The weather in Dublin in December is wintery.
We generally get cool, wet and windy weather throughout the month but, as we say in every guide that mentions the weather in Dublin, it can be very unpredictable.
The LTA (Long Term Average) temperature in Dublin in December is 5.6°C/42.08°F with rainfall measuring 72.7mm.
Below, you’ll discover everything you know, from snow in December in Dublin to lots more.
Some quick need-to-knows about the weather in Dublin in December
OK, let’s get you up-to-speed nice and quickly. The points below will give you a quick insight into the weather in Dublin in December:
1. The season
January, February and December are the winter months in Ireland. This is the off-peak season from a tourist perspective, but keep in mind flight prices increase due to people flying home for New Years and Christmas in Ireland.
2. The weather in general
The weather in Dublin in December is cold, wet and wintery. Dublin doesn’t tend to get extreme weather events during December. However, it still isn’t one of the best months to visit Dublin weather-wise.
3. Average temperatures
The LTA (Long Term Average) temperature in Dublin in December is 5.6°C/42.08°F with rainfall measuring 72.7mm.
4. Short days
You need to be careful when planning a trip to Ireland during this month as you’re dealing with very short days. At the beginning of the month, the sun rises at 08:22 and it sets at 16:19. You’ll need to take this into account if you’re including long hikes in your Ireland itinerary.
5. Christmas markets
We go into the various things to see and do in our guide to December in Dublin. Although the various Christmas markets in Dublin leave a lot to be desired, there’s plenty of other things to do in Dublin at this time of year.
The average temperature in Dublin in December
The LTA (Long Term Average) temperature in Dublin in December is 5.6°C/42.08°F with rainfall measuring 72.7mm.
Now, do keep in mind that this can vary a bit each year, so I’ll stick in a table below comparing different years and different counties.
Please note that all of the Dublin in December weather data is via Met Eireann – the Irish Meteorological Service.
A comparison of December weather in Dublin in recent years
| County | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin | 4.4°C/39.92°F | 6.5°C/43.7°F | 4.9°C/40.82°F |
| Galway | 3.4°C/38.12°F | 7.1°C/44.78°F | 5.0°C/41°F |
| Cork | 6.3°C/43.34°F | 8.9°C/48.02°F | 6.9°C/44.42°F |
| Kerry | 6.4°C/43.52°F | 9.1°C/48.38°F | 7.3°C/45.14°F |
The table above will give you a sense of the average temperature in Dublin in December, Galway, Cork and Kerry over the last few years.
As you can see, the average temperature in Dublin in December is fairly steady across the different years and in the various counties.
Rain and snow in Dublin in December
| County | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin | 74.0 | 85.8 | 83.1 |
| Galway | 151.6 | 114.7 | 151.6 |
| Cork | 94.0 | 119.0 | 140.6 |
| Kerry | 169.8 | 187.9 | 244.2 |
We get asked ‘Does in snow in Dublin in December?’ a lot. The answer is sometimes, but usually just on elevated ground (see our guide on what to wear in Dublin in December).
In the table above, you’ll see the more common December weather in Dublin – rain! This chart shows the amount of rain that has fallen in millimetres.
Now, it’s also worth noting that certain parts of Dublin, usually the west coast, get more rainfall than the east coast. This can be seen in the figures in the table above.
FAQs about the weather in Dublin in December
We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘Is December a good month for Dublin?’ to ‘Does it snow?’.
In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.
Is Dublin cold in December?
What is the average temperature in December in Dublin?
Will it snow at Christmas in Dublin?
Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent much of the last 13 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 40 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.