December 2025 was wetter-than-average

Air temperature

• December 2025 was classified as normal in terms of temperature.
• The average air temperature, 9.93 °C, was +0.19 °C above the 1991–2020 normal (the warmest was in 2022, with 12.72 °C).
• The average maximum air temperature, 13.83 °C, was -0.08 °C below the normal value (the highest was in 2015, with 16.21 °C).
• The average minimum air temperature, 6.04°C, was +0.45°C above normal (the highest was in 1989, with 9.99°C).

Rainfall

• Total precipitation was above normal, corresponding to about 137% of the average value for the period 1991-2020 (115.5 mm). The month was classified as wetter-than-average.
• However, the rainiest December ever was in 1978, with an observed average of 399.7mm accumulated rainfall.
• End of the meteorological drought: The meteorological drought that still existed at the end of November in the districts of Évora, Beja and Faro ended during December 2025.

Cold spell in the last days of the month

The last ten days of the month saw air temperatures well below average, especially minimum temperatures, with 45% of stations recording negative minimum temperatures on December 26.

Between 21 and 24 December, there was snowfall at low altitudes (above 400 m) in many places in the northen and central regions of Portugal. At higher altitudes (>1200 m), occasional accumulations of snow on the ground exceeding half a metre (50 cm) were observed.

Monthly summary

You can check the climate monthly summary for december 2025 in mainland Portugal here: december 2025 - preliminary climate bulletin (portuguese version only)

Accumulated snow observed in Marão mountains, Vila Real (northen region of Portugal, in decemebr 2025). Picture credit: Paulo Meneres