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Warmest sea in United Kingdom in December

914 coastal locations in United Kingdom ranked by their typical December sea temperature. Region-wide average in December: 10.1°C. The top of the list is where to find the warmest swimming this month.

Warmest in December

Hallsands

12.5°C December mean in United Kingdom

Regional December average

10.1°C

across all 914 coastal locations in United Kingdom

Vs annual mean

-1.9°C

below the year-round regional average

What the United Kingdom sea feels like in December

Water at this temperature is cold and will feel very cold initially, but the body will get used to it and longer swims are possible. Experienced swimmers can manage several hours of swimming, however hypothermia is still a real risk.

United Kingdom monthly average 8.1°C to 16.5°C
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  • Warmest month August 16.5°C
  • Coldest month February 8.1°C
  • Annual mean 12.0°C
  • Months above 20°C 0 of 12

Where December fits in the year

December sits inside the regional pattern shown on the left. Pick a different month to see how the ranking shifts.

All twelve United Kingdom month rankings:

United Kingdom sea temperature map (live)

The map shows today's latest reading at every United Kingdom location. The list below is based on the typical December mean, useful for trip planning weeks or months ahead.

Zoom in to see individual locations. Click a pin for water temperatures. View list →
°C -2 0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 24 27 30 35

Top 50 warmest United Kingdom locations in December

Sorted by the typical December mean built from a decade of daily readings at each location. Click any place for its 30-day chart, monthly profile, and full 10-year history.

# Location December mean
1 Hallsands Devon 12.5°C
2 Lannacombe Beach Devon 12.5°C
3 Prawl Devon 12.5°C
4 Start Point Devon 12.5°C
5 Hope Cove Devon 12.4°C
6 Salcombe Devon 12.4°C
7 Maseline Pier Channel Islands 12.4°C
8 Beesands Devon 12.4°C
9 Blackpool Devon 12.4°C
10 Blackpool Sands Devon 12.4°C
11 Brixham Devon 12.4°C
12 Dartmouth Devon 12.4°C
13 Goodrington Devon 12.4°C
14 Kingswear Devon 12.4°C
15 Paignton Devon 12.4°C
16 Slapton Devon 12.4°C
17 Stoke Fleming Devon 12.4°C
18 Strete Devon 12.4°C
19 Torbay England 12.4°C
20 Torquay Devon 12.4°C
21 Totnes England 12.4°C
22 Greenway Quay Devon 12.3°C
23 Stoke Gabriel (Duncannon) Devon 12.3°C
24 Bantham Devon 12.3°C
25 Bigbury-on-Sea Devon 12.3°C
Show 25 more ▸
26 Challaborough Devon 12.3°C
27 Kingsbridge Devon 12.3°C
28 Mothecombe Devon 12.3°C
29 Bovisand Devon 12.2°C
30 Heybrook Bay Devon 12.2°C
31 Millbrook Cornwall 12.2°C
32 Noss Mayo Devon 12.2°C
33 Plymouth Cornwall 12.2°C
34 Torpoint England 12.2°C
35 Wembury Devon 12.2°C
36 English Channel England 12.2°C
37 Portscatho Cornwall 12.2°C
38 Cargreen Cornwall 12.2°C
39 Devonport Plymouth 12.2°C
40 Jupiter Point Cornwall 12.2°C
41 River Yealm Entrance Devon 12.2°C
42 Saltash Plymouth 12.2°C
43 Turnchapel Plymouth 12.2°C
44 Looe Cornwall 12.1°C
45 Portwrinkle Cornwall 12.1°C
46 Talland Cornwall 12.1°C
47 Fowey Cornwall 12.1°C
48 Par England 12.1°C
49 Polperro Cornwall 12.1°C
50 Branscombe Devon 12.1°C

Coldest 10 in United Kingdom in December

Same data the other way. Helpful if you want to know which United Kingdom coasts to avoid for swimming in December.

# Location December mean
1 Annan Dumfries and Galloway 7.4°C
2 Glasson Cumbria 7.4°C
3 Torduff Point Dumfries and Galloway 7.4°C
4 King's Lynn Norfolk 7.4°C
5 New Hunstanton Norfolk 7.4°C
6 West Stones Norfolk 7.4°C
7 Wisbech Cambridgeshire 7.4°C
8 Galgate Lancashire 7.6°C
9 Lancaster Lancashire 7.6°C
10 Preston Lancashire 7.6°C

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