December is one of the cooler months of the year in South Shields, with average highs near 7.2°C and lows around 4.5°C (mean 5.9°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 72 mm of rainfall and 89% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in South Shields. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in South Shields was 2015 — when the month averaged 8.2°C — while the coldest were 1981 and 2010 at 2.6°C. Typical December days reach 7.2°C with nights near 4.5°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
December is about average for rainfall in South Shields, averaging 72 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2023 with 151 mm, while the driest was 1988 at 35 mm.
Relative humidity in South Shields during December averages 89%. The most humid December was 2019 at 91%, and the least humid was 1995 at 84%.
December receives about 0.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in South Shields. The sunniest Decembers were 2020, 2022 and 2024, among others at 0.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2015, 2021 and 2023, among others at 0.4.
Average wind speed in South Shields during December is 5.9 m/s. The windiest December was 2013 at 7.5 m/s, while the calmest were 1989 and 2010 at 4.8 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 5.6°C | 5.3°C | 5.8°C | 6.0°C | 6.7°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg High | 6.9°C | 6.7°C | 7.1°C | 7.4°C | 7.9°C | +1°C |
| Avg Low | 4.2°C | 4.0°C | 4.5°C | 4.6°C | 5.4°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 65 mm | 71 mm | 67 mm | 66 mm | 102 mm | +37 mm |
December temperatures in South Shields have risen by about 1.7°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -2.5°C (1995) to a record high of 13.1°C (1994).
Rainfall in December is about average for rainfall, averaging 72 mm, with a wettest year of 151 mm.
A quieter season to visit South Shields
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting South Shields. That said, December — with days averaging 7.2°C and nights around 4.5°C (mean 5.9°C) and moderate rainfall (72 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 | 8.7°C | 7.5°C | 6.3°C | 13.0°C | 1.8°C | 101 mm | 90% | 5.9 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 8.9°C | 7.6°C | 6.3°C | 12.0°C | 4.0°C | 78 mm | 89% | 6.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2023 🌧️ | 8.4°C | 7.0°C | 5.7°C | 11.6°C | 1.8°C | 151 mm | 89% | 6.4 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2022 | 6.7°C | 5.4°C | 4.0°C | 10.7°C | 0.5°C | 68 mm | 89% | 5.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2021 | 7.6°C | 6.2°C | 4.8°C | 11.7°C | 1.8°C | 102 mm | 91% | 5.1 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2020 | 7.3°C | 6.2°C | 5.1°C | 11.3°C | 1.6°C | 112 mm | 91% | 5.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2019 | 7.6°C | 6.4°C | 5.1°C | 11.5°C | 2.3°C | 61 mm | 91% | 6.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2018 | 7.8°C | 6.5°C | 5.1°C | 11.0°C | 2.1°C | 59 mm | 91% | 5.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2017 | 6.9°C | 5.4°C | 4.0°C | 11.9°C | 0.4°C | 45 mm | 90% | 5.9 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2016 | 8.4°C | 7.1°C | 5.8°C | 11.5°C | 2.3°C | 39 mm | 91% | 5.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2015 🔥 | 9.9°C | 8.2°C | 6.4°C | 12.8°C | 3.0°C | 109 mm | 89% | 7 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2014 | 7.2°C | 5.8°C | 4.4°C | 11.9°C | 2.2°C | 46 mm | 89% | 6.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2013 | 8.4°C | 6.6°C | 4.9°C | 11.3°C | 1.8°C | 51 mm | 89% | 7.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2012 | 6.4°C | 5.1°C | 3.9°C | 10.3°C | 1.0°C | 131 mm | 90% | 6.2 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2011 | 7.6°C | 6.1°C | 4.6°C | 11.4°C | 1.7°C | 71 mm | 89% | 7.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2010 | 3.8°C | 2.6°C | 1.5°C | 7.0°C | -1.7°C | 46 mm | 88% | 4.8 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2009 | 5.9°C | 4.8°C | 3.7°C | 10.0°C | 0.6°C | 73 mm | 88% | 5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2008 | 6.6°C | 5.1°C | 3.7°C | 11.1°C | 0.2°C | 64 mm | 89% | 5.2 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2007 | 7.2°C | 5.7°C | 4.2°C | 12.0°C | -0.1°C | 63 mm | 91% | 5.8 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2006 | 8.2°C | 6.7°C | 5.2°C | 12.0°C | 1.1°C | 59 mm | 90% | 6.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2005 | 7.4°C | 6.0°C | 4.7°C | 10.9°C | 1.3°C | 50 mm | 90% | 5.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2004 | 8.0°C | 6.3°C | 4.7°C | 10.9°C | 2.0°C | 40 mm | 90% | 6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2003 | 7.4°C | 5.8°C | 4.3°C | 11.0°C | 0.6°C | 84 mm | 90% | 5.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2002 | 7.0°C | 6.2°C | 5.3°C | 10.2°C | 2.4°C | 102 mm | 88% | 5.4 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2001 | 6.8°C | 5.2°C | 3.7°C | 11.4°C | 0.9°C | 62 mm | 88% | 5.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2000 | 6.9°C | 6.0°C | 5.0°C | 11.5°C | 0.7°C | 71 mm | 89% | 6.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1999 | 6.4°C | 4.9°C | 3.5°C | 10.9°C | 0.3°C | 67 mm | 88% | 7.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1998 | 7.5°C | 6.1°C | 4.7°C | 12.0°C | 0.8°C | 51 mm | 91% | 6.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1997 | 7.7°C | 6.5°C | 5.3°C | 11.4°C | 2.0°C | 96 mm | 90% | 6 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1996 | 5.6°C | 4.4°C | 3.3°C | 9.0°C | 1.0°C | 64 mm | 87% | 5.5 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1995 | 5.4°C | 4.4°C | 3.4°C | 9.3°C | -2.5°C | 79 mm | 84% | 5.5 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1994 | 7.9°C | 6.4°C | 4.9°C | 13.1°C | 0.9°C | 61 mm | 89% | 6.8 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1993 | 6.3°C | 5.0°C | 3.7°C | 11.4°C | 0.9°C | 88 mm | 89% | 6.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1992 | 5.9°C | 4.5°C | 3.1°C | 10.9°C | -2.2°C | 57 mm | 89% | 5.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1991 | 7.1°C | 5.5°C | 3.9°C | 11.5°C | 0.1°C | 43 mm | 90% | 5.2 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1990 | 6.9°C | 5.4°C | 4.0°C | 10.4°C | 1.9°C | 99 mm | 87% | 6.6 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1989 | 6.8°C | 5.6°C | 4.4°C | 10.1°C | 1.6°C | 48 mm | 87% | 4.8 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1988 | 8.5°C | 7.2°C | 5.9°C | 10.5°C | 3.2°C | 35 mm | 90% | 6.5 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1987 | 7.7°C | 6.6°C | 5.5°C | 11.6°C | 2.3°C | 59 mm | 88% | 5.2 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1986 | 7.5°C | 5.7°C | 4.0°C | 12.8°C | 1.9°C | 99 mm | 89% | 7.2 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1985 | 7.1°C | 5.9°C | 4.6°C | 11.5°C | -0.4°C | 69 mm | 90% | 5.7 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1984 | 7.4°C | 6.1°C | 4.9°C | 11.0°C | 1.8°C | 36 mm | 90% | 5.6 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1983 | 7.5°C | 6.0°C | 4.5°C | 11.1°C | 1.8°C | 103 mm | 90% | 6.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 5.9°C | 4.4°C | 2.9°C | 11.2°C | 0.4°C | 69 mm | 90% | 6.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 ❄️ | 3.8°C | 2.6°C | 1.4°C | 9.7°C | -2.1°C | 65 mm | 85% | 5.4 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 7.2°C with lows near 4.5°C (mean 5.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 72 mm of rainfall in South Shields, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 151 mm in 2023.
The hottest December reached 13.1°C in 1994. The coldest dipped to -2.5°C in 1995.
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 6.3°C to 8.1°C and overnight lows from 3.7°C to 5.4°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in South Shields and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 7.2°C daytime highs and 4.5°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 4th coolest month in South Shields, averaging 5.9°C.
For December in South Shields, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 7.2°C and lows of 4.5°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 89% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 5.9 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 7.5 m/s (2013).
The wettest December on record was 2023 with 151 mm. On average, December sees 72 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 South Shields 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.
