December is one of the cooler months of the year in Dumfries, with average highs near 5.8°C and lows around 2.5°C (mean 4.2°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 133 mm of rainfall and 94% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Dumfries. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Dumfries was 2015 — when the month averaged 6.8°C — while the coldest were 1981 and 2010 at -0.3°C. Typical December days reach 5.8°C with nights near 2.5°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Dumfries, averaging 133 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2015 with 326 mm, while the driest was 2010 at 39 mm.
Relative humidity in Dumfries during December averages 94%. The most humid Decembers were 2010 and 2018 at 95%, and the least humid was 1990 at 92%.
December receives about 0.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Dumfries. The sunniest Decembers were 2022, 2023 and 2024, among others at 0.4 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1986, 1993 and 1997, among others at 0.3.
Average wind speed in Dumfries during December is 4.6 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 2013 and 2015 at 6.4 m/s, while the calmest was 2010 at 3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 3.9°C | 3.7°C | 4.2°C | 4.5°C | 4.9°C | +1°C |
| Avg High | 5.5°C | 5.3°C | 5.9°C | 6.2°C | 6.5°C | +1°C |
| Avg Low | 2.3°C | 2.1°C | 2.5°C | 2.8°C | 3.4°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 125 mm | 134 mm | 120 mm | 144 mm | 146 mm | +21 mm |
December temperatures in Dumfries have risen by about 1.7°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -8.3°C (1995) to a record high of 12.3°C (2025).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 133 mm, with a wettest year of 326 mm.
A quieter season to visit Dumfries
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Dumfries. That said, December — with days averaging 5.8°C and nights around 2.5°C (mean 4.2°C) and higher rainfall (133 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 | 7.2°C | 5.8°C | 4.5°C | 12.3°C | -1.2°C | 158 mm | 94% | 4.6 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 7.8°C | 6.1°C | 4.4°C | 11.2°C | -0.6°C | 125 mm | 95% | 5.2 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2023 | 6.9°C | 5.4°C | 3.8°C | 10.7°C | -0.9°C | 196 mm | 94% | 5.4 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2022 | 4.8°C | 3.2°C | 1.6°C | 10.9°C | -3.3°C | 115 mm | 94% | 4 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2021 | 6.4°C | 4.8°C | 3.2°C | 10.5°C | -0.1°C | 136 mm | 95% | 4 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2020 | 5.8°C | 4.3°C | 2.9°C | 10.7°C | -1.2°C | 147 mm | 94% | 4.4 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2019 | 6.5°C | 5.1°C | 3.6°C | 11.0°C | -0.3°C | 116 mm | 95% | 4.8 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2018 | 6.8°C | 5.3°C | 3.7°C | 10.3°C | -0.1°C | 128 mm | 95% | 4.1 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2017 | 5.7°C | 4.0°C | 2.3°C | 11.1°C | -2.2°C | 104 mm | 95% | 4.1 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2016 | 7.5°C | 5.9°C | 4.3°C | 11.4°C | -0.4°C | 80 mm | 95% | 4.5 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2015 🔥 🌧️ | 8.9°C | 6.8°C | 4.8°C | 12.0°C | -0.7°C | 326 mm | 93% | 6.4 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2014 | 6.1°C | 4.4°C | 2.7°C | 10.4°C | -0.3°C | 125 mm | 93% | 4.9 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2013 | 7.5°C | 5.7°C | 3.8°C | 10.5°C | -0.7°C | 173 mm | 92% | 6.4 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2012 | 5.0°C | 3.4°C | 1.7°C | 9.5°C | -1.7°C | 188 mm | 95% | 4.6 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2011 | 6.5°C | 4.7°C | 3.0°C | 10.6°C | -0.3°C | 163 mm | 93% | 5.9 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2010 | 1.6°C | -0.3°C | -2.2°C | 6.3°C | -5.8°C | 39 mm | 95% | 3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2009 | 4.0°C | 2.3°C | 0.7°C | 9.3°C | -3.6°C | 98 mm | 94% | 3.6 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2008 | 5.2°C | 3.5°C | 1.8°C | 10.0°C | -1.4°C | 100 mm | 94% | 3.8 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2007 | 6.3°C | 4.6°C | 2.9°C | 11.7°C | -0.9°C | 131 mm | 94% | 4.8 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2006 | 7.5°C | 5.6°C | 3.8°C | 11.5°C | 0.6°C | 199 mm | 93% | 5.2 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2005 | 6.2°C | 4.5°C | 2.8°C | 10.3°C | -1.1°C | 75 mm | 95% | 3.9 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2004 | 7.1°C | 5.4°C | 3.7°C | 10.2°C | -1.0°C | 109 mm | 94% | 4.9 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2003 | 6.4°C | 4.3°C | 2.2°C | 10.3°C | -3.8°C | 135 mm | 95% | 4.2 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2002 | 5.1°C | 3.7°C | 2.4°C | 9.8°C | -0.4°C | 111 mm | 95% | 4 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2001 | 5.4°C | 3.3°C | 1.2°C | 10.5°C | -2.8°C | 82 mm | 93% | 4.1 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2000 | 5.7°C | 4.5°C | 3.3°C | 11.0°C | -2.6°C | 164 mm | 94% | 4.9 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1999 | 5.1°C | 3.3°C | 1.5°C | 10.1°C | -4.2°C | 193 mm | 93% | 5.4 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1998 | 6.9°C | 5.0°C | 3.2°C | 10.9°C | -1.9°C | 122 mm | 94% | 5 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1997 | 6.6°C | 5.2°C | 3.7°C | 10.4°C | -0.8°C | 152 mm | 95% | 4.8 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1996 | 3.8°C | 2.4°C | 1.1°C | 8.5°C | -1.7°C | 89 mm | 95% | 4.1 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1995 | 2.8°C | 1.2°C | -0.3°C | 10.2°C | -8.3°C | 49 mm | 95% | 3.9 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1994 | 6.8°C | 5.1°C | 3.5°C | 11.9°C | -1.2°C | 181 mm | 93% | 5.6 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1993 | 5.1°C | 3.3°C | 1.5°C | 10.2°C | -3.4°C | 195 mm | 94% | 5.4 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1992 | 4.7°C | 3.2°C | 1.8°C | 8.7°C | -2.2°C | 111 mm | 94% | 4.2 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1991 | 6.4°C | 4.7°C | 3.0°C | 10.4°C | -1.3°C | 93 mm | 94% | 4.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1990 | 5.1°C | 3.4°C | 1.6°C | 9.5°C | -1.5°C | 156 mm | 92% | 5 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1989 | 4.3°C | 2.9°C | 1.4°C | 9.4°C | -1.9°C | 86 mm | 94% | 3.7 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1988 | 8.0°C | 6.4°C | 4.9°C | 10.1°C | -0.1°C | 100 mm | 94% | 5.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1987 | 6.0°C | 4.6°C | 3.1°C | 10.3°C | -2.3°C | 111 mm | 94% | 4.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1986 | 6.1°C | 4.3°C | 2.5°C | 10.8°C | -1.0°C | 215 mm | 93% | 5.5 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1985 | 6.3°C | 4.8°C | 3.3°C | 11.7°C | -5.4°C | 157 mm | 94% | 4.7 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1984 | 6.1°C | 4.5°C | 2.9°C | 9.7°C | -1.7°C | 114 mm | 94% | 4.5 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1983 | 6.7°C | 4.9°C | 3.2°C | 10.0°C | -1.7°C | 144 mm | 94% | 5.2 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 4.9°C | 3.2°C | 1.5°C | 9.8°C | -1.8°C | 143 mm | 94% | 4.8 m/s | — |
| 1981 ❄️ | 1.4°C | -0.3°C | -2.0°C | 9.2°C | -7.5°C | 54 mm | 93% | 3.7 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 5.8°C with lows near 2.5°C (mean 4.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 133 mm of rainfall in Dumfries, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 326 mm in 2015.
The hottest December reached 12.3°C in 2025. The coldest dipped to -8.3°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 5.1°C to 6.6°C and overnight lows from 1.8°C to 3.5°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Dumfries and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 5.8°C daytime highs and 2.5°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 3rd coolest month in Dumfries, averaging 4.2°C.
For December in Dumfries, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 5.8°C and lows of 2.5°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 94% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 4.6 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 6.4 m/s (2013).
The wettest December on record was 2015 with 326 mm. On average, December sees 133 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 Dumfries 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.
