Weather in the Azores in December
Averages, what the month actually feels like, and what is on while you are here.
December averages
| Measurement | Ponta Delgada, south coast | Ribeira Grande, north coast | Mount Pico summitModel grid cell at 1,758 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average high | 17 °C | 18 °C | 8 °C |
| Average low | 14 °C | 15 °C | 3 °C |
| Daylight | 9.5 h | 9.5 h | 10.0 h |
| Sea temperature | 18 °C | – | – |
Temperature and daylight, averaged over the ten years from 2016 to 2025 and recomputed from the Open-Meteo archive rather than typed in by hand. The model works in cells roughly ten kilometres across, so each column describes an area rather than one thermometer. Checked against IPMA's Ponta Delgada normal, the temperatures land within about a degree and a half. Sea temperature averages the years 2022 to 2025. The marine record is shorter than the air record, so it rests on fewer years.
What December feels like
December is mild and often wet, with the shortest days of the year. The coast rarely drops below the mid-teens even overnight.
What to pack
Layers, a waterproof, and one smart thing if you are out for New Year. Warm clothing for anything above the tree line.
What to do in December
The Christmas lights, the market on Avenida Arriaga and the New Year fireworks over the bay are why many people come at all. Between them the trails are empty.
Worth knowing before you book
It is the wettest month by total and the fronts arrive in sequence. New Year is the single busiest night of the year for hotels and flights, and the airport is at its windiest.
Quick answers
- How warm is it in the Azores in December?
- In Ponta Delgada an average December day reaches 17 °C and falls to 14 °C overnight. The summit of Mount Pico averages 8 °C in the same month, so the mountain needs its own layer.
- Can you swim in the sea in December?
- The sea averages 18 °C in December. The Azores sit in open ocean with no shallow shelf to warm the water, so it stays close to that figure all month.
- How long are the days in December?
- About 9.5 hours between sunrise and sunset, which sets how much of a long trilho you can fit in before dark.