SeasonMapBournemouth weather in December
United Kingdom
December in Bournemouth: cold, rainy, with clean air — one of the weakest months to visit.
#12 of 12 months in Bournemouth · #1272 of 1383 destinations to visit in December · comfort 38/100 (tier F)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Bournemouth in December
Other months in Bournemouth
August in Bournemouth is the peak of everything. A good day can reach the mid-to-high 20s°C, though the monthly average high sits nearer 21, with the sea around 17°C. The forum's real subject, though, is volume: a very hot summer's day brings roughly 80,000 people to the beach, and an airshow day upwards of 250,000. Regulars advise avoiding the Pier area for crowding and parking and heading to Southbourne, Christchurch and Hengistbury Head, or Mudeford instead. Two August fixtures worth timing around: fireworks off the pier every Friday night from late July to the end of August, and the Wednesday candlelight evenings in the lower gardens.
Year-round notes are on Bournemouth's overview. Add your own note from Bournemouth's card on the map.
Bournemouth climate normals — December
| Daytime high | 11°C / 51°F | 🧥 cold |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 4°C / 39°F | |
| Feels like (high) | 7°C / 45°F | |
| Sea temperature | 10°C / 51°F | 🥶 cold sea |
| Rainfall | 84 mm / 3.3 in | 🌧 rainy |
| Rainy days | 13 days | |
| Humidity | 86% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 6°C / 42°F | |
| Sunshine | 3.2 h/day | |
| Daylight | 8 h | |
| Wind | 27 km/h / 17 mph | |
| Snowfall | 0.2 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)
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.
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 seasonAvocets, 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 · usuallyWinter 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 YearThe 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 ↗
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?
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.
Other months in Bournemouth
Compare Bournemouth in December
Warmer or cooler than Bournemouth in December
Similar destinations in Northern Europe — 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.