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10 to 13°C in December: Lille experiences one of its mildest winter starts!

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The Editor

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In Lille, as everywhere in the North, winter 2025 kicks off without any chill, frost, or real "nose-biting" cold. At the beginning of December, temperatures are still flirting with 10–13°C. It's a record warmth that both raises questions and surprises!

A winter beginning that feels like a funny spring

If you've been torn between wearing a coat or a denim jacket these past few days, you’re not alone! In early December, much of France, including Lille, is swaying around 10 to 15°C, and sometimes even warmer. To give you an idea: that's up to +10°C above normal, according to Météo Consult.
In other words, the weather has put its winter program away and switched to “October remixed.”

So, what’s causing this warm spell? A flow coming from the southwest is sending us some mild air, puffed up by a well-established anticyclone. The result: an out-of-season beginning to the month, where even the Christmas markets seem to be looking for condensation on the mulled wine.

And as for the forecasts, the trend continues: no real sign of lasting cold is on the horizon for now. You can still head out without a hat (but keep it handy, we all know the crazy weather swings here in Lille—Game of Thrones style).

What this says about the climate… and our upcoming winters

This isn’t just a little weather whim: this warmth is part of a global context.
International data shows that 2025 is predicted to be one of the hottest years on record. And right here at home, recent winters nearly all show a positive anomaly: milder, lasting longer, with cold snaps becoming rarer and shorter.

This doesn’t mean that winter is disappearing (experts keep repeating this), but that it is changing.
We might have a cold spell in January… only to see temperatures rise to 12°C two weeks later. A patchwork winter, unpredictable and less defined than before.

And how is it experienced in Lille?

With terraces still open, warm coats left hanging on our arms, and strolls around town without the risk of frozen fingers, this warmth is shaking up our usual habits. We walk through the Christmas market… without a scarf. We sip hot chocolate… but not to warm up. We dream of a bit of…

of frost on the Grand’Place… not really believing it.

Sources: Météo Consult, Le Dauphiné, Météo Toulouse, La Chaîne Météo, Météo France, The Guardian