Cork

County Cork Weather in December

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in County Cork, Ireland in December.

Planning a trip to County Cork, Ireland this December? Here's what you need to know about the weather:

What to Expect in County Cork in December

County Cork, Ireland is a region in Ireland. December in County Cork generally has cold temperatures, with precipitation levels ranging from moderate to heavy.

Temperatures

You can expect cold maximum daytime temperatures of around 11°C (52°F) and nighttime temperatures around 6°C (43°F) in Cork.

To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of County Cork, Ireland, check out the map below.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Fermoy with an average of 91 mm (3.6 in) to heavy rainfall in Allihies with 180 mm (7.1 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine is quite limited in many locations during December. Cork receives roughly 56 hours of sunlight. For destinations with more sunshine, our weather planner offers alternatives worldwide.

Explore County Cork by month

Best Places to Visit in County Cork in December

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

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 County Cork

What is the weather like in December for some of the most popular destinations in County Cork, Ireland?

Temperature range in County Cork (December)

Precipitation variation in County Cork (December)

Cork

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

November
December
January
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
11°C (52°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
7°C (45°F)
6°C (43°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly sun hours
68 hours
56 hours
57 hours
Monthly rainfall
96 mm (3.8 in)
101 mm (4 in)
96 mm (3.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
19 days
20 days
21 days
Weather conditions

Kinsale

In December Kinsale generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 11°C (52°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 7°C (45°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

November
December
January
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
11°C (52°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
8°C (46°F)
7°C (45°F)
6°C (43°F)
Monthly sun hours
68 hours
56 hours
57 hours
Monthly rainfall
106 mm (4.2 in)
111 mm (4.4 in)
107 mm (4.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
19 days
20 days
21 days
Weather conditions

Blarney

In December Blarney generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 10°C (50°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 5°C (41°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

November
December
January
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
10°C (50°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
6°C (43°F)
5°C (41°F)
4°C (39°F)
Monthly sun hours
68 hours
56 hours
57 hours
Monthly rainfall
91 mm (3.6 in)
96 mm (3.8 in)
91 mm (3.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
19 days
20 days
21 days
Weather conditions

Clonakilty

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

November
December
January
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
11°C (52°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
8°C (46°F)
6°C (43°F)
6°C (43°F)
Monthly sun hours
68 hours
56 hours
57 hours
Monthly rainfall
119 mm (4.7 in)
127 mm (5 in)
122 mm (4.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
20 days
21 days
22 days
Weather conditions

Skibbereen

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

November
December
January
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
11°C (52°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
7°C (45°F)
6°C (43°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly sun hours
68 hours
56 hours
57 hours
Monthly rainfall
110 mm (4.3 in)
121 mm (4.8 in)
116 mm (4.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
21 days
22 days
23 days
Weather conditions

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in County Cork, in Ireland.

In our records: Ireland December extremes

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

  • Based on our data, the coldest December night in Ireland dropped to -16°C (3°F) in Donegal on December 23, 2010.
  • In our records, the coldest December daytime high in Ireland was -7°C (19°F) in Lurgan on December 21, 2010.

Popular cities in December

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in County Cork in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Cork 11°C (52°F) 6°C (43°F) 101 mm (4 in)
Kinsale 11°C (52°F) 7°C (45°F) 111 mm (4.4 in)
Blarney 10°C (50°F) 5°C (41°F) 96 mm (3.8 in)
Clonakilty 11°C (52°F) 6°C (43°F) 127 mm (5 in)
Skibbereen 11°C (52°F) 6°C (43°F) 121 mm (4.8 in)
Baltimore 11°C (52°F) 6°C (43°F) 127 mm (5 in)

County Cork weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in County Cork, Ireland in December?

Expect poor weather across County Cork, Ireland in December. The popular destination of Cork averages 11°C (52°F) by day and 6°C (43°F) at night during this month.

What is the average temperature in County Cork, Ireland in December?

Daytime temperatures in Cork peak at roughly 11°C (52°F) in December, dropping to about 6°C (43°F) overnight.

Does County Cork, Ireland get a lot of rain in December?

Cork typically receives notable rainfall in December, about 101 mm (4 in) on average across County Cork, Ireland.

Is December a Good Time to Visit County Cork, Ireland?

Given the typically poor weather conditions in Cork, December may not be the ideal time to visit County Cork, Ireland.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in July, August and September offering mostly pleasant weather in Cork. On the other hand, the months of January, February and December tend to have poor weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in County Cork.

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

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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