December is one of the warmer months of the year in Canberra, with average highs near 24.9°C and lows around 10.9°C (mean 17.9°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 71 mm of rainfall and 63% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Canberra. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Canberra was 2019 — when the month averaged 21.2°C — while the coldest was 1995 at 15.2°C. Typical December days reach 24.9°C with nights near 10.9°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
December is about average for rainfall in Canberra, averaging 71 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2010 with 169 mm, while the driest was 2019 at 5 mm.
Relative humidity in Canberra during December averages 63%. The most humid December was 1992 at 81%, and the least humid was 2019 at 45%.
December receives about 7.1 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Canberra. The sunniest December was 2005 at 8.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1992 and 2007 at 6.2.
Average wind speed in Canberra during December is 1.3 m/s. The windiest December was 1984 at 1.7 m/s, while the calmest was 2011 at 0.9 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 16.9°C | 17.4°C | 18.3°C | 18.8°C | 17.9°C | +1°C |
| Avg High | 23.7°C | 24.4°C | 25.7°C | 25.9°C | 24.9°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Low | 10.2°C | 10.5°C | 11.0°C | 11.7°C | 11.0°C | +0.8°C |
| Avg Rain | 72 mm | 75 mm | 60 mm | 77 mm | 72 mm | +0 mm |
December temperatures in Canberra have risen by about 1.2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of 1°C (1987) to a record high of 37.9°C (2019).
Rainfall in December is about average for rainfall, averaging 71 mm, with a wettest year of 169 mm.
One of the best times to visit Canberra
December is one of the best times to visit Canberra. Expect days averaging 24.9°C and nights around 10.9°C (mean 17.9°C) — warmer than Canberra's yearly average — with moderate rainfall (71 mm), so conditions are generally comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor plans.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27.8°C | 19.4°C | 11.0°C | 37.5°C | 3.1°C | 26 mm | 50% | 1.4 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 28.4°C | 20.5°C | 12.6°C | 34.9°C | 6.0°C | 38 mm | 57% | 1.3 m/s | 7.9 |
| 2023 | 24.0°C | 18.3°C | 12.5°C | 31.3°C | 8.0°C | 134 mm | 73% | 1.3 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2022 | 22.5°C | 15.7°C | 9.0°C | 31.8°C | 3.2°C | 48 mm | 66% | 1.2 m/s | 7.3 |
| 2021 | 22.6°C | 16.5°C | 10.5°C | 28.5°C | 6.8°C | 113 mm | 75% | 1.2 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2020 | 24.1°C | 17.2°C | 10.3°C | 33.7°C | 4.8°C | 74 mm | 66% | 1.5 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2019 🔥 | 30.1°C | 21.2°C | 12.2°C | 37.9°C | 5.1°C | 5 mm | 45% | 1.5 m/s | 7.5 |
| 2018 | 27.9°C | 20.5°C | 13.2°C | 36.0°C | 6.4°C | 90 mm | 60% | 1.2 m/s | 7 |
| 2017 | 26.0°C | 19.4°C | 12.8°C | 34.9°C | 8.7°C | 94 mm | 66% | 1.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2016 | 27.1°C | 20.0°C | 12.8°C | 32.2°C | 7.5°C | 82 mm | 61% | 1.4 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2015 | 27.8°C | 19.9°C | 11.9°C | 35.1°C | 6.3°C | 28 mm | 55% | 1.3 m/s | 7.6 |
| 2014 | 24.4°C | 18.2°C | 11.9°C | 29.2°C | 7.9°C | 153 mm | 69% | 1.2 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2013 | 27.1°C | 19.2°C | 11.3°C | 36.1°C | 4.0°C | 36 mm | 58% | 1.3 m/s | 7.4 |
| 2012 | 25.7°C | 18.3°C | 11.0°C | 31.2°C | 3.9°C | 40 mm | 61% | 1.4 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2011 | 21.2°C | 15.4°C | 9.6°C | 26.2°C | 2.0°C | 68 mm | 74% | 0.9 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2010 🌧️ | 21.4°C | 16.1°C | 10.7°C | 29.9°C | 4.6°C | 169 mm | 78% | 1.4 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2009 | 27.5°C | 19.4°C | 11.3°C | 36.0°C | 5.6°C | 78 mm | 56% | 1.3 m/s | 7.5 |
| 2008 | 23.5°C | 16.7°C | 9.9°C | 30.0°C | 4.5°C | 86 mm | 61% | 1.6 m/s | 7 |
| 2007 | 23.6°C | 17.5°C | 11.4°C | 33.2°C | 7.3°C | 106 mm | 71% | 1.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2006 | 26.7°C | 18.8°C | 10.9°C | 35.2°C | 3.3°C | 38 mm | 55% | 1.4 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2005 | 26.7°C | 18.7°C | 10.7°C | 37.5°C | 6.0°C | 27 mm | 53% | 1.5 m/s | 8.3 |
| 2004 | 24.0°C | 17.3°C | 10.5°C | 30.4°C | 3.7°C | 113 mm | 67% | 1.2 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2003 | 26.2°C | 19.1°C | 11.9°C | 33.3°C | 6.5°C | 72 mm | 65% | 1.2 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2002 | 27.2°C | 19.0°C | 10.9°C | 36.9°C | 3.4°C | 36 mm | 56% | 1.4 m/s | 7 |
| 2001 | 25.5°C | 18.0°C | 10.5°C | 32.9°C | 3.5°C | 22 mm | 53% | 1.5 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2000 | 26.2°C | 18.8°C | 11.5°C | 33.0°C | 4.2°C | 27 mm | 60% | 1.2 m/s | 7.8 |
| 1999 | 23.4°C | 16.8°C | 10.3°C | 29.9°C | 2.3°C | 137 mm | 68% | 1.2 m/s | 6.7 |
| 1998 | 25.4°C | 18.4°C | 11.4°C | 32.4°C | 5.7°C | 39 mm | 66% | 1.2 m/s | 7.2 |
| 1997 | 28.0°C | 20.1°C | 12.1°C | 34.8°C | 7.6°C | 30 mm | 53% | 1.4 m/s | 7.8 |
| 1996 | 23.9°C | 16.7°C | 9.4°C | 31.5°C | 4.0°C | 70 mm | 63% | 1.4 m/s | 7.1 |
| 1995 ❄️ | 21.8°C | 15.2°C | 8.7°C | 29.8°C | 2.3°C | 79 mm | 69% | 1.2 m/s | 7.2 |
| 1994 | 27.4°C | 19.4°C | 11.4°C | 35.9°C | 5.6°C | 58 mm | 60% | 1.2 m/s | 7.8 |
| 1993 | 23.5°C | 16.8°C | 10.1°C | 30.7°C | 5.5°C | 52 mm | 67% | 1.4 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1992 | 20.4°C | 15.4°C | 10.4°C | 26.0°C | 4.8°C | 134 mm | 81% | 1.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1991 | 22.0°C | 15.7°C | 9.4°C | 33.2°C | 3.1°C | 122 mm | 69% | 1.4 m/s | 6.7 |
| 1990 | 28.2°C | 19.9°C | 11.6°C | 33.8°C | 4.7°C | 25 mm | 53% | 1.4 m/s | 7.9 |
| 1989 | 23.4°C | 16.7°C | 10.1°C | 30.6°C | 3.5°C | 62 mm | 66% | 1.3 m/s | 7.4 |
| 1988 | 23.3°C | 17.6°C | 11.9°C | 29.7°C | 5.5°C | 158 mm | 77% | 1.2 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1987 | 25.0°C | 17.4°C | 9.7°C | 33.7°C | 1.0°C | 81 mm | 61% | 1.3 m/s | 7.2 |
| 1986 | 22.4°C | 15.6°C | 8.9°C | 29.0°C | 3.6°C | 50 mm | 66% | 1.4 m/s | 7.4 |
| 1985 | 21.6°C | 15.8°C | 10.1°C | 28.0°C | 5.9°C | 59 mm | 69% | 1.4 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1984 | 23.0°C | 15.8°C | 8.6°C | 33.3°C | 3.9°C | 45 mm | 56% | 1.7 m/s | 7.4 |
| 1983 | 22.4°C | 16.3°C | 10.3°C | 29.9°C | 3.4°C | 90 mm | 74% | 1.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 27.5°C | 19.3°C | 11.2°C | 35.3°C | 5.5°C | 30 mm | 53% | 1.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 24.4°C | 17.5°C | 10.6°C | 30.6°C | 4.8°C | 72 mm | 62% | 1.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 24.9°C with lows near 10.9°C (mean 17.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 71 mm of rainfall in Canberra, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 169 mm in 2010.
The hottest December reached 37.9°C in 2019. The coldest dipped to 1°C in 1987.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 1.2°C. Daytime highs moved from 23.8°C to 25.1°C and overnight lows from 10.2°C to 11.1°C over the same span.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Canberra and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 24.9°C daytime highs and 10.9°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 10th coolest month in Canberra, averaging 17.9°C.
For December in Canberra, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 24.9°C and lows of 10.9°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 63% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in December is 1.3 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 1.7 m/s (1984).
The wettest December on record was 2010 with 169 mm. On average, December sees 71 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Canberra behaves each December, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for December specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
