December is one of the cooler months of the year in Inverness, with average highs near 1.6°C and lows around -3.2°C (mean -0.8°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 102 mm of rainfall and 86% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Inverness. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Inverness was 2010 — when the month averaged 2.8°C — while the coldest was 1989 at -6.9°C. Typical December days reach 1.6°C with nights near -3.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Inverness, averaging 102 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2010 with 245 mm, while the driest were 1986 and 1989 at 26 mm.
Relative humidity in Inverness during December averages 86%. The most humid December was 2013 at 92%, and the least humid was 1995 at 81%.
December receives about 0.8 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Inverness. The sunniest Decembers were 2017, 2021 and 2024, among others at 0.9 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2007, 2008 and 2013, among others at 0.7.
Average wind speed in Inverness during December is 2.8 m/s. The windiest December was 2025 at 3.4 m/s, while the calmest were 2006, 2015 and 2022 at 2.5 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -2.2°C | -0.8°C | -0.9°C | -0.4°C | 0.4°C | +2.6°C |
| Avg High | 0.3°C | 1.7°C | 1.4°C | 2.0°C | 2.7°C | +2.4°C |
| Avg Low | -4.8°C | -3.2°C | -3.2°C | -2.7°C | -1.9°C | +2.9°C |
| Avg Rain | 83 mm | 77 mm | 118 mm | 125 mm | 105 mm | +22 mm |
December temperatures in Inverness have risen by about 1.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -16.2°C (1989) to a record high of 13.7°C (2011).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 102 mm, with a wettest year of 245 mm.
A quieter season to visit Inverness
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Inverness. That said, December — with days averaging 1.6°C and nights around -3.2°C (mean -0.8°C) and higher rainfall (102 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.9°C | -1.5°C | -4.0°C | 11.4°C | -9.2°C | 106 mm | 84% | 3.4 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 2.3°C | 0.1°C | -2.0°C | 12.4°C | -7.1°C | 75 mm | 86% | 2.6 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2023 | 3.4°C | 1.3°C | -0.7°C | 11.6°C | -5.2°C | 141 mm | 89% | 2.8 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2022 | 2.9°C | 0.9°C | -1.2°C | 11.3°C | -6.7°C | 103 mm | 86% | 2.5 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2021 | 2.6°C | 0.0°C | -2.7°C | 12.8°C | -9.5°C | 105 mm | 83% | 2.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2020 | 4.3°C | 1.8°C | -0.7°C | 12.9°C | -6.9°C | 97 mm | 88% | 2.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2019 | 1.4°C | -1.1°C | -3.7°C | 10.9°C | -8.1°C | 88 mm | 85% | 2.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2018 | -0.8°C | -2.8°C | -4.8°C | 8.3°C | -9.5°C | 118 mm | 90% | 2.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 0.6°C | -2.0°C | -4.5°C | 11.5°C | -14.9°C | 128 mm | 86% | 2.7 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2016 | 0.8°C | -1.7°C | -4.3°C | 10.0°C | -14.4°C | 119 mm | 90% | 2.8 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2015 | 3.1°C | 1.1°C | -0.9°C | 8.8°C | -6.7°C | 115 mm | 88% | 2.5 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2014 | 3.5°C | 1.0°C | -1.6°C | 10.9°C | -11.0°C | 103 mm | 86% | 2.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2013 | -0.7°C | -3.2°C | -5.8°C | 9.0°C | -12.2°C | 136 mm | 92% | 2.9 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2012 | 3.4°C | 1.1°C | -1.2°C | 11.3°C | -4.9°C | 103 mm | 88% | 3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2011 | 3.8°C | 1.2°C | -1.4°C | 13.7°C | -6.3°C | 91 mm | 85% | 2.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2010 🔥 🌧️ | 4.4°C | 2.8°C | 1.1°C | 10.2°C | -3.5°C | 245 mm | 89% | 3.2 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2009 | 1.5°C | -0.5°C | -2.5°C | 10.5°C | -9.6°C | 120 mm | 89% | 3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2008 | 3.3°C | 0.1°C | -3.1°C | 13.2°C | -9.0°C | 172 mm | 86% | 3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2007 | -0.6°C | -2.7°C | -4.7°C | 7.3°C | -9.4°C | 131 mm | 87% | 3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2006 | 1.3°C | -1.1°C | -3.4°C | 9.0°C | -9.0°C | 113 mm | 87% | 2.5 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2005 | 1.6°C | -0.4°C | -2.5°C | 9.1°C | -8.1°C | 114 mm | 88% | 2.8 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2004 | 1.3°C | -1.4°C | -4.2°C | 9.3°C | -10.8°C | 125 mm | 87% | 2.9 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2003 | 2.4°C | 0.2°C | -2.0°C | 9.2°C | -6.6°C | 102 mm | 88% | 2.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2002 | 0.6°C | -1.5°C | -3.6°C | 7.4°C | -12.8°C | 90 mm | 87% | 3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2001 | 2.5°C | 0.7°C | -1.2°C | 12.0°C | -5.4°C | 80 mm | 87% | 2.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2000 | 0.3°C | -2.3°C | -4.8°C | 11.1°C | -11.7°C | 128 mm | 86% | 3.2 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1999 | 2.6°C | 0.3°C | -2.1°C | 10.2°C | -10.2°C | 158 mm | 87% | 2.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1998 | 1.3°C | -1.1°C | -3.4°C | 9.7°C | -11.6°C | 83 mm | 84% | 3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1997 | 0.8°C | -1.3°C | -3.3°C | 7.9°C | -9.3°C | 92 mm | 87% | 2.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1996 | 3.8°C | 1.1°C | -1.5°C | 11.1°C | -14.5°C | 95 mm | 86% | 2.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1995 | 0.3°C | -1.7°C | -3.6°C | 7.6°C | -9.7°C | 36 mm | 81% | 2.9 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1994 | 1.2°C | -1.1°C | -3.4°C | 8.2°C | -7.4°C | 42 mm | 84% | 2.8 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1993 | 2.1°C | -0.5°C | -3.1°C | 10.2°C | -15.5°C | 92 mm | 88% | 2.8 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1992 | 0.6°C | -1.8°C | -4.2°C | 8.5°C | -11.5°C | 56 mm | 85% | 2.8 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1991 | 0.8°C | -2.0°C | -4.8°C | 10.0°C | -10.2°C | 43 mm | 84% | 2.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1990 | 3.4°C | 0.2°C | -3.0°C | 10.7°C | -11.1°C | 77 mm | 84% | 2.8 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1989 ❄️ | -4.4°C | -6.9°C | -9.5°C | 5.5°C | -16.2°C | 26 mm | 87% | 3.2 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1988 | -0.3°C | -2.9°C | -5.5°C | 6.7°C | -11.8°C | 30 mm | 83% | 2.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1987 | 0.1°C | -1.5°C | -3.2°C | 9.9°C | -9.3°C | 57 mm | 85% | 3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1986 | 0.7°C | -2.0°C | -4.7°C | 8.5°C | -12.8°C | 26 mm | 82% | 2.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1985 | -0.3°C | -3.4°C | -6.5°C | 9.3°C | -12.3°C | 43 mm | 83% | 2.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1984 | 1.9°C | -1.3°C | -4.4°C | 7.3°C | -14.7°C | 122 mm | 86% | 2.9 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1983 | 0.4°C | -2.0°C | -4.5°C | 9.6°C | -13.6°C | 177 mm | 88% | 2.9 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 2.1°C | -0.9°C | -3.9°C | 11.0°C | -11.7°C | 132 mm | 87% | 2.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 2.7°C | 1.0°C | -0.8°C | 11.3°C | -6.8°C | 136 mm | 88% | 2.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 1.6°C with lows near -3.2°C (mean -0.8°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 102 mm of rainfall in Inverness, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 245 mm in 2010.
The hottest December reached 13.7°C in 2011. The coldest dipped to -16.2°C in 1989.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 1.5°C. Daytime highs moved from 1.4°C to 2.4°C and overnight lows from -4°C to -2.1°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Inverness and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 1.6°C daytime highs and -3.2°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 4th coolest month in Inverness, averaging -0.8°C.
For December in Inverness, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 1.6°C and lows of -3.2°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 86% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 2.8 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 3.4 m/s (2025).
The wettest December on record was 2010 with 245 mm. On average, December sees 102 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Inverness behaves each December, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for December specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
