Paris Weather in December
Planning a trip to Paris in December? Here's what the weather is really like — and why nobody visits for the weather anyway.
December in Paris is cold, damp, and gray. Highs start around the upper 40s°F at the beginning of the month and slide into the low 40s by the end. Nights drop into the 30s and low 40s, morning frost becomes common, and rain runs 9–11 days for the month. Snow is possible but not frequent. Daylight is short, the sun sets early, and the city can go a week under near-constant cloud cover.
But that's not why you go in December. You go for the Christmas markets, the lights strung along the boulevards, the festive atmosphere, and one quiet meteorological perk: for a city at Paris's latitude — the same as Quebec City — it stays remarkably mild thanks to the influence of the relatively warm Atlantic. Meteorologist Ian Schwartz breaks down what to expect.
At a glance
What's covered
- Highs, lows, and how the month cools as it goes
- Rainy days and snow odds
- Why daylight gets so short so fast
- Cold snap risk as northern systems swing in
- Why Paris is milder than its latitude suggests
- Christmas markets and the festive atmosphere
Jump to a moment
Paris in December FAQ
What is the weather like in Paris in December?
Cold, damp, and gray. Highs start around the upper 40s°F and slide into the low 40s by the end of the month. Nights drop into the 30s, morning frost is common, and rain runs 9–11 days. Daylight is short — sunset around 4:45 PM.
Does it snow in Paris in December?
Sometimes. Snow is possible but not frequent — most winters see only a few dustings, and it usually melts quickly. Cold snaps arrive when the jet stream pushes Arctic air west, but they're usually brief.
Why is Paris milder than other cities at the same latitude?
The Atlantic Ocean. Paris sits at the same latitude as Quebec City, but the relatively warm North Atlantic Drift (an extension of the Gulf Stream) keeps Western Europe dramatically milder than similar latitudes in North America. December in Paris rarely drops below the mid-20s°F; Quebec City routinely sees teens and single digits.