Hilton Head Island weather in December
Temperature, sea and sunshine in December: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in December
Poor
Best time to visit: May – October
What is the weather like in Hilton Head Island in December?
In December, Hilton Head Island is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sea averages 16.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 9 days, adding up to 85 mm. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Hilton Head Island.
December compared
How the weather changes from November to January. Tap a month to open it.
| NovemberNov | DecemberDec | JanuaryJan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 38 | 20 | 22 |
| Day | 19° | 16° | 14° |
| Night | 13° | 10° | 8° |
| Sea | 20° | 17° | 15° |
| Sun | 6 h | 5 h | 5 h |
| Rain days | 6 | 9 | 8 |
More details for December
- Daylight
- 10 h 4 min07:16 – 17:20
- UV index
- 3 · moderateclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 1 daydew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 21 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 54 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Time zone
- UTC−5America/New_York
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %0 %
- Seaweight 25 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %32 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %67 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in December
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Hilton Head Island in December: quick answers
Is Hilton Head Island hot in December?
No. In December, Hilton Head Island is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C and nights drop to about 10 °C.
Can you swim in Hilton Head Island in December?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in December the sea averages just 16.5 °C. Comfortable swimming is possible from May to October.
Does it rain much in Hilton Head Island in December?
Rain falls on about 9 days, adding up to 85 mm.
Hilton Head Island month by month
The whole year in Hilton Head IslandAll destinations: USAWhere to go in DecemberSea temperature in December
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences