December is one of the cooler months of the year in Rochdale, with average highs near 5.6°C and lows around 1.5°C (mean 3.6°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 93 mm of rainfall and 96% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Rochdale. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Rochdale was 2015 — when the month averaged 7.3°C — while the coldest was 1981 at -1.9°C. Typical December days reach 5.6°C with nights near 1.5°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Rochdale, averaging 93 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2023 with 155 mm, while the driest was 2016 at 38 mm.
Relative humidity in Rochdale during December averages 96%. The most humid December was 2010 at 98%, and the least humid was 2011 at 94%.
December receives about 0.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Rochdale. The sunniest Decembers were 2008, 2010 and 2022, among others at 0.6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2011, 2015 and 2021, among others at 0.4.
Average wind speed in Rochdale during December is 3.7 m/s. The windiest December was 2015 at 5.1 m/s, while the calmest was 2010 at 2.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 3.2°C | 2.9°C | 3.4°C | 4.1°C | 4.6°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg High | 5.3°C | 5.0°C | 5.5°C | 6.2°C | 6.6°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg Low | 1.1°C | 0.8°C | 1.4°C | 1.9°C | 2.7°C | +1.6°C |
| Avg Rain | 87 mm | 92 mm | 84 mm | 92 mm | 120 mm | +33 mm |
December temperatures in Rochdale have risen by about 2.3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -12.1°C (1981) to a record high of 12.9°C (2015).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 93 mm, with a wettest year of 155 mm.
A quieter season to visit Rochdale
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Rochdale. That said, December — with days averaging 5.6°C and nights around 1.5°C (mean 3.6°C) and higher rainfall (93 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 | 7.4°C | 5.4°C | 3.4°C | 12.9°C | -2.1°C | 132 mm | 96% | 4 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 7.8°C | 5.8°C | 3.9°C | 12.0°C | 0.1°C | 94 mm | 95% | 4.2 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2023 🌧️ | 7.3°C | 5.3°C | 3.3°C | 12.0°C | -2.7°C | 155 mm | 96% | 4.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2022 | 4.6°C | 2.5°C | 0.5°C | 9.8°C | -5.9°C | 101 mm | 97% | 3.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2021 | 6.8°C | 4.8°C | 2.8°C | 12.8°C | -2.9°C | 106 mm | 96% | 3.4 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2020 | 5.7°C | 3.8°C | 2.0°C | 11.1°C | -2.7°C | 132 mm | 97% | 3.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2019 | 6.4°C | 4.5°C | 2.6°C | 11.2°C | -2.5°C | 90 mm | 97% | 3.8 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2018 | 7.1°C | 5.2°C | 3.2°C | 11.5°C | -2.7°C | 117 mm | 97% | 3.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2017 | 5.5°C | 3.4°C | 1.3°C | 11.0°C | -3.3°C | 75 mm | 97% | 3.6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2016 | 7.1°C | 5.1°C | 3.1°C | 11.8°C | -1.5°C | 38 mm | 97% | 3.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2015 🔥 | 9.7°C | 7.3°C | 4.9°C | 12.9°C | 0.4°C | 149 mm | 95% | 5.1 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2014 | 6.1°C | 3.8°C | 1.6°C | 11.4°C | -2.6°C | 76 mm | 95% | 4.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2013 | 7.5°C | 5.1°C | 2.7°C | 11.3°C | 0.5°C | 75 mm | 95% | 4.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2012 | 4.9°C | 2.9°C | 0.8°C | 10.5°C | -3.5°C | 149 mm | 97% | 3.8 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2011 | 6.6°C | 4.6°C | 2.6°C | 11.3°C | -2.3°C | 111 mm | 94% | 4.8 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2010 | 0.8°C | -1.4°C | -3.6°C | 5.9°C | -7.9°C | 40 mm | 98% | 2.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2009 | 3.6°C | 1.8°C | 0.1°C | 9.7°C | -4.8°C | 81 mm | 97% | 3.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2008 | 4.4°C | 2.3°C | 0.2°C | 10.2°C | -4.3°C | 71 mm | 97% | 2.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2007 | 5.6°C | 3.5°C | 1.4°C | 12.1°C | -3.3°C | 95 mm | 96% | 3.9 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2006 | 7.5°C | 5.4°C | 3.3°C | 12.1°C | -0.1°C | 112 mm | 95% | 4.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2005 | 5.7°C | 3.5°C | 1.4°C | 9.7°C | -3.5°C | 60 mm | 97% | 3.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2004 | 6.5°C | 4.3°C | 2.1°C | 10.2°C | -3.0°C | 48 mm | 96% | 3.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2003 | 5.5°C | 3.2°C | 0.9°C | 10.8°C | -3.7°C | 92 mm | 96% | 3.2 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2002 | 5.1°C | 3.6°C | 2.1°C | 10.3°C | -2.3°C | 128 mm | 96% | 3.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2001 | 5.1°C | 2.5°C | 0.0°C | 11.7°C | -3.2°C | 52 mm | 96% | 3.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2000 | 5.5°C | 4.0°C | 2.4°C | 11.8°C | -3.3°C | 97 mm | 96% | 4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1999 | 5.2°C | 3.1°C | 1.0°C | 10.8°C | -4.7°C | 118 mm | 95% | 4.6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1998 | 6.3°C | 4.1°C | 1.9°C | 12.4°C | -3.4°C | 80 mm | 96% | 3.8 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1997 | 6.2°C | 4.4°C | 2.6°C | 11.2°C | -2.8°C | 110 mm | 96% | 3.9 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1996 | 3.3°C | 1.4°C | -0.6°C | 8.9°C | -4.3°C | 70 mm | 96% | 3.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1995 | 2.5°C | 0.5°C | -1.5°C | 8.8°C | -7.8°C | 59 mm | 95% | 3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1994 | 6.9°C | 4.6°C | 2.4°C | 12.8°C | -2.4°C | 127 mm | 96% | 4.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1993 | 5.4°C | 3.2°C | 0.9°C | 11.4°C | -4.1°C | 131 mm | 95% | 4.7 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1992 | 4.2°C | 2.0°C | -0.1°C | 11.5°C | -6.6°C | 74 mm | 97% | 3.2 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1991 | 5.2°C | 3.0°C | 0.9°C | 11.1°C | -6.1°C | 51 mm | 96% | 3.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1990 | 4.8°C | 2.6°C | 0.3°C | 10.4°C | -2.6°C | 101 mm | 95% | 3.9 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1989 | 4.6°C | 2.7°C | 0.7°C | 10.2°C | -2.8°C | 108 mm | 97% | 3.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1988 | 7.6°C | 5.7°C | 3.7°C | 11.0°C | -1.3°C | 51 mm | 96% | 4.2 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1987 | 5.7°C | 4.0°C | 2.2°C | 11.5°C | -3.1°C | 52 mm | 96% | 3.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1986 | 6.3°C | 4.0°C | 1.6°C | 12.2°C | -2.3°C | 132 mm | 95% | 4.8 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1985 | 6.4°C | 4.6°C | 2.8°C | 12.0°C | -6.7°C | 99 mm | 95% | 3.9 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1984 | 5.4°C | 3.6°C | 1.8°C | 10.7°C | -3.7°C | 65 mm | 96% | 3.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1983 | 6.0°C | 3.8°C | 1.5°C | 11.4°C | -3.5°C | 121 mm | 96% | 4.2 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 4.7°C | 2.5°C | 0.3°C | 10.3°C | -3.7°C | 87 mm | 96% | 3.9 m/s | — |
| 1981 ❄️ | 0.7°C | -1.9°C | -4.5°C | 8.8°C | -12.1°C | 70 mm | 97% | 2.8 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 5.6°C with lows near 1.5°C (mean 3.6°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 93 mm of rainfall in Rochdale, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 155 mm in 2023.
The hottest December reached 12.9°C in 2015. The coldest dipped to -12.1°C in 1981.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 2.3°C. Daytime highs moved from 4.6°C to 6.8°C and overnight lows from 0.4°C to 2.8°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Rochdale and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 5.6°C daytime highs and 1.5°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 3rd coolest month in Rochdale, averaging 3.6°C.
For December in Rochdale, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 5.6°C and lows of 1.5°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 96% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 3.7 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 5.1 m/s (2015).
The wettest December on record was 2023 with 155 mm. On average, December sees 93 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 Rochdale 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.
