Picos de Europa weather in December
December in Picos de Europa: cool, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 17 rainy days.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#11 of 12 months in Picos de Europa · #714 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 71/100 (tier B)
- Days
- 15°C
- Nights
- 7°C
- Wet days
- 17
- Sun
- 5.3 h
- Humidity
- 79%
- Daylight
- 9 h

Traveller notes on Picos de Europa in December
Other months in Picos de Europa
Picos de Europa-forum threads on a February visit describe conditions as genuinely capable of turning poor fast, posters warning snow at altitude is common and can disrupt plans with little notice. Regulars call one February notably severe, several posters recalling the worst storms in at least twenty-five years that year, with some villages still cut off afterward. Posters call checking road and village access before a winter itinerary genuinely essential, several regulars naming this standard given how quickly conditions can cut off parts of the range. Regulars call lower valley areas still more reliable than the high peaks in February, several threads naming this a real fallback when mountain access becomes unpredictable. Posters recommend real flexible plans and local advice, several regulars calling this the honest expectation for winter here. The record: 15.2C days, 5.3C nights, 66.5mm across over 9 days and 79 percent humidity.
Picos de Europa-forum threads on a November visit describe higher elevations as genuinely starting to see snow by late in the month, posters warning timing varies year to year. Regulars call the Fuente De cable car and Parador effectively closed through winter, several posters naming roughly November through February as when the high mountain area becomes largely inaccessible. Posters call the Potes and Deva valley area a real better bet for November, several regulars naming lower-elevation walks here as still genuinely rewarding even with the peaks off limits. Regulars call real rain standard in the valleys, several threads recommending waterproof layers regardless of which area you base in. Posters recommend checking cable car status before planning around it, several regulars calling this standard given how weather-dependent access becomes this late in the year. The record: 16.1C days, 8.7C nights, an extraordinarily high 181.5mm across 17 days and 78 percent humidity.
Picos de Europa-forum threads on a January visit describe winter here as genuinely quiet, posters naming this real off-season stretch as when many cable cars and higher trails can close depending on conditions. Regulars call the Fuente De cable car a real gamble in January, several posters warning it can be shut for days at a time when snow or wind moves in. Posters call lower valley walks and villages like Potes still genuinely worthwhile even with the high peaks inaccessible, several regulars naming this a real fallback plan. Regulars call real cold and damp a standard January feature here, several threads recommending warm, waterproof layers regardless of which valley you base in. Posters recommend calling ahead to confirm cable car and road status before a January trip, several regulars calling this genuinely essential given how fast mountain weather changes. The record: 12.3C days, 4.5C nights, an extraordinarily high 160.1mm across over 15 days and 80 percent humidity.
Picos de Europa-forum threads on a September visit describe this as genuinely a real strong pick, posters calling later September the best bet with warm days and great walking weather once the August crowds have thinned out. Regulars call the place considerably quieter than August, several posters naming this a real advantage for anyone prioritizing empty trails. Posters recommend Tielve or Sotres and routes PR PNPE twenty or twenty-one as real quieter alternatives, several regulars naming these for travelers wanting to skip the busier trailheads. Regulars call July capable of real overheating on exposed sections, several threads naming September the genuine fix for anyone who found summer here too intense. Posters recommend real layers regardless of a warm afternoon, several regulars describing one late-September visit as deserted and among the best trips they've had. The record: 22.7C days, 14.6C nights, an extraordinarily high 84.9mm across 14 days and 79 percent humidity.
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Picos de Europa climate normals — December
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Picos de Europa 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.
BusyChristmas holidays in Spain, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Picos de Europa'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 weatherPicos de Europa's best weather comes in April, May and July — separate windows, not one continuous season.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Picos de Europa — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Picos de Europa?
Picos de Europa in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Picos de Europa?
- December in Picos de Europa: cool, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 17 rainy days. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Picos de Europa on SeasonMap's comfort score (71/100).
- What is the weather like in Picos de Europa in December?
- In December, Picos de Europa averages a daily high of 14.6°C and a low of 6.8°C, with about 163 mm of rain over roughly 16.8 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Picos de Europa in December?
- Picos de Europa has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 33 in December.
Within 300 km: Bilbao's Santo Tomas fair on 21 Dec, and Santander's Autumn and winter swell around 15 Sep – 31 Mar.