Clifden (Connemara) weather in December

December in Clifden: cold, soaked, with clean air — a gamble, with 20 rainy days.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Clifden🇮🇪 Ireland · British Isles · Trekking54
  1. 58Jan
  2. 60Feb
  3. 70Mar
  4. 82Apr
  5. 87May
  6. 85Jun
  7. 84Jul
  8. 79Aug
  9. 77Sep
  10. 67Oct
  11. 62Nov
  12. 54Dec

#12 of 12 months in Clifden · #1078 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 54/100 (tier D)

Days
10°C
Nights
6°C
Wet days
20
Sun
3.1 h
Humidity
83%
Daylight
8 h
Clifden, Ireland
Photo: Daniel Wells · Pexels

Traveller notes on Clifden in December

Other months in Clifden

Clifden-forum threads on an end-of-March visit describe weather as genuinely iffy this time of year, posters planning a Connemara stay while asking specifically about ferry service to Inishbofin given the uncertain conditions. Regulars call driving in from Shannon Airport and covering Roundstone along the way a real standard route, several posters planning exactly this itinerary for a March arrival. Posters recommend Kylemore Abbey as a genuine highlight regardless of exact March weather, considered worthwhile even on a grey day. Regulars call jacket requirements a real recurring question this time of year, several threads specifically discussing what to pack for a March Connemara trip. Posters recommend building real flexibility into a March itinerary, ferry and outdoor plans here capable of shifting based on the day's conditions. The record: 9.7C days feeling like 8C, 5.2C nights, an extraordinarily high 105.2mm across over 17 days and 82 percent humidity.
ClifdenMarchRegular · March · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Clifden-forum threads on winter travel to Connemara describe the weather as genuinely far from warm and sunny, posters calling the wider region beautiful but capable of feeling wild and isolated this time of year. Regulars call Clifden a real exception, a genuinely year-round, living town that makes a solid winter mini-break base regardless of the surrounding weather. Posters recommend a light waterproof coat and sensible shoes as the minimum outdoors. Regulars call the weather the biggest obstacle to hiking plans, flexible scheduling considerably more useful than a fixed itinerary. Posters describe the coastal ferry services as running year-round but weather dependent, checking current status before relying on one worthwhile. Regulars call January conditions capable of disrupting a well-planned day, real backup options worth having regardless of forecast. The record: 8.6C days feeling like 4C, 5C nights, an extraordinarily high 117.9mm across nearly 18 days and 82 percent humidity.
ClifdenJanuaryRegular · January · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Clifden-forum threads on visiting Connemara call June a genuinely strong month for daylight, posters describing real light lasting until nearly nine in the evening for extended exploring. Regulars call the weather here fundamentally unpredictable regardless of season, a light waterproof jacket and sensible shoes standing advice on any given day. Posters describe July as typically the wetter of the two peak summer months, June comparatively the safer bet though far from guaranteed. Regulars recommend basing in Clifden itself for exploring the wider Connemara region, the town a genuinely convenient hub for the Sky Road and nearby beaches. Posters call the Sky Road loop worth doing even under a grey sky, the coastal views holding up regardless of weather. Regulars recommend real flexibility in any day's plan, a forecast here rarely holding for the full day. The record: 16.1C days feeling like 14C, 11.5C nights, an extraordinarily high 89.6mm across over 16 days and 81 percent humidity.
ClifdenJuneRegular · June · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Clifden-forum threads on hiking trails around Connemara are direct weather is a genuinely major factor in planning any outing, posters consistent that conditions can shift from clear to a real downpour within the same walk. Regulars recommend sticking to established, well-marked trails given how quickly conditions can turn, proper waterproof layers non-negotiable regardless of forecast. Posters call nearby Inishbofin genuinely worth the ferry crossing, though flag it as an island with few indoor fallback options, meaning reasonable conditions really matter for that day trip. Regulars describe a full week as easily filled around Clifden without covering all of Connemara, the coastline and Sky Road drive both rewarding on a cloudy day. Posters recommend a specialist local forecast rather than a generic app given how localized conditions run here. The record: 15.9C days feeling like 13C, 11.8C nights, an extraordinarily high 113mm across nearly 18 days and 82 percent humidity.
ClifdenSeptemberRegular · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Clifden climate normals — December

Daytime high10°C / 49°F🧥 cold
Nighttime low6°C / 43°F
Feels like (high)5°C / 41°F
Sea temperature10°C / 49°F🥶 cold sea
Rainfall153 mm / 6 in⛈ soaked
Rainy days20 days
Humidity83%💦 very humid
Dew point5°C / 42°F
Sunshine3.1 h/day
Daylight7.6 h
Wind34 km/h / 21 mph
Snowfall1.5 cm / 0.6 in
Air quality (US AQI)41🍃 good

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

Crowds in Clifden 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.

Peak crowdsChristmas Day shutdown, Christmas break in Ireland, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Clifden'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 weatherClifden's weather peaks May–July.

December coincides with Atlantic gale season.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Clifden in December

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

  • Hazard

    Atlantic gale season

    15 Oct – 15 Mar · usuallyStorm season

    Named storms come in off the ocean with nothing between here and Newfoundland to slow them. Power goes out in the townlands, and the coast road at Streamstown takes spray across it. Source ↗

  • Season

    Winter shutdown

    1 Nov – 15 Mar · usuallyOff-season shutdownClosures

    Most of the guesthouses, the boat trips and a fair share of the restaurants close after October, leaving a handful of pubs and one hotel. The landscape is unchanged and there is nobody in it. Source ↗

  • Holiday

    Christmas Day shutdown

    24–26 DecChristmas & New YearClosures

    Ireland comes closest to a full stop on 25 December: pubs, shops and most restaurants close and there are no trains or buses anywhere in the country. St Stephen's Day on the 26th is also a public holiday, though pubs reopen and there are races and walks. Source ↗

What's on around the world in December →

Nearby, and something's on

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

Where is Clifden?

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Clifden in December — FAQ

Is December a good time to visit Clifden?
December in Clifden: cold, soaked, with clean air — a gamble, with 20 rainy days. It ranks #12 of 12 months for Clifden on SeasonMap's comfort score (54/100).
What is the weather like in Clifden in December?
In December, Clifden averages a daily high of 9.5°C and a low of 6.1°C, with about 152.6 mm of rain over roughly 19.5 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Clifden in December?
Clifden has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 41 in December.
Does it snow in Clifden in December?
Clifden sees roughly 1.5 cm of snowfall in December.

Within 300 km: Dingle's Other Voices around 28 Nov – 10 Dec, and Killarney's Christmas in Killarney around 20 Nov – 31 Dec.