Portree

Isle of Skye Weather in December

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

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Portree Staffin Dunvegan Colbost

Are you planning a trip a to Isle of Skye, the United Kingdom in December and wondering what kind of weather to expect? This page has all the details you need.

What to Expect in Isle of Skye in December

Isle of Skye, the United Kingdom is a region in the United Kingdom. December in Isle of Skye generally has cold temperatures, with precipitation levels ranging from high to heavy.

Temperatures

The average maximum temperatures are cold and range from 8°C (46°F) in Kyleakin to 10°C (50°F) in Dunvegan. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 6°C (43°F) in Dunvegan and 3°C (37°F) in Kyleakin.

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

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From high rainfall in Hallin with an average of 157 mm (6.2 in) to heavy rainfall in Teangue with 253 mm (10 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine hours are generally lower in most areas during December. Portree experiences about 34 hours of sunlight. If you're looking for brighter destinations, our weather planner can suggest better options.

Explore Isle of Skye by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Isle of Skye — and find the best time to visit. (based on Portree)

January9°C (48°F) February8°C (46°F) March9°C (48°F) April11°C (52°F) May13°C (55°F) June15°C (59°F) This monthJuly16°C (61°F) August17°C (63°F) September15°C (59°F) October13°C (55°F) November11°C (52°F) December9°C (48°F)
Best Time to Visit Isle of Skye →

Best Places to Visit in Isle of Skye in December

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

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 Isle of Skye

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

Temperature range in Isle of Skye (December)

Precipitation variation in Isle of Skye (December)

Portree

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

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
11°C (52°F)
9°C (48°F)
9°C (48°F)
Min temperature
7°C (45°F)
5°C (41°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly sun hours
38 hours
34 hours
35 hours
Monthly rainfall
210 mm (8.3 in)
221 mm (8.7 in)
223 mm (8.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
25 days
27 days
25 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Portree →

Staffin

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

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
11°C (52°F)
10°C (50°F)
9°C (48°F)
Min temperature
7°C (45°F)
6°C (43°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly sun hours
38 hours
34 hours
35 hours
Monthly rainfall
202 mm (8 in)
208 mm (8.2 in)
208 mm (8.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
26 days
27 days
25 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Staffin →

Dunvegan

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

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
11°C (52°F)
10°C (50°F)
9°C (48°F)
Min temperature
7°C (45°F)
6°C (43°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly sun hours
38 hours
34 hours
35 hours
Monthly rainfall
168 mm (6.6 in)
173 mm (6.8 in)
176 mm (6.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
25 days
27 days
25 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Dunvegan →

Colbost

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

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
11°C (52°F)
10°C (50°F)
9°C (48°F)
Min temperature
7°C (45°F)
6°C (43°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly sun hours
38 hours
34 hours
35 hours
Monthly rainfall
168 mm (6.6 in)
174 mm (6.9 in)
175 mm (6.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
25 days
27 days
25 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Colbost →

Kyleakin

In December Kyleakin generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C (46°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 3°C (37°F) and heavy 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)
7°C (45°F)
Min temperature
5°C (41°F)
3°C (37°F)
3°C (37°F)
Monthly sun hours
38 hours
34 hours
35 hours
Monthly rainfall
207 mm (8.1 in)
225 mm (8.9 in)
237 mm (9.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
24 days
26 days
24 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Kyleakin →

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

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Portree 9°C (48°F) 5°C (41°F) 221 mm (8.7 in)
Staffin 10°C (50°F) 6°C (43°F) 208 mm (8.2 in)
Dunvegan 10°C (50°F) 6°C (43°F) 173 mm (6.8 in)
Colbost 10°C (50°F) 6°C (43°F) 174 mm (6.9 in)
Kyleakin 8°C (46°F) 3°C (37°F) 225 mm (8.9 in)
Broadford 9°C (48°F) 4°C (39°F) 216 mm (8.5 in)

Isle of Skye weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Isle of Skye, the United Kingdom in December?

Isle of Skye, the United Kingdom typically experiences poor weather in December, part of the season. Daytime highs in Portree average around 9°C (48°F), and temperatures drop to about 5°C (41°F) at night.

What is the average temperature in Isle of Skye, the United Kingdom in December?

Daytime temperatures in Portree peak at roughly 9°C (48°F) in December, dropping to about 5°C (41°F) overnight.

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

Rainfall in Isle of Skye, the United Kingdom peaks during December. Portree averages roughly 221 mm (8.7 in), so frequent and sometimes heavy showers are the norm.

Is December a Good Time to Visit Isle of Skye, the United Kingdom?

In our view, December might not be the best time to travel to Isle of Skye, the United Kingdom with often poor weather in Portree.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in June, July, August and September offering mostly unpleasant weather in Portree.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Isle of Skye.

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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