Where to Go for Great Weather
United Kingdom · Month guide

United Kingdom in December

Around 8 °C with 107 mm of rain and 1.4 hours of sun a day.

December is a challenging month for United Kingdom overall; regional choices matter most. Around 8 °C with 107 mm of rain and 1.4 hours of sun a day. Use the regional grid below to find where this month works best — national averages hide the swings between coast, highlands, and inland.

Plan a trip in December← United Kingdom year-round
Match verdictMatch: Avoid. United Kingdom · December.
Avoid
United Kingdom · December
What the weather usually does

United Kingdom · typical month

  • Day / night
    4 – 8 °C
    Year range 2 – 19 °C
  • Rainfall
    107 mm
    Year range 61 – 113 mm
  • Sunshine
    1.4 hr / day
    Year range 1.4 – 6.7 hr / day
Compare with another destination
What’s open · December

Things to do in United Kingdom in December

Nothing in United Kingdom shuts for the season; December runs the full list.

  • Open
    Walking in the western Highlands and Skye

    nothing closes; the midges are simply a fact of the western Highlands in summer, and worst in still air at dawn and dusk near standing water. Edinburgh and the east coast are largely spared

    Sources: wildernessscotland.com, outdoorscot.co.uk

Opening seasons are checked by hand against the operators and parks themselves, not derived from the climate figures on this page. Last reviewed 2026-08-28. Dates move — confirm before you book.

232 regions · current month

United Kingdom, taken apart

Safety · 5 governments

What the governments say about United Kingdom

Combined advisory · most-cautious-wins
Exercise increased caution
Highest level across 5 governments · Advisory last changed
See breakdown by country
AU

Exercise increased caution

Changed Checked www.smartraveller.gov.au
CA

Exercise increased caution

Changed Checked travel.gc.ca
DE

Exercise normal precautions

Changed Checked www.auswaertiges-amt.de
US

Exercise increased caution

Changed Checked travel.state.gov
Climate at a glance · 10-year ERA5

A decade of weather, in one page

Temperature°C
Temperature · 12-month climatologyUnited Kingdom. Average daytime high by month in °C. Lowest in January (6.7), highest in July (19.0). Monthly means: 6.7, 7.7, 9.2, 11.5, 15.0, 17.6, 19.0, 18.8, 16.7, 13.2, 9.4, 7.7.
— daytime high— overnight low▬ typical range
View data table
MonthAverage daytime high (°C)Average overnight low (°C)Typical lowTypical high
January6.72.4-1.910.6
February7.72.9-1.111.8
March9.23.5-0.313.6
April11.54.50.616.6
May15.07.73.419.7
June17.610.77.523.1
July19.012.49.824.1
August18.812.39.322.8
September16.710.45.721.0
October13.28.13.716.7
November9.44.9-0.113.2
December7.73.8-1.311.6
Rainfallmm
Rainfall · 12-month climatologyUnited Kingdom. Rainfall by month in mm. Lowest in April (61), highest in October (113). Monthly means: 92, 91, 85, 61, 69, 82, 88, 89, 95, 113, 98, 107.
View data table
MonthRainfall (mm)
January92
February91
March85
April61
May69
June82
July88
August89
September95
October113
November98
December107
Sunshinehr / day
Sunshine · 12-month climatologyUnited Kingdom. Sunshine hours by month in hr / day. Lowest in December (1.4), highest in May (6.7). Monthly means: 2.0, 3.1, 4.4, 6.2, 6.7, 6.2, 5.5, 5.1, 4.2, 3.0, 2.2, 1.4.
View data table
MonthSunshine hours (hr / day)
January2.0
February3.1
March4.4
April6.2
May6.7
June6.2
July5.5
August5.1
September4.2
October3.0
November2.2
December1.4
Windkm/h
Wind · 12-month climatologyUnited Kingdom. Average wind speed by month in km/h. Lowest in July (13.5), highest in February (19.6). Monthly means: 17.7, 19.6, 16.8, 14.7, 13.7, 14.2, 13.5, 14.4, 15.1, 17.0, 16.9, 17.9.
— average▬ typical range
View data table
MonthAverage wind speed (km/h)Typical lowTypical high
January17.79.528.8
February19.610.330.3
March16.89.127.7
April14.78.622.8
May13.78.121.6
June14.27.922.8
July13.58.120.6
August14.48.122.8
September15.18.323.7
October17.09.225.3
November16.99.326.7
December17.98.928.9
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← Earlier
November

Around 9 °C with 98 mm of rain and 2.2 hours of sun a day.

Later →
January

Around 7 °C with 92 mm of rain and 2.0 hours of sun a day.

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