Weather in Turkey in December
December is winter. Festive Istanbul, snow possible on the plateau and in the east, a quiet Mediterranean fringe that is not a beach holiday. The lights on Istiklal are the season. The empty promenade in Side is the other one.
Come for cities and, if you want it, a cold Cappadocia. Do not come because a summer photo of Ölüdeniz was still on the listing.
- Average temp
- 4°C
0–7°C
- Rainfall
- 42 mm
Not much rain
- Sunshine
- 2.6 h
hours per day
What to expect
Daytime
Short, cold inland, raw on the Marmara. Only the far south feels gentle, and even there you dress for winter. Outdoor time is the middle of the day or not at all.
A bright December afternoon in Antalya is a pleasant walk. The same hours in Erzurum or on the plateau are a different country. Istanbul between rain bands is coat, scarf, ferry, indoors.
Rain
Wet in Istanbul and the Black Sea. This is the season those regions were built for, meteorologically if not touristically.
The south is the drier winter coast, not a dry climate. You still want a shell. You do not want a packing list that assumes you will live in swimwear. The monthly table will look wetter in the north. Believe it.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What to pack
A layer for cooler evenings
Where to stay in Turkey
Featured stays on trip1. Dates are a starting point for December.
Average weather in Turkey
TemperatureRainfall
Similar weather in December
Other destinations whose December averages sit close to this one.
Check another month
This is the month you are reading. Change either side to look at another.
FAQs about Turkey
Climate averages for Turkey, 1991–2020.
The best time to visit Turkey is between May and October, the most comfortable stretch of the year on these averages.
July is the hottest month, with an average around 24°C.
May is the wettest month, with about 49 mm of rain.
No. These are 1991–2020 climate normals from Meteostat, not a live forecast. Actual weather in any given week can differ.
