Weather in Ireland in December is cool, wet and dark rather than snowy: expect daytime highs of about 8°C to 10°C (46°F to 50°F), rain on 13 to 21 days depending on where you are, and only 7 to 8 hours of daylight.
In December, Ireland experiences cool temperatures, increased rainfall, moderate winds, limited daylight hours, and occasional snowfall, characteristic of its winter season.
All averages below were checked against Met Éireann’s 1991-2020 climate averages in October 2026. Christmas closures, storm names and December 2026 event dates were checked in November 2026.
Overview of the Weather in Ireland in December
- Temperature: Average daily temperatures range from lows of 3°C (37°F) to highs of 10°C (50°F).
- Rainfall: Varies by region; for example, Dublin Airport averages 72 mm (2.8 inches) with 13 days of 1 mm or more, while Shannon Airport in the west sees about 115 mm (4.5 inches) over 17 days.
- Snowfall: Infrequent, with snow or sleet falling on only 1 to 2 days at most lowland stations, and lying snow on less than one morning in an average December.
- Wind Speed: December experiences moderate winds, with average speeds around 22 km/h (13 mph) at Dublin Airport and about 26 km/h (16 mph) on the exposed Mayo coast.
- Storms: Named storms are common enough in December to plan around, with orange or red warnings that can disrupt travel for a day or two.
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 7 to 8 hours per day; sunrise around 8:30 AM, sunset near 4:00 PM.
- Sunshine: December is the dullest month of the year at every Met Éireann climate station, with just 1.1 to 1.8 hours of sunshine a day.
- Frost: Dublin Airport averages about 7 nights of air frost in December, while Atlantic coastal stations such as Malin Head and Valentia see only about 2.
December Weather in Ireland: A Closer Look
Temperature
December in Ireland brings cool conditions, with average temperatures ranging from 3°C (37°F) to 10°C (50°F). Coastal areas, influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, tend to be milder, while inland regions may experience slightly cooler temperatures, especially during the night.
The gap is clearest in the long-term averages. Valentia Observatory in Co. Kerry averages 10.4°C (51°F) by day and 5.8°C (42°F) at night in December, while Dublin Airport averages 8.3°C (47°F) and 2.6°C (37°F).
Rainfall
Rainfall is common across Ireland in December. Eastern regions like Dublin receive about 72 mm (2.8 inches), with 13 days of 1 mm or more, making them relatively drier. In contrast, western areas such as Valentia in Co. Kerry experience much higher rainfall, averaging 179 mm (7.1 inches) over 20 days during the month.
December is the wettest month of the year at Cork Airport, Shannon Airport and Malin Head, and only November is wetter in Dublin, Belmullet and Valentia.
Snowfall
Snowfall in Ireland during December is infrequent. Met Éireann’s averages show snow or sleet falling on about 2 days at Dublin Airport and just 1 day at Shannon Airport, with snow lying on the ground at 9 AM on less than one morning in an average December.
A white Christmas is rarer still. Met Éireann records show snow lying on Christmas morning only nine times between 1961 and 2019, most recently in 2010 (see this analysis of how rare white Christmases are in Ireland). For the bigger picture on cold snaps, see our guide to how often it snows in Ireland.
Wind Speed
December experiences moderate winds, with average speeds around 22 km/h (13 mph) at Dublin Airport. Coastal regions, especially along the west, may encounter stronger gusts due to Atlantic weather systems.
Malin Head in Co. Donegal averages 8.6 days with gales in December, and Belmullet in Co. Mayo 4.7. Met Éireann names the strongest storms, so check its warnings before driving coastal roads or taking a ferry.
Storm Risk in December 2026
A named storm in December is common enough to plan around: December 2025 had Storm Bram, for one. The 2026/27 season started early, too. Storm Austen and Storm Boelo had both been named by the end of October 2026, and Boelo brought orange wind warnings to five western counties and an orange rain warning to Kerry, according to Met Éireann’s Storm Boelo impacts update.
Met Éireann, the UK Met Office and the Dutch weather service share one list, and the next name on Met Éireann’s 2026/27 storm names list is Chloe. A storm gets a name when it’s expected to bring medium or high impacts, usually alongside orange or red warnings for wind, rain or snow. Fair warning: on those days, expect travel disruption and dangerous coastal conditions, so leave a spare day in your plans and save the cliff walks for calmer weather.
Daylight Hours
Daylight is limited in December, with approximately 7 to 8 hours of light daily. The sun typically rises around 8:30 AM and sets near 4:00 PM, providing shorter days for outdoor activities.
The shortest day is the winter solstice on 21 December 2026, when Dublin gets about 7 hours 29 minutes of daylight and Belfast about 7 hours 14 minutes. It is also the morning the rising sun lights up the chamber at Newgrange, one of the oldest Celtic winter solstice traditions in the country. The table below shows how the times shift across the month.
| Place | 1 December | 21 December | 31 December |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin | 08:17 to 16:10 (7h 52m) | 08:38 to 16:07 (7h 29m) | 08:40 to 16:15 (7h 34m) |
| Cork | 08:19 to 16:26 (8h 06m) | 08:39 to 16:24 (7h 44m) | 08:41 to 16:32 (7h 50m) |
| Galway | 08:28 to 16:21 (7h 53m) | 08:49 to 16:19 (7h 29m) | 08:51 to 16:27 (7h 35m) |
| Belfast | 08:22 to 16:02 (7h 39m) | 08:44 to 15:58 (7h 14m) | 08:46 to 16:06 (7h 20m) |
Sunshine
December is the dullest month of the year in Ireland. Cork Airport is the sunniest Met Éireann station with an average of 1.8 hours a day, while Malin Head averages just 1.1 hours.
December Weather by Region
The west and south are milder and much wetter, while the east is colder at night and noticeably drier. Here is how the main weather stations compare in an average December:
| Station | Avg high | Avg low | Rain | Rain days | Sun per day | Frost nights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valentia Observatory, Co. Kerry | 10.4°C (51°F) | 5.8°C (42°F) | 179 mm | 20 | 1.2 hrs | 2 |
| Cork Airport, Co. Cork | 8.7°C (48°F) | 3.8°C (39°F) | 137 mm | 17 | 1.8 hrs | 3 |
| Shannon Airport, Co. Clare | 9.2°C (49°F) | 3.7°C (39°F) | 115 mm | 17 | 1.5 hrs | 4 |
| Belmullet, Co. Mayo | 9.2°C (49°F) | 4.6°C (40°F) | 127 mm | 21 | 1.2 hrs | 2 |
| Malin Head, Co. Donegal | 8.8°C (48°F) | 4.3°C (40°F) | 130 mm | 20 | 1.1 hrs | 2 |
| Casement Aerodrome, Co. Dublin | 8.3°C (47°F) | 2.6°C (37°F) | 76 mm | 13 | 1.5 hrs | 7 |
| Dublin Airport, Co. Dublin | 8.3°C (47°F) | 2.6°C (37°F) | 72 mm | 13 | 1.7 hrs | 7 |
| Belfast Newforge, Co. Antrim | 8.4°C (47°F) | 2.3°C (36°F) | 93 mm | 15 | 1.1 hrs | 7 |
Use the interactive chart below to compare the stations on one measure at a time.
Compare December weather across Ireland
Valentia in Kerry gets about 2.5 times as much December rain as Dublin Airport.
Averages for December, 1991-2020. Rain days are days with 1 mm or more. Source: Met Éireann 30-year averages; Belfast: Met Office (Belfast Newforge). As of October 2026.
What December 2025 Was Actually Like
Averages only tell part of the story. According to Met Éireann’s December 2025 summary, the month was mild and wet for its first two thirds, then cold and dry for the final third:
- Storm Bram brought heavy rain and widespread gales on 9 December, with gusts of 119 km/h (74 mph) at Sherkin Island, Co. Cork.
- Record warmth: the storm’s tropical air pushed Phoenix Park in Dublin to 17.2°C (63°F) on 9 December, its highest December temperature on record.
- Rainfall: Valentia Observatory recorded 198.2 mm, while Dublin Airport had just 48.4 mm, only 67% of its average.
- Cold finish: the lowest temperature was -4.9°C (23°F) at Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan, on 31 December.
In short, a single December can swing from springlike warmth to hard frost, so pack for both.
Ireland vs Northern Ireland Weather in December
While both regions share similar climates, subtle differences exist:
- Temperature: Northern Ireland’s average temperatures are slightly lower, with daily averages around 5°C (41°F) in Belfast, compared to Ireland’s average of 6°C (43°F) across Met Éireann’s main climate stations.
- Rainfall: Belfast averages 93 mm (3.7 inches) of rain in December, compared to Dublin’s 72 mm (2.8 inches), although Ireland’s Atlantic coast is wetter than both.
- Snowfall: Both regions experience infrequent snowfall in December, and lying snow is rare on either side of the border.
- Wind: Both regions experience moderate winds in December, with coastal areas encountering stronger gusts.
- Daylight: Daylight hours are similar, with both regions experiencing about 7 to 8 hours of daylight during December. Around the solstice, Belfast gets about 15 fewer minutes of daylight a day than Dublin.
In summary, while Ireland and Northern Ireland share comparable December weather patterns, Northern Ireland tends to be slightly cooler and wetter than Dublin.
Is December a Good Time to Visit Ireland?
December suits travellers who come for atmosphere rather than long days outdoors. Christmas lights, Christmas markets and cosy pubs make up for the short days, and many Irish Christmas traditions are at their best in the run-up to 25 December. For a wider look at the season, our guide to visiting Ireland in winter covers driving, daylight and opening hours.
Keep the calendar in mind too. Christmas Day and St. Stephen’s Day are both public holidays in Ireland, when many shops and attractions close, and the Christmas school holidays make the second half of the month busier for family travel.
Christmas Closures on 25 and 26 December 2026
Christmas Day falls on Friday 25 December 2026 and St. Stephen’s Day on Saturday 26 December. Christmas Day is the one day of the year when Ireland properly shuts: most shops, restaurants and attractions close, and in recent years there has been no Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, Irish Rail or Luas service at all.
- St. Stephen’s Day: buses and the Luas usually return on a Sunday or holiday timetable from about 9 AM, but Irish Rail has run no trains on 26 December in recent years. Check the Transport for Ireland Christmas services page once the 2026 timetables are out.
- Republic of Ireland: with St. Stephen’s Day on a Saturday, there’s no automatic right to Monday 28 December off, as Citizens Information’s public holidays page explains.
- Northern Ireland: Monday 28 December 2026 is the substitute Boxing Day bank holiday, according to the UK government bank holidays list.
- Before you go: sort out Christmas Day dinner and transport in advance, since you can’t count on finding a bus or an open restaurant on the day.
December 2026 Events in Ireland
Most of the big Christmas markets wrap up before Christmas week, so go early in the month if they’re the point of the trip. These dates were checked in November 2026:
- Galway Christmas Market: Eyre Square, Friday 6 November to Tuesday 22 December 2026, with the Big Wheel running on to 3 January 2027 (see the Galway Tourism Christmas market page).
- Winterval, Waterford: weekends from 13 November to 23 December 2026, according to the Winterval 2026 festival website.
- Wild Lights at Dublin Zoo: every evening from 12 November 2026 to 5 January 2027, except 24, 25 and 26 December (see the Dublin Zoo Wild Lights page). Handy on a dry evening, since it’s dark by half four anyway.
- Winter solstice at Newgrange: the sunrise lights the chamber on the mornings of about 19 to 23 December, and places inside are given out by lottery, as explained on Heritage Ireland’s Newgrange winter solstice page.
Here is the whole month on one page, handy to save before you travel:
What to Pack for Ireland in December
- A waterproof jacket with a hood, since rain falls on 13 to 21 days of the month.
- Warm layers, such as a fleece or wool jumper, for days around 8°C to 10°C (46°F to 50°F) and frosty nights inland.
- Waterproof shoes or boots with good grip for wet and occasionally icy paths.
- A hat, gloves and scarf, especially for exposed coasts where the wind makes it feel colder.
- A small torch or a phone with plenty of charge for walks that run past 4 PM. Our Ireland city break packing list has more ideas for rainy trips.
December Weather in Ireland: FAQs
How cold is Ireland in December?
Ireland is cool but rarely freezing in December. Average highs range from 8.3°C (47°F) in Dublin to 10.4°C (51°F) in Kerry, and average lows from 2.6°C (37°F) to 5.8°C (42°F), according to Met Éireann.
Does it snow in Ireland in December?
It can, but not often. Most lowland stations record snow or sleet on only 1 to 2 days in December, and snow lying on the ground is rare outside cold snaps and high ground.
Are there storms in Ireland in December?
Often enough to plan for. December 2025 brought Storm Bram, and two storms, Austen and Boelo, had already been named in the 2026/27 season by the end of October. Named storms come with orange or red warnings for wind, rain or snow, so check Met Éireann before coastal drives, ferries or hill walks.
Is anything open on Christmas Day in Ireland?
Not much. Christmas Day is Friday 25 December in 2026, and most shops, attractions and restaurants close. In recent years there has been no Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, Irish Rail or Luas service on Christmas Day, so sort out food and transport before the day.
What time does it get dark in Ireland in December?
The sun sets between about 3:57 PM and 4:15 PM in Dublin and Belfast, and between about 4:17 PM and 4:32 PM in Galway and Cork. Twilight lasts another 40 to 45 minutes, so it is properly dark by about 4:45 PM to 5:10 PM around the shortest day.
Is December the wettest month in Ireland?
In some places, yes. December is the wettest month on average at Cork Airport, Shannon Airport and Malin Head, while November is slightly wetter in Dublin, Belmullet and Valentia.
What was the weather like in December 2025?
December 2025 was mild and wet for most of the month, with Storm Bram on 9 December and a record 17.2°C at Phoenix Park, before turning cold and dry over Christmas and New Year.
