Lothian Weather in December

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

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Edinburgh Musselburgh Linlithgow North Berwick

Planning a journey to Lothian, 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 Lothian in December

Lothian, the United Kingdom is a region in the United Kingdom. December in Lothian generally has cold temperatures, with moderate precipitation. It's the height of winter.

Temperatures

You can expect cold maximum daytime temperatures of around 8°C (46°F) and nighttime temperatures around 2°C (36°F) in Edinburgh.

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

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Innerwick with an average of 81 mm (3.2 in) to moderate rainfall in Bathgate with 99 mm (3.9 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine hours are generally lower in most areas during December. Edinburgh experiences about 48 hours of sunlight. If you're looking for brighter destinations, our weather planner can suggest better options.

Explore Lothian by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Lothian — and find the best time to visit. (based on Edinburgh)

January8°C (46°F) February8°C (46°F) March10°C (50°F) April12°C (54°F) May15°C (59°F) This monthJune17°C (63°F) July19°C (66°F) August19°C (66°F) September17°C (63°F) October13°C (55°F) November10°C (50°F) December8°C (46°F)
Best Time to Visit Lothian →

Best Places to Visit in Lothian in December

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

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 Lothian

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

Temperature range in Lothian (December)

Precipitation variation in Lothian (December)

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 →

Musselburgh

In December Musselburgh generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C (46°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
10°C (50°F)
8°C (46°F)
8°C (46°F)
Min temperature
5°C (41°F)
3°C (37°F)
3°C (37°F)
Monthly sun hours
70 hours
48 hours
54 hours
Monthly rainfall
84 mm (3.3 in)
88 mm (3.5 in)
85 mm (3.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
17 days
17 days
18 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Musselburgh →

Linlithgow

In December Linlithgow 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
88 mm (3.5 in)
94 mm (3.7 in)
95 mm (3.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
19 days
19 days
20 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Linlithgow →

North Berwick

In December North Berwick generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C (46°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
10°C (50°F)
8°C (46°F)
8°C (46°F)
Min temperature
6°C (43°F)
4°C (39°F)
4°C (39°F)
Monthly sun hours
70 hours
48 hours
54 hours
Monthly rainfall
87 mm (3.4 in)
85 mm (3.3 in)
81 mm (3.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
17 days
18 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in North Berwick →

Livingston

In December Livingston 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)
7°C (45°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
88 mm (3.5 in)
96 mm (3.8 in)
96 mm (3.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
19 days
19 days
20 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Livingston →

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

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Edinburgh 8°C (46°F) 2°C (36°F) 85 mm (3.3 in)
Musselburgh 8°C (46°F) 3°C (37°F) 88 mm (3.5 in)
Linlithgow 8°C (46°F) 2°C (36°F) 94 mm (3.7 in)
North Berwick 8°C (46°F) 4°C (39°F) 85 mm (3.3 in)
Livingston 8°C (46°F) 2°C (36°F) 96 mm (3.8 in)
Dunbar 9°C (48°F) 5°C (41°F) 83 mm (3.3 in)

Lothian weather in December: frequently asked questions

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

In December, Lothian, the United Kingdom generally has poor weather conditions. Edinburgh sees daytime temperatures near 8°C (46°F), with nights cooling to roughly 2°C (36°F).

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

In Edinburgh, the average daytime high in December is 8°C (46°F), while nighttime temperatures drop to around 2°C (36°F).

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

December is on the drier side in Lothian, the United Kingdom. Edinburgh averages only about 85 mm (3.3 in), with most days staying dry.

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

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

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

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Lothian.

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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