Folkestone in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Folkestone sees average daytime highs around 8°C and overnight lows near 6°C, with 283 mm of precipitation over about 43 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the 2nd-wettest season.
Over the season highs ease from about 10°C in early December to 8°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Folkestone's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Folkestone's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 8°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 6°C
- Precipitation
- 283 mm
- 43 wet days
- Avg wind
- 28 km/h
- Travel score
- 1.2
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Folkestone in Winter
Over the season highs ease from about 10°C in early December to 8°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Folkestone reaches about 8°C and drops to 6°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
How winter really feels in Folkestone
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 7 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Folkestone weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8° / 5° | 101 | 15.3 | 0.7 | 8.2 | 1.1 |
| Feb | 7° / 5° | 70 | 12.5 | 0.9 | 9.6 | 1.0 |
| Mar | 9° / 6° | 55 | 10.8 | 0.3 | 11.5 | 1.5 |
| Apr | 10° / 8° | 48 | 9.6 | 0.1 | 13.5 | 2.4 |
| May | 13° / 11° | 53 | 9.8 | 0 | 15.3 | 3.6 |
| Jun | 16° / 13° | 53 | 9.2 | 0 | 16.2 | 4.8 |
| Jul | 18° / 15° | 55 | 9.6 | 0 | 15.9 | 5.9 |
| Aug | 19° / 16° | 66 | 9.8 | 0 | 14.4 | 6.1 |
| Sep | 17° / 15° | 70 | 11.1 | 0 | 12.4 | 5.4 |
| Oct | 15° / 12° | 110 | 14.6 | 0 | 10.4 | 3.9 |
| Nov | 11° / 9° | 115 | 16.4 | 0.2 | 8.7 | 2.4 |
| Dec | 9° / 6° | 112 | 15.4 | 0.7 | 7.8 | 1.5 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Folkestone gets around 283 mm of rain and snow over 43 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 28 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 8 hours in early December to 10 h 30 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 1.1 kWh/m².
Is winter a good time to visit Folkestone?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Folkestone.
What to pack for Folkestone in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Folkestone sees daytime highs around 8°C and nights near 6°C. Pack a warm layer, rain gear and a windbreaker. Worth having: a heavy coat. About 43 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Folkestone in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 9°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 15 km away) is warmest in August at about 18°C and coldest in February near 8°C.
The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 11 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Bracing | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Bracing |
| Feb | 8 | Bracing |
| Mar | 8 | Bracing |
| Apr | 9 | Bracing |
| May | 11 | Bracing |
| Jun | 14 | Bracing |
| Jul | 16 | Cool |
| Aug | 18 | Cool |
| Sep | 17 | Cool |
| Oct | 16 | Cool |
| Nov | 13 | Bracing |
| Dec | 11 | Bracing |
UV index in Folkestone in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Folkestone peaks around June 22 at about 6 (high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 6 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Level | Low | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | High | High | High | Moderate | Moderate | Low | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1 | Low |
| Feb | 1 | Low |
| Mar | 3 | Moderate |
| Apr | 3 | Moderate |
| May | 6 | High |
| Jun | 6 | High |
| Jul | 6 | High |
| Aug | 6 | High |
| Sep | 4 | Moderate |
| Oct | 2 | Moderate |
| Nov | 1 | Low |
| Dec | 1 | Low |
Where is Folkestone?
Folkestone sits at 51.1°N, 1.2°E, 46 m above sea level, in United Kingdom. The nearest listed city is Dover, 11 km away.
Topography around Folkestone
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Folkestone.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Folkestone has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 177 m around an average of 45 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 196 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 319 m.
The land around Folkestone is covered by water (40%), artificial surfaces (22%) and trees (20%) within 3 km, water (49%) within 16 km, and water (53%) within 80 km.
United Kingdom travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type D / G / M
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 89% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $57,602
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.7 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 100%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 1.1
- per 100k, 2021
- Road deaths
- 3.2
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Folkestone (51.0817°, 1.1673°, elevation 46 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.