Dorset Weather in December

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

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Bournemouth Weymouth Poole Lyme Regis

Considering a trip to Dorset, the United Kingdom this December and wondering about the expected weather conditions? Find all the crucial information you need right here, addressing your question:

What to Expect in Dorset in December

Dorset, the United Kingdom is a region in the United Kingdom. December in Dorset generally has cold temperatures, with precipitation levels ranging from moderate to high. It's the height of winter.

Temperatures

You can expect cold maximum daytime temperatures of around 10°C (50°F) and nighttime temperatures around 6°C (43°F) in Bournemouth.

To explore the conditions in Dorset, the United Kingdom in more detail, check the map below.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Thorncombe with an average of 74 mm (2.9 in) to high rainfall in Portland with 108 mm (4.3 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine hours are generally lower in most areas during December. Bournemouth experiences about 54 hours of sunlight. If you're looking for brighter destinations, our weather planner can suggest better options.

Explore Dorset by month

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

Best Places to Visit in Dorset in December

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

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 Dorset

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

Temperature range in Dorset (December)

Precipitation variation in Dorset (December)

Bournemouth

In December Bournemouth generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 10°C (50°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 6°C (43°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
13°C (55°F)
10°C (50°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
8°C (46°F)
6°C (43°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly sun hours
77 hours
54 hours
63 hours
Monthly rainfall
108 mm (4.3 in)
97 mm (3.8 in)
90 mm (3.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
17 days
17 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Bournemouth →

Weymouth

In December Weymouth 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
80 hours
55 hours
59 hours
Monthly rainfall
106 mm (4.2 in)
99 mm (3.9 in)
91 mm (3.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
17 days
18 days
Weather conditions
poor
unpleasant
poor
Climate in Weymouth →

Poole

In December Poole 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 »
November
December
January
Max temperature
13°C (55°F)
10°C (50°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
8°C (46°F)
5°C (41°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly sun hours
80 hours
55 hours
59 hours
Monthly rainfall
95 mm (3.7 in)
87 mm (3.4 in)
81 mm (3.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
17 days
18 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Poole →

Lyme Regis

In December Lyme Regis 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 »
November
December
January
Max temperature
13°C (55°F)
10°C (50°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
7°C (45°F)
5°C (41°F)
4°C (39°F)
Monthly sun hours
70 hours
53 hours
59 hours
Monthly rainfall
79 mm (3.1 in)
77 mm (3 in)
71 mm (2.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
17 days
18 days
19 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Lyme Regis →

Swanage

In December Swanage 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 »
November
December
January
Max temperature
13°C (55°F)
11°C (52°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
9°C (48°F)
7°C (45°F)
6°C (43°F)
Monthly sun hours
77 hours
54 hours
63 hours
Monthly rainfall
114 mm (4.5 in)
101 mm (4 in)
92 mm (3.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
17 days
18 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Swanage →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Dorset, 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 Dorset in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Bournemouth 10°C (50°F) 6°C (43°F) 97 mm (3.8 in)
Weymouth 11°C (52°F) 6°C (43°F) 99 mm (3.9 in)
Poole 10°C (50°F) 5°C (41°F) 87 mm (3.4 in)
Lyme Regis 10°C (50°F) 5°C (41°F) 77 mm (3 in)
Swanage 11°C (52°F) 7°C (45°F) 101 mm (4 in)
Bridport 10°C (50°F) 4°C (39°F) 78 mm (3.1 in)

Dorset weather in December: frequently asked questions

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

December in Dorset, the United Kingdom brings poor weather. In Bournemouth, daytime temperatures are typically around 10°C (50°F) and nighttime lows hover near 6°C (43°F).

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

Bournemouth averages a daytime maximum of 10°C (50°F) in December, with overnight lows close to 6°C (43°F).

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

Rain is generally moderate to light in Dorset, the United Kingdom during December, with Bournemouth averaging close to 97 mm (3.8 in).

Is December a Good Time to Visit Dorset, the United Kingdom?

In our view, December might not be the best time to travel to Dorset, the United Kingdom with often poor weather in Bournemouth.

Generally speaking, July and August provide perfect weather in Bournemouth. On the other hand, the weather in January, February, November and December tend to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Dorset.

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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