Istanbul Province · Turkey
Istanbul in December
In December, Istanbul averages a daytime high of 11 °C and a night-time low of 5 °C, with about 105 mm of rain over the month. It falls outside Istanbul's most comfortable months, May to September.
- Average high
- 11 °C
- Average low
- 5 °C
- Rain in the month
- 105 mm
- Daylight on 15 Dec
- 9 h 10 min
- Comfortable month
- No
- Places to stay
- 823
When to go
How December compares with the rest of the year in Istanbul
December is the 10th warmest month in Istanbul by average daytime high; across the year the highs run from 9 °C to 29 °C and the lows from 3 °C to 20 °C. By day, December is 5 °C cooler than November, and January is 2 °C cooler than December.
December brings 105 mm of rain, more than the monthly average of 64 mm (763 mm a year); it is the wettest month.
On 15 December the sun is up for about 9 h 10 min, against 9 h 10 min at the shortest and 15 h 10 min at the longest point of the year (calculated from the latitude, sunrise to sunset).
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9 °C | 3 °C | 96 mm | |
| February | 10 °C | 3 °C | 74 mm | |
| March | 12 °C | 5 °C | 71 mm | |
| April | 16 °C | 8 °C | 50 mm | |
| May | 21 °C | 12 °C | 39 mm | Yes |
| June | 26 °C | 17 °C | 37 mm | Yes |
| July | 29 °C | 20 °C | 25 mm | Yes |
| August | 29 °C | 20 °C | 33 mm | Yes |
| September | 25 °C | 16 °C | 53 mm | Yes |
| October | 20 °C | 13 °C | 93 mm | |
| November | 15 °C | 8 °C | 90 mm | |
| December | 11 °C | 5 °C | 105 mm |
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
When to go
Is December a good time to visit Istanbul?
Not by the measure used here: the average high of 11 °C is below 18 °C and about 105 mm of rain is 80 mm or more. The comfortable months in Istanbul are May to September; the nearest are September, before, and May, after.
The measure is about weather for a city stay only; it says nothing about events, school holidays or prices.
Where to stay
Where to stay in Istanbul
This guide lists 823 places to stay in Istanbul: 3 chain properties with their details and own websites, and 820 hotels recorded in Wikidata. By straight-line distance from the centre: under 1 km, 148; 1–3 km, 455; 3–10 km, 181; 10 km or more, 39.
Sources: climate from CRU TS v4.10 (Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia; Open Database License), 1991–2020 averages; day length calculated from the latitude; places to stay from each operator's own public pages and Wikidata. How this guide is made.