December is one of the cooler months of the year in Dover, with average highs near 7.6°C and lows around -0.5°C (mean 3.6°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 93 mm of rainfall and 83% 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 10°C — while the coldest was 1989 at -3.7°C. Typical December days reach 7.6°C with nights near -0.5°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
December is about average for rainfall in Dover, averaging 93 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2009 with 195 mm, while the driest was 1988 at 21 mm.
Relative humidity in Dover during December averages 83%. The most humid December was 1996 at 90%, and the least humid was 1998 at 75%.
December receives about 1.8 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Dover. The sunniest Decembers were 2000, 2001 and 2006, among others at 2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1992 and 2014 at 1.4.
Average wind speed in Dover during December is 3.2 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 2003 and 2010 at 4 m/s, while the calmest were 2021 and 2023 at 2.7 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 2.2°C | 3.8°C | 3.2°C | 4.4°C | 4.3°C | +2.1°C |
| Avg High | 6.2°C | 7.8°C | 7.2°C | 8.4°C | 8.6°C | +2.4°C |
| Avg Low | -1.8°C | -0.3°C | -0.9°C | 0.4°C | 0.0°C | +1.8°C |
| Avg Rain | 80 mm | 95 mm | 99 mm | 93 mm | 99 mm | +19 mm |
December temperatures in Dover have risen by about 1.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -16.2°C (1983) to a record high of 24.3°C (1998).
Rainfall in December is about average for rainfall, averaging 93 mm, with a wettest year of 195 mm.
A quieter season to visit Dover
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of June and September tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Dover. That said, December — with days averaging 7.6°C and nights around -0.5°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 | 5.7°C | 1.6°C | -2.6°C | 15.3°C | -7.0°C | 61 mm | 77% | 3.5 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 8.6°C | 4.1°C | -0.3°C | 18.0°C | -6.6°C | 64 mm | 78% | 3.1 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2023 | 10.4°C | 6.2°C | 2.0°C | 16.7°C | -3.4°C | 193 mm | 87% | 2.7 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2022 | 7.8°C | 3.3°C | -1.2°C | 16.0°C | -11.3°C | 119 mm | 85% | 3 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2021 | 11.3°C | 6.8°C | 2.4°C | 17.6°C | -4.8°C | 23 mm | 80% | 2.7 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2020 | 7.5°C | 3.5°C | -0.5°C | 16.9°C | -4.9°C | 132 mm | 86% | 3.3 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2019 | 8.7°C | 4.5°C | 0.4°C | 17.8°C | -6.4°C | 102 mm | 83% | 2.8 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2018 | 8.3°C | 4.4°C | 0.5°C | 16.8°C | -3.7°C | 127 mm | 88% | 2.9 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2017 | 5.8°C | 2.0°C | -1.8°C | 17.0°C | -10.2°C | 28 mm | 78% | 2.9 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2016 | 7.4°C | 3.4°C | -0.7°C | 17.4°C | -7.4°C | 78 mm | 79% | 3.2 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2015 🔥 | 13.9°C | 10.0°C | 6.0°C | 20.8°C | -2.7°C | 126 mm | 89% | 2.8 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2014 | 8.2°C | 4.3°C | 0.5°C | 17.0°C | -3.7°C | 93 mm | 86% | 3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2013 | 7.8°C | 3.8°C | -0.3°C | 20.3°C | -7.5°C | 127 mm | 87% | 2.9 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2012 | 10.1°C | 6.0°C | 1.9°C | 19.1°C | -3.3°C | 104 mm | 87% | 3.1 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2011 | 10.5°C | 5.8°C | 1.1°C | 17.5°C | -3.9°C | 88 mm | 86% | 2.9 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2010 | 2.9°C | -0.3°C | -3.5°C | 17.3°C | -7.3°C | 57 mm | 80% | 4 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2009 🌧️ | 5.4°C | 1.8°C | -1.8°C | 18.5°C | -10.1°C | 195 mm | 88% | 3.6 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2008 | 8.0°C | 3.8°C | -0.4°C | 17.5°C | -8.3°C | 115 mm | 83% | 3.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2007 | 7.5°C | 3.8°C | 0.1°C | 14.9°C | -6.3°C | 114 mm | 83% | 3.1 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2006 | 10.7°C | 6.1°C | 1.6°C | 21.5°C | -4.6°C | 48 mm | 83% | 3 m/s | 2 |
| 2005 | 5.5°C | 1.6°C | -2.3°C | 12.1°C | -8.4°C | 77 mm | 83% | 3.1 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2004 | 8.0°C | 3.6°C | -0.8°C | 16.9°C | -10.4°C | 68 mm | 82% | 3.5 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2003 | 6.5°C | 2.5°C | -1.4°C | 14.3°C | -5.7°C | 140 mm | 85% | 4 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2002 | 5.3°C | 1.6°C | -2.0°C | 15.3°C | -8.3°C | 114 mm | 86% | 3.5 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2001 | 11.3°C | 6.7°C | 2.2°C | 22.1°C | -4.6°C | 47 mm | 76% | 3.1 m/s | 2 |
| 2000 | 4.0°C | 0.0°C | -4.1°C | 18.0°C | -10.5°C | 70 mm | 75% | 3.4 m/s | 2 |
| 1999 | 8.4°C | 4.2°C | 0.0°C | 16.7°C | -5.1°C | 70 mm | 83% | 3.2 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1998 | 10.4°C | 6.0°C | 1.7°C | 24.3°C | -6.1°C | 61 mm | 75% | 2.9 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1997 | 7.2°C | 3.2°C | -0.8°C | 13.1°C | -4.2°C | 66 mm | 84% | 3.1 m/s | 2 |
| 1996 | 8.1°C | 4.6°C | 1.0°C | 14.8°C | -6.0°C | 185 mm | 90% | 3.4 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1995 | 2.9°C | -0.6°C | -4.2°C | 14.3°C | -9.1°C | 65 mm | 86% | 3.5 m/s | 2 |
| 1994 | 9.2°C | 5.0°C | 0.8°C | 18.0°C | -4.5°C | 45 mm | 82% | 3 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1993 | 6.2°C | 2.2°C | -1.7°C | 16.4°C | -8.1°C | 118 mm | 84% | 3.4 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1992 | 7.1°C | 3.3°C | -0.5°C | 17.0°C | -5.6°C | 105 mm | 85% | 3.5 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1991 | 8.3°C | 4.1°C | -0.2°C | 21.3°C | -6.9°C | 117 mm | 82% | 3.4 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1990 | 10.3°C | 5.6°C | 0.9°C | 18.6°C | -6.2°C | 117 mm | 83% | 3.7 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1989 ❄️ | 0.2°C | -3.7°C | -7.5°C | 10.3°C | -15.9°C | 49 mm | 85% | 3.4 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1988 | 5.4°C | 1.3°C | -2.8°C | 17.0°C | -10.5°C | 21 mm | 79% | 3.2 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1987 | 7.9°C | 3.9°C | -0.1°C | 15.5°C | -7.7°C | 69 mm | 81% | 3.4 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1986 | 7.4°C | 3.4°C | -0.6°C | 15.4°C | -5.2°C | 170 mm | 85% | 3 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1985 | 5.0°C | 1.1°C | -2.7°C | 13.5°C | -10.8°C | 22 mm | 80% | 3.4 m/s | 2 |
| 1984 | 10.7°C | 6.4°C | 2.0°C | 19.5°C | -4.4°C | 43 mm | 84% | 2.8 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1983 | 4.8°C | 0.9°C | -3.0°C | 15.4°C | -16.2°C | 167 mm | 84% | 3.7 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 9.4°C | 5.3°C | 1.3°C | 21.1°C | -7.3°C | 66 mm | 87% | 3.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 4.8°C | 1.1°C | -2.5°C | 14.6°C | -10.6°C | 113 mm | 84% | 3.4 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 7.6°C with lows near -0.5°C (mean 3.6°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 93 mm of rainfall in Dover, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 195 mm in 2009.
The hottest December reached 24.3°C in 1998. The coldest dipped to -16.2°C in 1983.
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 6.9°C to 8.8°C and overnight lows from -1°C to 0.1°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Dover and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 7.6°C daytime highs and -0.5°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 3rd coolest month in Dover, averaging 3.6°C.
For December in Dover, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 7.6°C and lows of -0.5°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 83% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 3.2 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 4 m/s (2003).
The wettest December on record was 2009 with 195 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 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.
