Bournemouth weather in December

December in Bournemouth: cold, rainy, with clean air — one of the weakest months to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Bournemouth🇬🇧 United Kingdom · British Isles · Beach38
  1. 41Jan
  2. 48Feb
  3. 58Mar
  4. 75Apr
  5. 77May
  6. 81Jun
  7. 85Jul
  8. 83Aug
  9. 73Sep
  10. 60Oct
  11. 49Nov
  12. 38Dec

#12 of 12 months in Bournemouth · #1301 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 38/100 (tier F)

Days
11°C
Nights
4°C
Wet days
13
Sun
3.2 h
Humidity
86%
Daylight
8 h
Bournemouth, United Kingdom
Photo: Tony Zohari · Pexels

Traveller notes on Bournemouth in December

Bournemouth-forum threads on local weather describe December as one of the wetter months of the year here, rain a regular feature across a real share of days, temperatures rarely climbing much past the high 40s Fahrenheit even at midday. Posters note it can dip to freezing on a cold snap, though such stretches seldom last more than a day or two before moderating again. Snow is called genuinely uncommon this close to the coast, with most winters bringing only light flurries that melt quickly rather than settling into anything photogenic. Wind off the Channel is a near-constant feature regardless of temperature, worth a proper windproof layer even on a day that isn't especially cold. The pier and seafront promenade are still called worth a walk on a clear day, bracing rather than pleasant, but a genuine local tradition regardless. The record: 10.6C days feeling like 7C, 3.9C nights, 84mm across 12.8 days, a 10.3C sea, 86 percent humidity and just 3.2 hours of sun.
BournemouthPierDecemberRegular · December · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Bournemouth

Regulars asking about wet-weather backups are a recurring feature of this town's forum regardless of the month, and the standard answer leans on the museums, indoor markets and covered attractions clustered near the seafront rather than assuming the beach plan will simply work out. Our row backs a real chance of that backup being needed, 51.9mm of rain across 10.1 days, alongside mild spring warmth, 18.4C over 7.4C nights feeling 5C, and a real 20.5 kph wind. The sea is still properly cool at 13.3C, not yet the swimming draw it becomes later in summer. The record: humidity 76 percent, 11.4 hours of sun and AQI 42.
HaveAnIndoorBackupReadyAnyway · May · 1 month ago · Read more on tripadvisor.ie ↗
Asked to choose June or July, Bournemouth regulars pick June: a little quieter, and crucially before the school holidays send hotel prices up. Weekdays are quiet on the sand and weekends are not, and the crowding is concentrated rather than general - the stretch by the pier fills first, and walking a few minutes from any access point thins it out fast. Our row gives 21.3C over 10.9C with 58.9mm across 9.4 precipitation days and 11.5 hours of sun, which is a good British June. The one thing they will not promise is the water: at 17C the sea is still too cold for comfortable swimming this early, whatever the air is doing. The record: humidity 76 percent, a 20.9 kph wind, 16.4 hours of daylight and AQI 40.
BeforeTheSchoolsBreakUp · June · 1 month ago · Read more on tripadvisor.co.uk ↗
The Bournemouth forum's July pitch is that the south coast gets the better end of English summer - mid to high 20s when it goes well, and not as bad as up country when it does not - with the honest rider that the weather is hard to judge in advance any more. The beach fills on the same schedule every day: quiet on the west side at 10am, busy by the pier by afternoon, so walk away from the pier for space. The sea warms from June onward and is pleasant in the shallows in a decent summer. From late July to the end of August there are fireworks off the pier every Friday night. The record: 23.2C days, 12.6C nights, 9 precipitation days, 11.6 hours of sun in a 16-hour day, and a 16.1C sea.
PierFireworksFriday · July · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Forum posters call February English weather thoroughly unpredictable - cold, possibly wet or snowy, possibly clear and crisp, with no way to know in advance which day gets which. Days are lengthening through the month, from roughly 9.25 hours of daylight at the start to nearly 11 by the end, and posters note some attractions still run reduced winter hours through to Easter. The clear upside consistently raised: noticeably thinner crowds and cheaper accommodation than peak season, making it a reasonable trade for visitors willing to dress for the cold and keep plans flexible around the weather.
Tripadvisor community · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Year-round notes are on Bournemouth's overview. Add your own note from Bournemouth's card on the map.

Bournemouth climate normals — December

Daytime high11°C / 51°F🧥 cold
Nighttime low4°C / 39°F
Feels like (high)7°C / 45°F
Sea temperature10°C / 51°F🥶 cold sea
Rainfall84 mm / 3.3 in🌧 rainy
Rainy days13 days
Humidity86%💦 very humid
Dew point6°C / 42°F
Sunshine3.2 h/day
Daylight8 h
Wind27 km/h / 17 mph
Snowfall0.2 cm / 0.1 in
Air quality (US AQI)32🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Bournemouth in December

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

BusyChristmas holidays in United Kingdom, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Bournemouth's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Toughest weatherBournemouth's weather peaks June–August, best around July.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Bournemouth in December

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Nature

    Winter waders on Poole Harbour

    15 Oct – 10 Mar · usuallyBirdlife season

    Avocets, black-tailed godwits and brent geese pack the mudflats at Arne and Brownsea through the cold months, and the hides are busiest on a falling tide. Source ↗

  • Nature

    Fossil hunting season

    1 Nov – 31 Mar · usually

    Winter storms cut into the Jurassic Coast cliffs west of here and turn out ammonites onto the beach at Charmouth and Lyme. Collecting is done on the tide line, never at the cliff face. Source ↗

  • Festival

    Christmas Tree Wonderland

    15 Nov – 2 Jan · usuallyChristmas & New Year

    The town gardens are strung with light installations and a walking trail from mid-November, which is what a seaside resort does with a month nobody would otherwise come for. Source ↗

What's on around the world in December →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Bournemouth — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Bournemouth?

Loading map…

Bournemouth in December — FAQ

Is December a good time to visit Bournemouth?
December in Bournemouth: cold, rainy, with clean air — one of the weakest months to visit. It ranks #12 of 12 months for Bournemouth on SeasonMap's comfort score (38/100).
What is the weather like in Bournemouth in December?
In December, Bournemouth averages a daily high of 10.6°C and a low of 3.9°C, with about 84.3 mm of rain over roughly 12.8 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Bournemouth in December?
Bournemouth has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 32 in December.

Within 300 km: Isle of Wight's Brent geese and winter waders around 1 Oct – 15 Mar, and Bath's Bath Christmas Market on 26 Nov – 13 Dec.