December is one of the cooler months of the year in Barnstaple, with average highs near 8.1°C and lows around 4.2°C (mean 6.2°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 121 mm of rainfall and 93% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Barnstaple. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Barnstaple was 2015 — when the month averaged 10°C — while the coldest was 2010 at 1.2°C. Typical December days reach 8.1°C with nights near 4.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Barnstaple, averaging 121 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 1999 with 230 mm, while the driest was 1991 at 38 mm.
Relative humidity in Barnstaple during December averages 93%. The most humid December was 1987 at 95%, and the least humid was 2011 at 90%.
December receives about 0.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Barnstaple. The sunniest Decembers were 2008, 2010 and 2014, among others at 0.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2015 at 0.4.
Average wind speed in Barnstaple during December is 4.5 m/s. The windiest December was 2015 at 6.2 m/s, while the calmest were 2010 and 2016 at 3.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 6.1°C | 5.5°C | 5.9°C | 6.7°C | 7.0°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg High | 8.1°C | 7.5°C | 7.7°C | 8.6°C | 8.8°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg Low | 4.1°C | 3.5°C | 4.0°C | 4.8°C | 5.2°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 113 mm | 119 mm | 107 mm | 126 mm | 150 mm | +37 mm |
December temperatures in Barnstaple have risen by about 1.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -5.1°C (1996) to a record high of 14.3°C (1985).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 121 mm, with a wettest year of 230 mm.
A quieter season to visit Barnstaple
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Barnstaple. That said, December — with days averaging 8.1°C and nights around 4.2°C (mean 6.2°C) and higher rainfall (121 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 | 8.9°C | 7.1°C | 5.2°C | 13.4°C | -0.1°C | 176 mm | 94% | 4.7 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 9.2°C | 7.6°C | 5.9°C | 13.4°C | 3.0°C | 91 mm | 93% | 4.6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2023 | 9.9°C | 8.3°C | 6.6°C | 12.2°C | -1.2°C | 186 mm | 93% | 5.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2022 | 7.0°C | 5.1°C | 3.3°C | 12.8°C | -2.4°C | 109 mm | 94% | 4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2021 | 9.5°C | 7.6°C | 5.7°C | 13.2°C | 2.2°C | 125 mm | 93% | 4.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2020 | 8.1°C | 6.3°C | 4.6°C | 12.3°C | -0.2°C | 211 mm | 93% | 4.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2019 | 8.8°C | 6.8°C | 4.9°C | 12.1°C | 0.6°C | 168 mm | 93% | 4.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2018 | 10.0°C | 8.3°C | 6.6°C | 13.1°C | 1.5°C | 183 mm | 93% | 4.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2017 | 8.3°C | 6.3°C | 4.3°C | 12.2°C | 0.1°C | 148 mm | 93% | 4.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2016 | 9.2°C | 7.3°C | 5.4°C | 13.3°C | 0.8°C | 48 mm | 95% | 3.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2015 🔥 | 11.7°C | 10.0°C | 8.3°C | 13.3°C | 4.1°C | 154 mm | 92% | 6.2 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2014 | 8.4°C | 6.3°C | 4.2°C | 11.2°C | -0.7°C | 85 mm | 90% | 4.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2013 | 9.4°C | 7.0°C | 4.7°C | 12.3°C | 1.7°C | 95 mm | 91% | 4.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2012 | 8.2°C | 6.4°C | 4.5°C | 12.2°C | -0.8°C | 203 mm | 93% | 4.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2011 | 9.1°C | 7.4°C | 5.6°C | 11.7°C | 1.8°C | 139 mm | 90% | 5.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2010 ❄️ | 3.1°C | 1.2°C | -0.6°C | 8.3°C | -4.2°C | 39 mm | 94% | 3.2 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2009 | 6.6°C | 4.6°C | 2.6°C | 11.5°C | -2.3°C | 103 mm | 93% | 3.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2008 | 6.5°C | 4.6°C | 2.7°C | 11.0°C | -0.8°C | 73 mm | 94% | 3.8 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2007 | 8.4°C | 6.4°C | 4.4°C | 13.2°C | 0.0°C | 109 mm | 92% | 5.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2006 | 9.1°C | 7.3°C | 5.5°C | 12.9°C | -0.4°C | 114 mm | 92% | 5.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2005 | 7.5°C | 5.5°C | 3.5°C | 10.8°C | -2.4°C | 105 mm | 93% | 3.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2004 | 8.6°C | 6.8°C | 4.9°C | 11.9°C | -0.5°C | 88 mm | 93% | 3.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2003 | 8.1°C | 6.2°C | 4.2°C | 12.1°C | -0.1°C | 117 mm | 93% | 4.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2002 | 7.8°C | 6.2°C | 4.6°C | 12.1°C | -1.4°C | 144 mm | 95% | 4.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2001 | 6.6°C | 4.4°C | 2.1°C | 12.6°C | -2.2°C | 58 mm | 93% | 4.1 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2000 | 8.2°C | 6.6°C | 5.1°C | 12.5°C | -0.8°C | 158 mm | 93% | 5.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1999 🌧️ | 8.1°C | 6.3°C | 4.5°C | 12.0°C | -2.9°C | 230 mm | 91% | 5.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1998 | 8.8°C | 6.6°C | 4.3°C | 12.6°C | -1.9°C | 124 mm | 93% | 4.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1997 | 8.7°C | 6.8°C | 4.8°C | 13.0°C | -2.0°C | 123 mm | 93% | 4.6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1996 | 5.1°C | 3.1°C | 1.2°C | 11.5°C | -5.1°C | 43 mm | 93% | 4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1995 | 5.8°C | 3.6°C | 1.3°C | 12.4°C | -2.9°C | 114 mm | 95% | 4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1994 | 9.5°C | 7.7°C | 5.8°C | 13.5°C | -0.4°C | 153 mm | 92% | 5.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1993 | 8.3°C | 6.3°C | 4.2°C | 12.1°C | -1.0°C | 195 mm | 91% | 5.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1992 | 6.7°C | 4.6°C | 2.6°C | 12.3°C | -1.6°C | 89 mm | 95% | 4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1991 | 7.5°C | 5.5°C | 3.6°C | 11.4°C | -2.3°C | 38 mm | 92% | 4.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1990 | 6.7°C | 4.5°C | 2.4°C | 11.3°C | -1.5°C | 83 mm | 91% | 4.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1989 | 7.8°C | 6.0°C | 4.1°C | 12.3°C | -1.0°C | 150 mm | 94% | 4.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1988 | 9.4°C | 7.5°C | 5.6°C | 11.9°C | 0.5°C | 45 mm | 94% | 3.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1987 | 7.7°C | 6.1°C | 4.4°C | 13.1°C | -1.9°C | 75 mm | 95% | 5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1986 | 8.7°C | 6.6°C | 4.5°C | 13.1°C | -0.7°C | 134 mm | 91% | 5.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1985 | 9.0°C | 7.3°C | 5.6°C | 14.3°C | -3.5°C | 126 mm | 92% | 4.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1984 | 8.6°C | 6.3°C | 4.0°C | 11.7°C | 0.3°C | 117 mm | 93% | 3.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1983 | 8.8°C | 6.6°C | 4.4°C | 12.5°C | 0.0°C | 106 mm | 92% | 4.6 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 7.4°C | 5.3°C | 3.3°C | 12.4°C | 0.0°C | 118 mm | 93% | 4.5 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 5.1°C | 3.0°C | 0.9°C | 10.5°C | -4.2°C | 143 mm | 92% | 4.1 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 8.1°C with lows near 4.2°C (mean 6.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 121 mm of rainfall in Barnstaple, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 230 mm in 1999.
The hottest December reached 14.3°C in 1985. The coldest dipped to -5.1°C in 1996.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 1.4°C. Daytime highs moved from 7.8°C to 8.9°C and overnight lows from 3.6°C to 5.3°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Barnstaple and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 8.1°C daytime highs and 4.2°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 3rd coolest month in Barnstaple, averaging 6.2°C.
For December in Barnstaple, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 8.1°C and lows of 4.2°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 93% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 4.5 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 6.2 m/s (2015).
The wettest December on record was 1999 with 230 mm. On average, December sees 121 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 Barnstaple 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.
