Heraklion, Crete weather in December
Temperature, sea and sunshine in December: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in December
Poor
Best time to visit: June – September
What is the weather like in Heraklion, Crete in December?
In December, Heraklion, Crete is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sea averages 18.2 °C – bracing, so a wetsuit helps for longer swims. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 44 mm in total. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Heraklion, Crete.
December compared
How the weather changes from November to January. Tap a month to open it.
| NovemberNov | DecemberDec | JanuaryJan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 45 | 23 | 19 |
| Day | 20° | 16° | 15° |
| Night | 13° | 10° | 8° |
| Sea | 21° | 18° | 16° |
| Sun | 6 h | 5 h | 5 h |
| Rain days | 6 | 9 | 10 |
More details for December
- Daylight
- 9 h 48 min07:21 – 17:08
- UV index
- 2 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 15 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 58 %on average
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC+2Europe/Athens
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %0 %
- Seaweight 25 %17 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %30 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %63 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in December
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Heraklion, Crete in December: quick answers
Is Heraklion, Crete hot in December?
No. In December, Heraklion, Crete is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C and nights drop to about 10 °C.
Can you swim in Heraklion, Crete in December?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in December the sea averages just 18.2 °C. Comfortable swimming is possible from June to November.
Does it rain much in Heraklion, Crete in December?
Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 44 mm in total.
Heraklion, Crete month by month
The whole year in Heraklion, CreteAll destinations: GreeceCrete weather in DecemberWhere to go in DecemberSea temperature in December
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)