December is one of the cooler months of the year in Dover, with average highs near 8.7°C and lows around 6.1°C (mean 7.4°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 84 mm of rainfall and 88% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Dover. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Dover was 2015 — when the month averaged 11.1°C — while the coldest was 2010 at 3.5°C. Typical December days reach 8.7°C with nights near 6.1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Dover, averaging 84 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 1993 with 153 mm, while the driest was 2016 at 21 mm.
Relative humidity in Dover during December averages 88%. The most humid Decembers were 2002 and 2016 at 90%, and the least humid was 1990 at 85%.
December receives about 0.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Dover. The sunniest Decembers were 2016, 2019 and 2022, among others at 0.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2002 at 0.4.
Average wind speed in Dover during December is 6.6 m/s. The windiest December was 2015 at 8.2 m/s, while the calmest were 2004 and 2016 at 5.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 7.2°C | 6.8°C | 7.1°C | 7.9°C | 8.4°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg High | 8.5°C | 8.1°C | 8.4°C | 9.2°C | 9.6°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg Low | 5.9°C | 5.5°C | 5.8°C | 6.5°C | 7.2°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 76 mm | 87 mm | 77 mm | 93 mm | 91 mm | +15 mm |
December temperatures in Dover have risen by about 1.7°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -3.7°C (1996) to a record high of 14.2°C (2006).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 84 mm, with a wettest year of 153 mm.
A quieter season to visit Dover
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Dover. That said, December — with days averaging 8.7°C and nights around 6.1°C (mean 7.4°C) and higher rainfall (84 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 | 10.0°C | 8.9°C | 7.9°C | 13.6°C | 2.7°C | 55 mm | 88% | 6.8 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 9.8°C | 8.4°C | 7.0°C | 13.6°C | 3.9°C | 57 mm | 89% | 6.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2023 | 10.5°C | 9.3°C | 8.1°C | 13.1°C | 3.1°C | 106 mm | 89% | 7.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2022 | 8.7°C | 7.4°C | 6.2°C | 13.4°C | 1.3°C | 90 mm | 87% | 6.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2021 | 9.6°C | 8.3°C | 7.0°C | 12.3°C | 3.1°C | 99 mm | 90% | 6.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2020 | 9.0°C | 7.9°C | 6.7°C | 12.6°C | 2.7°C | 139 mm | 89% | 6.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2019 | 10.0°C | 8.6°C | 7.1°C | 12.3°C | 4.8°C | 116 mm | 87% | 7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2018 | 10.1°C | 8.9°C | 7.6°C | 13.6°C | 2.3°C | 100 mm | 87% | 6.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2017 | 8.6°C | 7.1°C | 5.6°C | 12.2°C | 2.4°C | 133 mm | 89% | 6.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2016 | 9.1°C | 7.9°C | 6.8°C | 11.9°C | 2.8°C | 21 mm | 90% | 5.1 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2015 🔥 | 12.1°C | 11.1°C | 10.0°C | 13.3°C | 6.6°C | 71 mm | 88% | 8.2 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2014 | 9.3°C | 7.7°C | 6.2°C | 12.4°C | 2.7°C | 74 mm | 86% | 7.1 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2013 | 9.6°C | 8.2°C | 6.9°C | 12.0°C | 4.8°C | 77 mm | 87% | 7.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2012 | 8.7°C | 7.4°C | 6.0°C | 11.8°C | 1.8°C | 150 mm | 88% | 7.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2011 | 9.7°C | 8.2°C | 6.6°C | 13.0°C | 2.9°C | 136 mm | 86% | 7.8 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2010 ❄️ | 4.7°C | 3.5°C | 2.3°C | 8.0°C | -0.8°C | 56 mm | 87% | 5.6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2009 | 7.8°C | 6.5°C | 5.2°C | 12.8°C | 1.1°C | 116 mm | 87% | 6.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2008 | 7.1°C | 6.0°C | 4.9°C | 11.1°C | 1.0°C | 36 mm | 88% | 5.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2007 | 8.6°C | 7.2°C | 5.8°C | 13.3°C | 1.3°C | 59 mm | 88% | 6.8 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2006 | 10.2°C | 8.9°C | 7.6°C | 14.2°C | 2.9°C | 101 mm | 86% | 7.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2005 | 8.1°C | 6.7°C | 5.4°C | 11.2°C | 1.2°C | 62 mm | 87% | 6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2004 | 8.4°C | 7.1°C | 5.7°C | 11.2°C | 1.8°C | 58 mm | 88% | 5.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2003 | 8.7°C | 7.4°C | 6.0°C | 12.5°C | 2.4°C | 71 mm | 87% | 6.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2002 | 8.8°C | 7.5°C | 6.3°C | 11.9°C | 0.5°C | 131 mm | 90% | 6.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2001 | 7.4°C | 5.8°C | 4.2°C | 13.1°C | 1.2°C | 41 mm | 85% | 6.2 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2000 | 8.8°C | 7.7°C | 6.7°C | 13.2°C | 1.9°C | 92 mm | 89% | 7.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1999 | 8.6°C | 7.1°C | 5.6°C | 12.4°C | 1.9°C | 128 mm | 87% | 7.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1998 | 8.5°C | 7.2°C | 6.0°C | 11.9°C | 1.0°C | 86 mm | 90% | 6.6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1997 | 9.3°C | 8.1°C | 7.0°C | 14.0°C | 0.6°C | 108 mm | 88% | 6.9 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1996 | 6.3°C | 5.0°C | 3.7°C | 11.7°C | -3.7°C | 41 mm | 85% | 6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1995 | 6.4°C | 5.0°C | 3.6°C | 12.4°C | -0.2°C | 84 mm | 88% | 5.6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1994 | 10.3°C | 8.9°C | 7.5°C | 13.5°C | 2.1°C | 107 mm | 86% | 7.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1993 🌧️ | 8.9°C | 7.3°C | 5.8°C | 12.2°C | 2.2°C | 153 mm | 88% | 8.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1992 | 7.6°C | 6.5°C | 5.3°C | 13.3°C | 1.6°C | 60 mm | 86% | 6.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1991 | 7.6°C | 6.3°C | 5.0°C | 12.0°C | -0.4°C | 34 mm | 86% | 5.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1990 | 7.8°C | 6.5°C | 5.2°C | 11.1°C | 1.2°C | 66 mm | 85% | 6.9 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1989 | 9.2°C | 7.8°C | 6.5°C | 13.1°C | 2.2°C | 112 mm | 87% | 6.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1988 | 9.4°C | 8.2°C | 7.0°C | 11.7°C | 4.2°C | 32 mm | 90% | 5.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1987 | 8.1°C | 6.9°C | 5.8°C | 12.3°C | 1.4°C | 36 mm | 89% | 6.2 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1986 | 9.0°C | 7.5°C | 6.0°C | 12.5°C | 2.8°C | 88 mm | 87% | 7.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1985 | 9.2°C | 8.1°C | 7.0°C | 12.6°C | 1.1°C | 87 mm | 88% | 6.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1984 | 9.1°C | 7.7°C | 6.4°C | 12.5°C | 3.9°C | 85 mm | 87% | 5.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1983 | 8.6°C | 7.3°C | 6.0°C | 12.2°C | 2.0°C | 67 mm | 87% | 6.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 8.1°C | 6.7°C | 5.3°C | 12.3°C | 1.9°C | 87 mm | 86% | 6.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 5.6°C | 4.4°C | 3.1°C | 9.5°C | 1.1°C | 87 mm | 87% | 6.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 8.7°C with lows near 6.1°C (mean 7.4°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 84 mm of rainfall in Dover, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 153 mm in 1993.
The hottest December reached 14.2°C in 2006. The coldest dipped to -3.7°C in 1996.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 1.7°C. Daytime highs moved from 8.1°C to 9.7°C and overnight lows from 5.6°C to 7.2°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Dover and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 8.7°C daytime highs and 6.1°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 4th coolest month in Dover, averaging 7.4°C.
For December in Dover, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 8.7°C and lows of 6.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 88% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 6.6 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 8.2 m/s (2015).
The wettest December on record was 1993 with 153 mm. On average, December sees 84 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 Dover 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.
