Edinburgh weather in December (Scotland)

Is December a good time to explore Edinburgh weather-wise? Check out this detailed guide to the month’s weather conditions.

Temperatures

December in Edinburgh generally includes low temperatures and moderate rainfall. The winter season is characteristic of December. During the day, temperatures can climb to about 8°C. At night, they may fall to a cooler 2°C.

Precipitation

Edinburgh in December usually receives moderate rainfall, averaging around 87 mm for the month. Looking at the last 30 years, the data shows about 18 days with rain.

Average sunshine

The month has fewer sunny days, with around 48 hours hours of sunshine, suitable for those who prefer less sun.

If you're looking for dry conditions and comfortable temperatures, December may not be the ideal month to visit Edinburgh. June, July and August generally stand out with the best circumstances. While January, February, March, November and December tend to showcase less optimal conditions.

For an in-depth look at the yearly conditions, visit our specialized Edinburgh climate page with graphs.

 

Edinburgh, monthly averages in December

Min Temperature 2°C  

Max Temperature 8°C  

Water Temperature 8°C  

Chance of Rain 59%  

Precipitation 87 mm  

Rainy days 18 days  

Humidity 84%  

Windspeed 18 km/h  

Sunshine 48 hours  

Percentage Sunshine 19%  

Where to go in Scotland in December

Find out more about the weather in Scotland and which places have the best travel conditions in this month.

Weather conditions Weather

Temperatures

Precipitation

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Legend perfect weather pleasant tolerable unpleasant poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C and 29°C and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm a month).

So, what should you wear in this month?

Wear a base layer in cold weather; this is the #1 thing you can do to increase your overall body temperature. With a water temperature of around 8°C there is no need to bring your swimwear.

What To Do

We rated the following activities from 1 (least suitable) to 10 (best) to do.

Swimming

4/10

Cycling

4/10

Walking

4/10

Camping

4/10

Outdoor sports

4/10

Interested in more climate information?

This site provides you with all the information you need about the climate in Edinburgh.

Our site offers climate and forecast data for every country in the world. Are you going to Scotland? On this website you can find historical weather averages for many cities in Scotland. Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.