Bethlehem (West Bank) weather in December

December in Bethlehem: cool, a little rain — a great time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Bethlehem🇵🇸 Palestine · Levant · City77
  1. 74Jan
  2. 78Feb
  3. 86Mar
  4. 96Apr
  5. 91May
  6. 87Jun
  7. 83Jul
  8. 82Aug
  9. 85Sep
  10. 92Oct
  11. 89Nov
  12. 77Dec

#11 of 12 months in Bethlehem · #547 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 77/100 (tier B)

Days
16°C
Nights
10°C
Wet days
9
Sun
8.3 h
Humidity
72%
Daylight
10 h
Bethlehem, Palestine
Photo: Regan Dsouza · Pexels

Traveller notes on Bethlehem in December

Other months in Bethlehem

Regulars are specific the winter rains are only just beginning by this month, not yet in force, so most days stay sunny and comfortably mild for touring even as the real summer heat has passed. Our row backs that warm, genuinely dry read, 22.3C reading as a hot 26C, over 18.1C nights feeling 19C, with rain minimal at 13.8mm across just 2.7 days and humidity at 61 percent. Regulars are consistent hill towns like this one run genuinely cooler than the coast, especially after sunset, a light jacket or sweater the standard advice for mornings and evenings even on a warm-afternoon day, with an occasional hamsin wind spell capable of spiking temperatures unexpectedly. The record: 10.3 hours of sun, a 12 kph wind and AQI 58.
WinterRainsStartButNotInForceYet · October · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Forum posters describe April in this region as warm but not very hot, with rain unlikely by this point in spring, though evenings still call for a light jacket or sweater given the elevation of the Jerusalem-Bethlehem hill country. Posters note that by the end of April, the clocks have moved to summer time, giving longer, lighter evenings and extended visiting hours at many sites - a practical bonus alongside the comfortable temperatures. Posters commonly describe reaching the Church of the Nativity from Jerusalem by bus with a short taxi or a walkable few kilometers from the drop-off point, weather permitting. Posters generally rate April as a comfortable, mild time to visit Bethlehem, well clear of both winter cold and summer heat.
Tripadvisor community · April · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Bethlehem climate normals — December

Daytime high16°C / 60°F🙂 cool
Nighttime low10°C / 50°F
Feels like (high)13°C / 55°F
Rainfall57 mm / 2.2 in🌦 some rain
Rainy days9 days
Humidity72%💧 humid
Dew point5°C / 40°F
Sunshine8.3 h/day
Daylight10.1 h
Wind12 km/h / 7 mph
Air quality (US AQI)73🙂 moderate

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Bethlehem in December

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

BusyLatin Christmas, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Bethlehem's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Toughest weatherBethlehem's best weather comes in April, May and October — separate windows, not one continuous season.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Bethlehem in December

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Festival

    Latin Christmas

    24–25 DecChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook early

    The patriarch's procession into Manger Square on the 24th and midnight mass in the Church of the Nativity, which is ticketed. The square is full from mid-afternoon and rooms go months ahead. Source ↗

What's on around the world in December →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Bethlehem — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Bethlehem?

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Bethlehem in December — FAQ

Is December a good time to visit Bethlehem?
December in Bethlehem: cool, a little rain — a great time to visit. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Bethlehem on SeasonMap's comfort score (77/100).
What is the weather like in Bethlehem in December?
In December, Bethlehem averages a daily high of 15.6°C and a low of 9.8°C, with about 57.1 mm of rain over roughly 8.5 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Bethlehem in December?
Bethlehem has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 73 in December.

Within 300 km: Petra's Petra by Night on 1 Jan – 31 Dec, and Wadi Rum's Dark-sky nights around 1 Sep – 30 Apr.