SeasonMapRussia in December
December is Russia's weakest month (rank 12 of 12): its 20 destinations average 38/100, led by Elbrus at 92 — -3°C and 10 rainy days — while Yakutsk is cooler at -39°C and scores 25.
#12 of 12 months for Russia · 20 destinations · updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Where in Russia in December
| # | Place | Type | Feels-like high | Rain | Comfort | At its best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elbrus | Ski resort | -3°C | 75 mm · 10 days | 92 tier S | Yes |
| 2 | Sheregesh | Ski resort | -11°C | 85 mm · 13 days | 75 tier B | — |
| 3 | Krasnaya Polyana | Ski resort | 10°C | 101 mm · 12 days | 65 tier C | — |
| 4 | Kislovodsk | City | 7°C | 33 mm · 7 days | 58 tier D | — |
| 5 | Sochi | Beach | 10°C | 107 mm · 11 days | 50 tier D | — |
| 6 | Vladivostok | City | -9°C | 11 mm · 2 days | 39 tier F | — |
| 7 | Kaliningrad | City | 3°C | 57 mm · 13 days | 37 tier F | — |
| 8 | Chita | City | -20°C | 2 mm · 1 day | 29 tier F | — |
| 9 | Khabarovsk | City | -21°C | 11 mm · 3 days | 29 tier F | — |
| 10 | Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky | Trekking hub | -8°C | 118 mm · 12 days | 29 tier F | — |
| 11 | Irkutsk | City | -17°C | 9 mm · 2 days | 28 tier F | — |
| 12 | Kazan | City | -12°C | 49 mm · 10 days | 28 tier F | — |
| 13 | Saint Petersburg | City | -7°C | 59 mm · 16 days | 28 tier F | — |
| 14 | Moscow | City | -8°C | 61 mm · 14 days | 27 tier F | — |
| 15 | Murmansk | City | -11°C | 25 mm · 8 days | 27 tier F | — |
| 16 | Nizhny Novgorod | City | -5°C | 53 mm · 12 days | 26 tier F | — |
| 17 | Magadan | City | -22°C | 24 mm · 7 days | 25 tier F | — |
| 18 | Novosibirsk | City | -16°C | 43 mm · 12 days | 25 tier F | — |
| 19 | Yakutsk | City | -39°C | 5 mm · 2 days | 25 tier F | — |
| 20 | Yekaterinburg | City | -14°C | 27 mm · 8 days | 25 tier F | — |
Comfort is SeasonMap's 0–100 score; each place is judged through the lens that suits it — beaches on beach weather, ski resorts on snow. "At its best" means December is one of that place's own top three months. Feels-like highs fold in humidity, wind and sun.
What's on in Russia in December
- Russian New Year holidays · Elbrus · 30 Dec – 9 Jan
- New Year holidays · Krasnaya Polyana and 7 more places · 31 Dec – 8 Jan
- Amber after the storms · Kaliningrad · 15 Oct – 31 Mar (usually)
- Ramadan and Eid · Kazan · 1 Jan – 31 Dec (usually)
- Aurora season · Murmansk · 1 Sep – 10 Apr (usually)
Seasons in force
Peak crowds at 2 of Russia's 7 well-known places this month.