Weather in Ireland in December
December in Ireland is a coat month. Treat it as cities, food and short walks, not as a terrace holiday.
A country pin in December is a warning: one region of Ireland will not match another. Use a city page if you already know where you are going. Compared with July and January, December sits in the middle of Ireland's year.
- Average temp
- 6°C
3–9°C
- Rainfall
- 80 mm
Showers likely
- Sunshine
- 1.4 h
hours per day
- Wind
- 19 km/h
What to expect
Daytime
You want a proper coat in Ireland in December, not a festival jacket. Wind makes the same afternoon feel sharper than the map suggests.
Outdoor time is the middle of the day. Finish plans before the light goes. Evenings are for indoors.
Rain
December is the wet side of the year in Ireland. Days can be heavy. Plans that cannot survive rain are the wrong plans.
This is not a reason to skip Ireland if you like the place. It is a reason to pack for weather and to stop treating every grey hour as a failed holiday.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What to pack
Rain jacket
A layer for cooler evenings
Where to stay in Ireland
Featured stays on trip1. Dates are a starting point for December.
Travel guides for Ireland
What to read before you book.
Average weather in Ireland
TemperatureRainfall
Similar weather in December
Other destinations whose December averages sit close to this one.
Check another month
This is the month you are reading. Change either side to look at another.
FAQs about Ireland
Climate averages for Ireland, 1991–2020.
The best time to visit Ireland is between May and October, the most comfortable stretch of the year on these averages.
July is the hottest month, with an average around 15°C.
October is the wettest month, with about 96 mm of rain.
No. These are 1991–2020 climate normals from Meteostat, not a live forecast. Actual weather in any given week can differ.
