United Kingdom

United Kingdom Weather in December

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in the United Kingdom in December.

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London Edinburgh Blackpool Torquay

Planning a journey to the United Kingdom this December and curious over the weather conditions to await? Your essential details are found on this page, answering your query:

What to Expect in the United Kingdom in December

December in the United Kingdom generally has temperatures that range from cold to mild, with precipitation levels ranging from moderate to heavy. It's the height of winter.

Temperatures

Based on our climate data spanning from 1990-2020, the average maximum temperature is cold in Inverey at 5°C (41°F) to mild in Hugh Town at 13°C (55°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 9°C (48°F) in Hugh Town and -1°C (30°F) in Inverey.

For a closer look at conditions across the United Kingdom, refer to the map below.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Peterborough with an average of 56 mm (2.2 in) to heavy rainfall in Cullipool with 279 mm (11 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine is more restricted in many locations in December. London sees roughly 54 hours of sunlight. Our weather planner can help you find destinations with more sunshine if needed.

Explore the United Kingdom by month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Best Places to Visit in the United Kingdom in December

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across the United Kingdom.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in the United Kingdom

What is the weather like in December for some of the most popular destinations in the United Kingdom?

Temperature range in the United Kingdom (December)

Precipitation variation in the United Kingdom (December)

London

In December London generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 3°C (37°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
9°C (48°F)
9°C (48°F)
Min temperature
5°C (41°F)
3°C (37°F)
3°C (37°F)
Monthly sun hours
70 hours
54 hours
62 hours
Monthly rainfall
68 mm (2.7 in)
63 mm (2.5 in)
60 mm (2.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
16 days
18 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in London →

Edinburgh

In December Edinburgh generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C (46°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 2°C (36°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
10°C (50°F)
8°C (46°F)
8°C (46°F)
Min temperature
4°C (39°F)
2°C (36°F)
2°C (36°F)
Monthly sun hours
70 hours
48 hours
54 hours
Monthly rainfall
80 mm (3.1 in)
85 mm (3.3 in)
84 mm (3.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
17 days
17 days
18 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Edinburgh →

Blackpool

In December Blackpool generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 5°C (41°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
9°C (48°F)
9°C (48°F)
Min temperature
8°C (46°F)
5°C (41°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly sun hours
62 hours
49 hours
57 hours
Monthly rainfall
154 mm (6.1 in)
154 mm (6.1 in)
123 mm (4.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
19 days
19 days
19 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Blackpool →

York

In December York generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C (46°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 2°C (36°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
11°C (52°F)
8°C (46°F)
8°C (46°F)
Min temperature
4°C (39°F)
2°C (36°F)
2°C (36°F)
Monthly sun hours
67 hours
48 hours
42 hours
Monthly rainfall
64 mm (2.5 in)
64 mm (2.5 in)
59 mm (2.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
17 days
17 days
18 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in York →

Torquay

In December Torquay generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 11°C (52°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 6°C (43°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
13°C (55°F)
11°C (52°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
8°C (46°F)
6°C (43°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly sun hours
70 hours
53 hours
59 hours
Monthly rainfall
98 mm (3.9 in)
94 mm (3.7 in)
87 mm (3.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
17 days
18 days
19 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
unpleasant
poor
Climate in Torquay →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in the United Kingdom.

In our records: the United Kingdom December extremes

Notable December records observed across cities in the United Kingdom in our climate database (1976 – 2026). Historic readings can vary in quality, so treat these as illustrative.

  • In our records, the coldest December daytime high in the United Kingdom was -10°C (14°F) in Glasgow on December 29, 1995.
  • From our sources, the wettest December day in the United Kingdom brought 301 mm (12 in) in Belfast on December 4, 1982.

Popular cities in December

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in the United Kingdom in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
London 9°C (48°F) 3°C (37°F) 63 mm (2.5 in)
Edinburgh 8°C (46°F) 2°C (36°F) 85 mm (3.3 in)
Blackpool 9°C (48°F) 5°C (41°F) 154 mm (6.1 in)
Torquay 11°C (52°F) 6°C (43°F) 94 mm (3.7 in)
Glasgow 8°C (46°F) 2°C (36°F) 128 mm (5 in)
Manchester 8°C (46°F) 2°C (36°F) 97 mm (3.8 in)

The United Kingdom weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in the United Kingdom in December?

In December, the United Kingdom generally has poor weather conditions. London sees daytime temperatures near 9°C (48°F), with nights cooling to roughly 3°C (37°F).

What is the average temperature in the United Kingdom in December?

In London, the average daytime high in December is 9°C (48°F), while nighttime temperatures drop to around 3°C (37°F).

Does the United Kingdom get a lot of rain in December?

Not particularly. London averages just 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain in December, making it a mostly dry month for the United Kingdom.

Is December a Good Time to Visit the United Kingdom?

In our opinion, December may not be the ideal time to visit the United Kingdom due to the typically poor weather in London.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in June, July, August and September offering mostly perfect weather in London. In contrast, January, February and December tend to have poor weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in the United Kingdom.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to the United Kingdom? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in the United Kingdom.

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.

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