Rotterdam weather in December
December in Rotterdam: cold, a little rain, with clean air — a fair time to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#11 of 12 months in Rotterdam · #1133 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 52/100 (tier D)
- Days
- 8°C
- Nights
- 3°C
- Wet days
- 14
- Sun
- 2.9 h
- Humidity
- 88%
- Daylight
- 8 h

Traveller notes on Rotterdam in December
Other months in Rotterdam
Forum posters describe January across the Netherlands, Rotterdam included, as capable of almost anything - temperatures anywhere between -15C and 15C, with varying degrees of rain, snow, or clear skies possible on a given day. Posters consistently recommend a proper winter coat, hat, scarf, gloves, warm sweaters and genuinely warm, weatherproof footwear regardless of forecast. Posters are direct that snow isn't guaranteed, and even when it does fall it typically doesn't stick around for long. Posters generally caution that forecasts here are only reasonably reliable about 2-3 days out, so treating a longer-range prediction as certain is a mistake. Posters generally rate January as workable for a Rotterdam visit with the right packing, but genuinely unpredictable day to day.
The Dutch line the forum keeps quoting for July is "if you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes" — and the numbers bear it out: around 22°C on average, but posters describe 28°C one day and 15°C the next, and sunny mornings turning to thunder by the afternoon. Rain lands on about thirteen days. Layers plus a small umbrella or poncho is the standing advice, with a big thin scarf as the adjustable extra. July is also crowded and pricier once the school holidays start. Rotterdam-specific: the bike paths, the harbour boat tours, Delfshaven and the water taxi all survive a shower.
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Rotterdam climate normals — December
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Rotterdam 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.
Peak crowdsChristmas and New Year, Christmas holidays in Netherlands, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Rotterdam'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 weatherRotterdam's weather peaks June–August.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Rotterdam in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Holiday
Christmas and New Year
24 Dec – 1 JanChristmas & New YearClosuresChristmas Day and the Second Christmas Day are public holidays, with many shops, museums and restaurants closed or on short hours, and 1 January is one of the few days nearly everything shuts. Consumer fireworks are now banned nationally, so midnight is quieter than it was. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Rotterdam — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Rotterdam?
Rotterdam in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Rotterdam?
- December in Rotterdam: cold, a little rain, with clean air — a fair time to visit. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Rotterdam on SeasonMap's comfort score (52/100).
- What is the weather like in Rotterdam in December?
- In December, Rotterdam averages a daily high of 8.2°C and a low of 2.7°C, with about 77.4 mm of rain over roughly 13.7 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Rotterdam in December?
- Rotterdam has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 36 in December.
- Does it snow in Rotterdam in December?
- Rotterdam sees roughly 3.3 cm of snowfall in December.
Within 300 km: The Hague's Royal Christmas Fair around 3–23 Dec, and Utrecht's Christmas on the canals around 28 Nov – 31 Dec.