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When to go · North Macedonia

North Macedonia in December

Mixed month. Cold; Skopje Christmas lights and New Year concerts on Macedonia Square; ski season opens late in the month.

Key facts

Verdict
Mixed
Crowds
Low
North Macedonia
Prices
Low
North Macedonia

Verdict

MixedVoykit month rating for North Macedonia

Cold; Skopje Christmas lights and New Year concerts on Macedonia Square; ski season opens late in the month.

Is another month better than December?

December is rated mixed. These months rate higher:

Weather in December

  • Skopje and the Vardar valley · Skopje, Veles, Tikveš, Gevgelijacool

    Continental with a Mediterranean touch: 38 °C (100 °F) summer peaks, frosty winters with smog in Skopje; the Vardar valley south of Veles is the hottest part of the country.

  • Lakes Ohrid and Prespa · Ohrid, Struga, Sveti Naum, Prespacool

    At about 700 m the lake is milder in summer than Skopje; swimming roughly mid-June to mid-September. Winter is cold, damp and quiet.

  • Mountains · Mavrovo, Šar, Pelister, Galičicacool

    Snow from December to March (skiing at Mavrovo and Popova Šapka); hiking June to September.

  • Eastern North Macedonia: Strumica / Gevgelija (south) · Vardar and Strumica valleyscool

    The warmest part of the country; July–August afternoons pass 35 °C (95 °F). Spring and September–October are the comfortable windows.

  • Eastern North Macedonia: Kratovo / Berovo (hills) · Osogovo and Plačkovica foothillscold

    Cooler than the valleys, with snow and ice on the roads from December to February.

  • Povardarie: Vardar valley · Skopje to Demir Kapijacold

    Continental valley: July and August often pass 35 °C (95 °F), and the wind that gives Veles its name blows hardest in winter and spring. May, June, September and October are the comfortable months.

  • Western North Macedonia: Ohrid and Struga · Lake Ohrid shore, about 700 mcool

    check — the lake moderates summer heat and swimming is a warm-month activity; exact temperatures and swim dates need confirming locally.

  • Western North Macedonia: Bitola and Pelister · Pelagonia plain and the mountaincold

    check — Bitola sits higher than Ohrid and Pelister holds snow late; verify conditions before a spring hike.

  • Western North Macedonia: Mavrovo and the western mountains · Mavrovo, Kičevo highlandscold

    check — ski season and high-pass openings vary by year; confirm before booking a winter night.

  • Skopje5 °C (41 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 9 rain days
  • Berovo7 °C (45 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 9 rain days
  • Bitola6 °C (43 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 9 rain days
  • Bogdanci8 °C (46 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 8 rain days
  • Bosilovo8 °C (46 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 7 rain days
  • Brajčino5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 11 rain days
  • Brvenica6 °C (43 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 9 rain days
  • Čaška5 °C (41 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 10 rain days
  • Debar6 °C (43 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 8 rain days
  • Delčevo6 °C (43 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 9 rain days
  • Demir Hisar7 °C (45 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 8 rain days
  • Demir Kapija7 °C (45 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 8 rain days
  • Dojran8 °C (46 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 9 rain days
  • Elšani7 °C (45 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 9 rain days
  • Gevgelija7 °C (45 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 9 rain days
  • Gostivar7 °C (45 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 9 rain days
  • Kavadarci7 °C (45 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 9 rain days
  • Kičevo7 °C (45 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 7 rain days
  • Kočani6 °C (43 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 10 rain days
  • Kratovo5 °C (41 °F) / -3 °C (27 °F), 10 rain days
  • Kriva Palanka4 °C (39 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 8 rain days
  • Kruševo4 °C (39 °F) / -3 °C (27 °F), 10 rain days
  • Kumanovo6 °C (43 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 10 rain days
  • Makedonski Brod7 °C (45 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 10 rain days
  • Negotino6 °C (43 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 8 rain days
  • Novo Selo6 °C (43 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 8 rain days
  • Ohrid8 °C (46 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 11 rain days
  • Prespa5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 11 rain days
  • Prilep6 °C (43 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 10 rain days
  • Probištip8 °C (46 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 7 rain days
  • Radoviš8 °C (46 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 7 rain days
  • Resen7 °C (45 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 9 rain days
  • Staro Nagoričane7 °C (45 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 9 rain days
  • Štip7 °C (45 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 9 rain days
  • Stobi7 °C (45 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 9 rain days
  • Struga8 °C (46 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 12 rain days
  • Strumica7 °C (45 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 9 rain days
  • Sveti Nikole7 °C (45 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 8 rain days
  • Tearce‑Jegunovce4 °C (39 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 13 rain days
  • Tetovo6 °C (43 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 10 rain days
  • Valandovo8 °C (46 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 8 rain days
  • Veles7 °C (45 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 7 rain days
  • Vevčani4 °C (39 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 9 rain days
  • Vinica6 °C (43 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 13 rain days

Festivals and holidays

Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.

  • Saint Clement of Ohrid

    8 Dec

    Ohrid's patron saint; church services.

Crowds and prices

Crowds · North Macedonia
Low
Prices · North Macedonia
Low

Compare two months

Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in North Macedonia, side by side.

  • Verdict

    Dec: Mixed

    May: Great (better)

  • Crowds

    Dec: Low

    May: Medium

  • Prices

    Dec: Low

    May: Medium

  • Festivals listed

    Dec: 1

    May: 5

December: Cold; Skopje Christmas lights and New Year concerts on Macedonia Square; ski season opens late in the month.

May: One of the best months: warm days, blossom, hiking starts, Ohrid restaurants reopening.

North Macedonia: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.

What to pack

  • Layers: a fleece or light jacket

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