Essex Weather in December

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

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Southend-on-Sea Colchester Clacton-on-Sea Brightlingsea

Planning a journey to Essex, 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 Essex in December

Essex, the United Kingdom is a region in the United Kingdom. December in Essex generally has cold temperatures, with moderate precipitation. December falls during the winter season.

Temperatures

You can expect cold maximum daytime temperatures of around 9°C (48°F) and nighttime temperatures around 4°C (39°F) in Southend-on-Sea.

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

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Saffron Walden with an average of 58 mm (2.3 in) to moderate rainfall in Frinton-on-Sea with 81 mm (3.2 in). It experiences its highest rainfall in this month of the year. Come prepared by bringing an umbrella.

Average sunshine

Many places experience limited sunshine during this period. Southend-on-Sea receives around 49 hours of sunlight. If you prefer more sunny conditions, our weather planner can help you explore other destinations.

Explore Essex by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Essex — and find the best time to visit. (based on Southend-on-Sea)

January9°C (48°F) February9°C (48°F) March11°C (52°F) April13°C (55°F) May16°C (61°F) June19°C (66°F) This monthJuly22°C (72°F) August22°C (72°F) September19°C (66°F) October16°C (61°F) November12°C (54°F) December9°C (48°F)
Best Time to Visit Essex →

Best Places to Visit in Essex in December

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

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 Essex

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

Temperature range in Essex (December)

Precipitation variation in Essex (December)

Southend-on-Sea

In December Southend-on-Sea generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 4°C (39°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
7°C (45°F)
4°C (39°F)
4°C (39°F)
Monthly sun hours
71 hours
49 hours
61 hours
Monthly rainfall
73 mm (2.9 in)
75 mm (3 in)
69 mm (2.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
16 days
17 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Southend-on-Sea →

Colchester

In December Colchester generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 4°C (39°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
6°C (43°F)
4°C (39°F)
3°C (37°F)
Monthly sun hours
71 hours
49 hours
61 hours
Monthly rainfall
65 mm (2.6 in)
65 mm (2.6 in)
60 mm (2.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
15 days
17 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Colchester →

Clacton-on-Sea

In December Clacton-on-Sea 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
12°C (54°F)
10°C (50°F)
9°C (48°F)
Min temperature
8°C (46°F)
5°C (41°F)
4°C (39°F)
Monthly sun hours
71 hours
49 hours
61 hours
Monthly rainfall
76 mm (3 in)
77 mm (3 in)
70 mm (2.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
15 days
17 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Clacton-on-Sea →

Brightlingsea

In December Brightlingsea generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°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
12°C (54°F)
9°C (48°F)
9°C (48°F)
Min temperature
7°C (45°F)
5°C (41°F)
4°C (39°F)
Monthly sun hours
71 hours
49 hours
61 hours
Monthly rainfall
68 mm (2.7 in)
69 mm (2.7 in)
62 mm (2.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
15 days
17 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Brightlingsea →

Takeley

In December Takeley 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
71 hours
49 hours
61 hours
Monthly rainfall
60 mm (2.4 in)
58 mm (2.3 in)
55 mm (2.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
17 days
16 days
18 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Takeley →

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

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Southend-on-Sea 9°C (48°F) 4°C (39°F) 75 mm (3 in)
Colchester 9°C (48°F) 4°C (39°F) 65 mm (2.6 in)
Clacton-on-Sea 10°C (50°F) 5°C (41°F) 77 mm (3 in)
Brightlingsea 9°C (48°F) 5°C (41°F) 69 mm (2.7 in)
Takeley 9°C (48°F) 3°C (37°F) 58 mm (2.3 in)
Basildon 9°C (48°F) 4°C (39°F) 59 mm (2.3 in)

Essex weather in December: frequently asked questions

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

December in Essex, the United Kingdom brings poor weather. In Southend-on-Sea, daytime temperatures are typically around 9°C (48°F) and nighttime lows hover near 4°C (39°F).

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

Southend-on-Sea averages a daytime maximum of 9°C (48°F) in December, with overnight lows close to 4°C (39°F).

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

Rain is generally moderate to light in Essex, the United Kingdom during December, with Southend-on-Sea averaging close to 75 mm (3 in).

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

In our opinion, December may not be the ideal time to visit Essex, the United Kingdom due to the typically poor weather in Southend-on-Sea.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in July and August offering mostly perfect weather in Southend-on-Sea. The weather in January, February and December, on the other hand, tends to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Essex.

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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