Weather in Rotterdam in December

December in Rotterdam is a coat month. Treat it as cities, food and short walks, not as a terrace holiday.

In Netherlands, this is how Rotterdam actually wears December, not how a country centroid would. Compared with August and January, December sits in the middle of Rotterdam's year.

Rotterdam
Average temp
5°C

3–8°C

Rainfall
84 mm

Showers likely

Sunshine
1.8 h

hours per day

What to expect

Daytime

You want a proper coat in Rotterdam in December, not a festival jacket. Wind makes the same afternoon feel sharper than the map suggests.

Outdoor time is the middle of the day. Finish plans before the light goes. Evenings are for indoors.

Rain

December is the wet side of the year in Rotterdam, the wettest stretch on these averages. Days can be heavy. Plans that cannot survive rain are the wrong plans.

This is not a reason to skip Rotterdam if you like the place. It is a reason to pack for weather and to stop treating every grey hour as a failed holiday.

Evening

Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.

What to pack

  • Rain jacket

  • A layer for cooler evenings

Where to stay in Rotterdam

Dates are a starting point for December.

All hotels in Rotterdam

Travel guides for Rotterdam

What to read before you book.

All travel guides in Rotterdam

Average weather in Rotterdam

TemperatureRainfall

Source: MeteostatPeriod: 1991-2020Checked: 28 Aug 2026265 places covered

Similar weather in December

Other destinations whose December averages sit close to this one.

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FAQs about Rotterdam

Climate averages for Rotterdam, 1991–2020.

The best time to visit Rotterdam is between May and October, the most comfortable stretch of the year on these averages.

July is the hottest month, with an average around 19°C.

July is the wettest month, with about 85 mm of rain.

No. These are 1991–2020 climate normals from Meteostat, not a live forecast. Actual weather in any given week can differ.