SeasonMapOban weather in December
United Kingdom
December in Oban: cold, soaked, with clean air — not the time — 21 rainy days.
#12 of 12 months in Oban · #1297 of 1383 destinations to visit in December · comfort 35/100 (tier F)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Oban in December
Notes from nearby Aviemore (132 km away)
Oban doesn't have its own notes for December yet — these are about Aviemore, close enough to share the season.
Aviemore's forum calls the Cairngorms genuinely fiercer than England's Peaks or Lakes in December — regulars describe conditions swinging from freezing rain to surprisingly pleasant within the same week, and snow is famously unpredictable, with one visitor reporting brilliant snow one year and barely a smattering the next. The only real certainty is short daylight — around eight hours on a good day.
Add your own note from Oban's card on the map.
Oban climate normals — December
| Daytime high | 7°C / 44°F | 🧥 cold |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 4°C / 38°F | |
| Feels like (high) | 3°C / 37°F | |
| Sea temperature | 9°C / 49°F | 🥶 cold sea |
| Rainfall | 252 mm / 9.9 in | ⛈ soaked |
| Rainy days | 21 days | |
| Humidity | 90% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 4°C / 39°F | |
| Sunshine | 1.8 h/day | |
| Daylight | 7 h | |
| Wind | 23 km/h / 14 mph | |
| Snowfall | 6.1 cm / 2.4 in | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 30 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Oban 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 crowdsOban Winter Festival, Christmas holidays in United Kingdom, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Oban'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 weatherOban's weather peaks May–July, best around June.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Oban in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Out of season
1 Nov – 25 Mar · usuallyOff-season shutdownClosuresA good share of the guesthouses and the island boat trips run April to October only, and the ferries drop to a winter timetable. Wet, dark and cheap, with the distillery and the chip shop still open. Source ↗
- Festival
Oban Winter Festival
13 Nov – 20 DecChristmas & New YearCrowdedFive weeks of lights, markets, ceilidhs and a haggis competition from mid-November, which is the one reason to be here in the dark half of the year. Everything else on the seafront has shut by then. Source ↗
- Season
Wet season
MonsoonRisk21 rainy days and about 252 mm in the month — the real kind of rainy season, not afternoon showers.
from the climate normals
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Oban — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Oban?
Oban in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Oban?
- December in Oban: cold, soaked, with clean air — not the time — 21 rainy days. It ranks #12 of 12 months for Oban on SeasonMap's comfort score (35/100).
- What is the weather like in Oban in December?
- In December, Oban averages a daily high of 6.9°C and a low of 3.5°C, with about 251.5 mm of rain over roughly 21.4 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Oban in December?
- Oban has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 30 in December.
- Does it snow in Oban in December?
- Oban sees roughly 6.1 cm of snowfall in December.
Other months in Oban
Compare Oban in December
Warmer or cooler than Oban in December
Similar destinations in Northern Europe — December
Within 300 km: Glasgow's Christmas lights and market around 15 Nov – 31 Dec, and Isle of Skye's Aurora season around 15 Sep – 31 Mar.