December is one of the cooler months of the year in Newport, with average highs near 9.9°C and lows around 7.8°C (mean 8.9°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 96 mm of rainfall and 85% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Newport. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Newport was 2015 — when the month averaged 12.1°C — while the coldest was 2010 at 4.8°C. Typical December days reach 9.9°C with nights near 7.8°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Newport, averaging 96 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 1999 with 175 mm, while the driest was 2016 at 22 mm.
Relative humidity in Newport during December averages 85%. The most humid December was 2002 at 89%, and the least humid were 1990 and 1991 at 82%.
December receives about 0.7 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Newport. The sunniest Decembers were 2001, 2008 and 2016 at 0.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1998 and 2002 at 0.5.
Average wind speed in Newport during December is 7.2 m/s. The windiest December was 1993 at 8.9 m/s, while the calmest was 2016 at 5.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 8.7°C | 8.3°C | 8.6°C | 9.2°C | 9.6°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg High | 9.8°C | 9.4°C | 9.6°C | 10.3°C | 10.5°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg Low | 7.6°C | 7.3°C | 7.6°C | 8.2°C | 8.6°C | +1°C |
| Avg Rain | 94 mm | 97 mm | 83 mm | 102 mm | 111 mm | +17 mm |
December temperatures in Newport have risen by about 1.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -0.3°C (1996) to a record high of 14.1°C (2006).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 96 mm, with a wettest year of 175 mm.
A quieter season to visit Newport
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Newport. That said, December — with days averaging 9.9°C and nights around 7.8°C (mean 8.9°C) and higher rainfall (96 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 | 10.9°C | 10.1°C | 9.3°C | 13.7°C | 4.8°C | 113 mm | 85% | 7.7 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 11.0°C | 9.9°C | 8.8°C | 13.9°C | 6.3°C | 56 mm | 87% | 7.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2023 | 11.3°C | 10.4°C | 9.4°C | 13.0°C | 4.0°C | 127 mm | 87% | 8.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2022 | 9.4°C | 8.4°C | 7.5°C | 12.9°C | 2.7°C | 112 mm | 85% | 6.8 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2021 | 10.8°C | 9.8°C | 8.9°C | 12.7°C | 5.8°C | 86 mm | 88% | 6.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2020 | 9.8°C | 8.8°C | 7.8°C | 12.7°C | 3.5°C | 169 mm | 86% | 7.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2019 | 10.5°C | 9.4°C | 8.3°C | 12.6°C | 5.4°C | 155 mm | 84% | 7.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2018 | 11.1°C | 10.3°C | 9.4°C | 13.5°C | 5.4°C | 132 mm | 85% | 7.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2017 | 10.0°C | 8.7°C | 7.4°C | 12.8°C | 4.2°C | 119 mm | 86% | 7.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2016 | 10.8°C | 10.0°C | 9.3°C | 12.5°C | 6.9°C | 22 mm | 86% | 5.2 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2015 🔥 | 12.8°C | 12.1°C | 11.4°C | 13.5°C | 9.4°C | 88 mm | 86% | 8.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2014 | 10.3°C | 9.0°C | 7.8°C | 12.7°C | 4.3°C | 57 mm | 83% | 7.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2013 | 10.8°C | 9.7°C | 8.6°C | 12.6°C | 6.8°C | 117 mm | 83% | 7.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2012 | 9.9°C | 8.7°C | 7.6°C | 12.1°C | 3.4°C | 165 mm | 85% | 7.8 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2011 | 11.0°C | 9.7°C | 8.4°C | 13.5°C | 5.0°C | 109 mm | 83% | 8.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2010 ❄️ | 5.8°C | 4.8°C | 3.7°C | 9.3°C | 1.7°C | 55 mm | 86% | 6.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2009 | 9.0°C | 7.8°C | 6.6°C | 13.2°C | 2.3°C | 100 mm | 84% | 7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2008 | 8.4°C | 7.5°C | 6.6°C | 11.3°C | 3.8°C | 46 mm | 86% | 6.3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2007 | 10.2°C | 9.2°C | 8.1°C | 13.9°C | 4.9°C | 57 mm | 83% | 7.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2006 | 11.1°C | 10.1°C | 9.1°C | 14.1°C | 6.0°C | 103 mm | 84% | 7.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2005 | 9.3°C | 8.2°C | 7.1°C | 11.7°C | 1.6°C | 73 mm | 84% | 6.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2004 | 9.9°C | 8.8°C | 7.8°C | 12.5°C | 4.0°C | 65 mm | 86% | 5.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2003 | 9.8°C | 8.7°C | 7.6°C | 12.5°C | 3.1°C | 95 mm | 84% | 6.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2002 | 9.9°C | 9.1°C | 8.2°C | 12.8°C | 3.2°C | 119 mm | 89% | 7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2001 | 8.9°C | 7.7°C | 6.5°C | 13.8°C | 3.4°C | 35 mm | 82% | 7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2000 | 9.9°C | 9.1°C | 8.2°C | 13.0°C | 3.7°C | 140 mm | 87% | 7.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1999 🌧️ | 9.9°C | 8.6°C | 7.4°C | 12.7°C | 3.1°C | 175 mm | 84% | 8.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1998 | 10.0°C | 8.9°C | 7.8°C | 12.6°C | 3.6°C | 101 mm | 88% | 7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1997 | 10.5°C | 9.5°C | 8.4°C | 13.8°C | 3.4°C | 96 mm | 86% | 7.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1996 | 7.6°C | 6.6°C | 5.7°C | 12.3°C | -0.3°C | 39 mm | 85% | 6.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1995 | 8.5°C | 7.3°C | 6.2°C | 13.3°C | 2.6°C | 102 mm | 87% | 6.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1994 | 11.4°C | 10.4°C | 9.5°C | 14.0°C | 4.8°C | 105 mm | 84% | 8 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1993 | 9.7°C | 8.4°C | 7.1°C | 12.3°C | 3.2°C | 155 mm | 85% | 8.9 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1992 | 8.8°C | 7.7°C | 6.7°C | 13.1°C | 4.7°C | 91 mm | 85% | 6.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1991 | 9.1°C | 8.2°C | 7.4°C | 12.2°C | 4.3°C | 35 mm | 82% | 6.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1990 | 8.7°C | 7.5°C | 6.3°C | 11.6°C | 3.1°C | 70 mm | 82% | 7.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1989 | 10.5°C | 9.5°C | 8.5°C | 13.8°C | 5.7°C | 147 mm | 85% | 7.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1988 | 10.4°C | 9.5°C | 8.5°C | 12.2°C | 4.6°C | 32 mm | 87% | 5.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1987 | 9.6°C | 8.8°C | 8.0°C | 12.5°C | 4.6°C | 50 mm | 88% | 7.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1986 | 10.0°C | 8.8°C | 7.6°C | 12.8°C | 3.5°C | 103 mm | 85% | 8.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1985 | 10.3°C | 9.4°C | 8.5°C | 13.1°C | 2.0°C | 123 mm | 86% | 7.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1984 | 10.2°C | 9.1°C | 8.1°C | 12.4°C | 5.5°C | 105 mm | 83% | 5.9 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1983 | 10.0°C | 9.0°C | 8.0°C | 12.4°C | 3.3°C | 78 mm | 83% | 7.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 9.1°C | 7.9°C | 6.7°C | 12.8°C | 3.0°C | 104 mm | 84% | 6.9 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 7.7°C | 6.3°C | 4.8°C | 10.8°C | 1.6°C | 101 mm | 84% | 7 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 9.9°C with lows near 7.8°C (mean 8.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 96 mm of rainfall in Newport, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 175 mm in 1999.
The hottest December reached 14.1°C in 2006. The coldest dipped to -0.3°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 9.5°C to 10.7°C and overnight lows from 7.2°C to 8.8°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Newport and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 9.9°C daytime highs and 7.8°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 4th coolest month in Newport, averaging 8.9°C.
For December in Newport, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 9.9°C and lows of 7.8°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 85% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 7.2 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 8.9 m/s (1993).
The wettest December on record was 1999 with 175 mm. On average, December sees 96 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 Newport 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.
