December is one of the cooler months of the year in Bideford, with average highs near 9°C and lows around 6°C (mean 7.5°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 132 mm of rainfall and 89% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Bideford. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Bideford was 2015 — when the month averaged 10.8°C — while the coldest was 2010 at 3.2°C. Typical December days reach 9°C with nights near 6°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Bideford, averaging 132 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2020 with 263 mm, while the driest was 1991 at 40 mm.
Relative humidity in Bideford during December averages 89%. The most humid December was 1987 at 93%, and the least humid were 2011 and 2014 at 86%.
December receives about 0.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Bideford. 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 Bideford during December is 5.8 m/s. The windiest December was 2015 at 7.7 m/s, while the calmest were 2010 and 2016 at 4.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 7.3°C | 6.8°C | 7.2°C | 8.0°C | 8.2°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg High | 8.9°C | 8.4°C | 8.7°C | 9.4°C | 9.6°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg Low | 5.8°C | 5.2°C | 5.8°C | 6.6°C | 6.9°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 121 mm | 129 mm | 110 mm | 141 mm | 176 mm | +55 mm |
December temperatures in Bideford have risen by about 1.2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -3.1°C (1996) to a record high of 14.7°C (1985).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 132 mm, with a wettest year of 263 mm.
A quieter season to visit Bideford
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Bideford. That said, December — with days averaging 9°C and nights around 6°C (mean 7.5°C) and higher rainfall (132 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 | 9.6°C | 8.3°C | 6.9°C | 13.9°C | 2.0°C | 197 mm | 90% | 6 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 9.9°C | 8.6°C | 7.3°C | 13.4°C | 4.8°C | 115 mm | 90% | 5.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2023 | 10.6°C | 9.4°C | 8.2°C | 12.7°C | 1.5°C | 219 mm | 90% | 6.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2022 | 8.0°C | 6.6°C | 5.2°C | 13.1°C | 0.6°C | 122 mm | 90% | 5.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2021 | 10.3°C | 8.8°C | 7.4°C | 12.8°C | 4.2°C | 140 mm | 91% | 5.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2020 🌧️ | 9.0°C | 7.7°C | 6.3°C | 12.7°C | 2.5°C | 263 mm | 89% | 5.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2019 | 9.5°C | 8.1°C | 6.6°C | 12.5°C | 2.9°C | 187 mm | 88% | 5.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2018 | 10.6°C | 9.4°C | 8.1°C | 13.2°C | 3.7°C | 209 mm | 90% | 5.8 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2017 | 9.2°C | 7.7°C | 6.2°C | 12.7°C | 2.5°C | 171 mm | 89% | 5.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2016 | 10.0°C | 8.6°C | 7.1°C | 12.9°C | 3.1°C | 52 mm | 92% | 4.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2015 🔥 | 12.1°C | 10.8°C | 9.5°C | 13.7°C | 6.2°C | 197 mm | 90% | 7.7 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2014 | 9.3°C | 7.8°C | 6.3°C | 11.8°C | 1.9°C | 93 mm | 86% | 5.9 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2013 | 10.1°C | 8.4°C | 6.7°C | 12.5°C | 4.8°C | 96 mm | 86% | 6.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2012 | 9.1°C | 7.6°C | 6.2°C | 12.1°C | 1.4°C | 211 mm | 89% | 6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2011 | 9.9°C | 8.6°C | 7.2°C | 12.2°C | 4.3°C | 155 mm | 86% | 6.9 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2010 ❄️ | 4.5°C | 3.2°C | 1.8°C | 9.9°C | -1.0°C | 40 mm | 89% | 4.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2009 | 7.8°C | 6.2°C | 4.6°C | 11.9°C | 0.4°C | 107 mm | 88% | 5.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2008 | 7.7°C | 6.2°C | 4.7°C | 11.0°C | 1.3°C | 78 mm | 90% | 5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2007 | 9.3°C | 7.9°C | 6.4°C | 13.5°C | 2.4°C | 112 mm | 88% | 6.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2006 | 9.9°C | 8.5°C | 7.1°C | 13.1°C | 2.2°C | 117 mm | 88% | 6.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2005 | 8.5°C | 7.0°C | 5.4°C | 11.2°C | -0.2°C | 109 mm | 89% | 4.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2004 | 9.6°C | 8.2°C | 6.8°C | 12.1°C | 2.4°C | 89 mm | 89% | 5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2003 | 9.0°C | 7.4°C | 5.9°C | 12.3°C | 2.6°C | 121 mm | 90% | 5.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2002 | 8.6°C | 7.3°C | 6.1°C | 12.2°C | 0.5°C | 145 mm | 92% | 5.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2001 | 7.8°C | 6.0°C | 4.2°C | 13.0°C | 0.6°C | 60 mm | 88% | 5.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2000 | 8.9°C | 7.7°C | 6.5°C | 12.7°C | 1.1°C | 158 mm | 90% | 6.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1999 | 9.1°C | 7.6°C | 6.1°C | 12.3°C | 0.3°C | 262 mm | 87% | 7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1998 | 9.6°C | 7.9°C | 6.1°C | 12.7°C | 0.5°C | 134 mm | 89% | 5.6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1997 | 9.6°C | 8.1°C | 6.6°C | 13.3°C | -0.3°C | 123 mm | 89% | 5.9 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1996 | 6.2°C | 4.6°C | 3.0°C | 11.7°C | -3.1°C | 44 mm | 90% | 5.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1995 | 7.0°C | 5.1°C | 3.3°C | 12.9°C | -1.0°C | 109 mm | 92% | 5.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1994 | 10.3°C | 8.9°C | 7.4°C | 13.3°C | 1.8°C | 165 mm | 89% | 6.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1993 | 9.1°C | 7.4°C | 5.8°C | 12.0°C | 1.8°C | 214 mm | 87% | 7.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1992 | 7.6°C | 6.0°C | 4.4°C | 12.4°C | 0.5°C | 97 mm | 90% | 5.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1991 | 8.3°C | 6.8°C | 5.3°C | 11.5°C | 0.7°C | 40 mm | 89% | 5.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1990 | 7.6°C | 6.0°C | 4.3°C | 11.4°C | 1.1°C | 97 mm | 87% | 5.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1989 | 8.7°C | 7.1°C | 5.6°C | 12.5°C | 1.2°C | 158 mm | 91% | 6.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1988 | 10.1°C | 8.6°C | 7.2°C | 11.9°C | 2.4°C | 54 mm | 91% | 4.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1987 | 8.4°C | 7.2°C | 5.9°C | 12.6°C | 0.4°C | 80 mm | 93% | 6.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1986 | 9.4°C | 7.8°C | 6.2°C | 13.1°C | 2.0°C | 151 mm | 87% | 6.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1985 | 9.6°C | 8.4°C | 7.1°C | 14.7°C | -0.6°C | 132 mm | 89% | 5.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1984 | 9.3°C | 7.5°C | 5.8°C | 11.5°C | 2.3°C | 127 mm | 90% | 4.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1983 | 9.6°C | 7.9°C | 6.3°C | 12.5°C | 2.6°C | 114 mm | 89% | 5.9 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 8.2°C | 6.7°C | 5.2°C | 12.7°C | 1.8°C | 131 mm | 89% | 5.9 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 6.5°C | 4.9°C | 3.2°C | 10.7°C | -1.4°C | 142 mm | 88% | 5.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 9°C with lows near 6°C (mean 7.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 132 mm of rainfall in Bideford, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 263 mm in 2020.
The hottest December reached 14.7°C in 1985. The coldest dipped to -3.1°C in 1996.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 1.2°C. Daytime highs moved from 8.6°C to 9.7°C and overnight lows from 5.5°C to 7°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Bideford and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 9°C daytime highs and 6°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 4th coolest month in Bideford, averaging 7.5°C.
For December in Bideford, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 9°C and lows of 6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 89% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 5.8 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 7.7 m/s (2015).
The wettest December on record was 2020 with 263 mm. On average, December sees 132 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 Bideford 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.
