11 | 3% |
| November | 16.7°C | 12.7°C | 19.3°C | 4.2 | 189 | 14 | 0% |
| DecemberSelected | 13.2°C | 9.4°C | 16.9°C | 4.1 | 155 | 13 | 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
Sorrento in December FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Sorrento hot in December?
Sorrento is cool in December: the average daytime high is 13.2°C and nights average 9.4°C. Days over 25°C are rare in December.
Can you swim in the sea in Sorrento in December?
The sea around Sorrento averages 16.9°C in December, which is cold for swimming without a wetsuit. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 16°C to 18°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Sorrento in December?
Sorrento sees about 13 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 155 mm of rain in a typical December. The wettest December between 1991 and 2020 was 2020 (372 mm) and the driest was 2015 (0 mm).
How sunny is Sorrento in December?
Sorrento gets around 4.1 hours of sunshine a day in December out of 9.1 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Sorrento compare with the UK in December?
Sorrento is on average 5.5°C warmer than London by day in December (13.2°C against 7.7°C).
What is the hottest December on record in Sorrento?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest December day in Sorrento reached 20.8°C on 2014-12-01, and the coldest night dropped to -0.1°C on 2014-12-31.
Is the sea warm enough to swim in December?
The sea averages 16.9°C, which is cold rather than comfortably swimmable. Even the warmer end of its December range is only 18°C. For most holidaymakers, this is a month to enjoy being by the water rather than plan on leisurely swims.
Is the short flight enough reason to choose Sorrento for winter warmth?
The flight from London takes about 2 h 48 min, so Sorrento is a short-haul option for milder weather. The trade-off is that December remains cool and wet. Choose it for a modest temperature lift, not reliable heat.
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 Sorrento. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 0.3 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