Edinburgh weather in December (Scotland)

What can you expect from the weather in Edinburgh during December? Here's what the weather might have in store during this month.

In December, Edinburgh generally has low temperatures and moderate rainfall. December is a winter month. Daytime temperatures hover around 8°C, while nights can cool down to about 2°C.

Edinburgh in December usually receives moderate rainfall, averaging around 87 mm for the month. Delving into the climate records from the past 30 years, one can predict that nearly 18 days of the month will see rainfall.

The area experiences limited sunny days, amounting to roughly 48 hours of sunshine. This makes it perfect for those who lean towards cooler, cloudier settings rather than intense sunlit days

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 TemperatureMin Temperature 2°C  
Max TemperatureMax Temperature 8°C  
Water TemperatureWater Temperature 8°C  
Chance of RainChance of Rain 59%  
PrecipitationPrecipitation 87 mm  
Rainy daysRainy days 18 days  
HumidityHumidity 84%  
WindspeedWindspeed 18 km/h  
SunshineSunshine 48 hours  
Percentage SunshinePercentage Sunshine 19%  

Where to go in Scotland in December

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

Map not visible? Whoops sorry! Please refresh the page.
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 Edinburgh in December?

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 in December.

Swimming
4/10
Cycling
4/10
Walking
4/10
Camping
4/10
Outdoor sports
4/10

Interested in more climate information?

Weather and Climate 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 climate conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.