December is one of the warmer months of the year in Darwin, with average highs near 30.9°C and lows around 28.1°C (mean 29.5°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 284 mm of rainfall and 77% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Darwin. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Darwin was 2019 — when the month averaged 31.1°C — while the coldest was 1988 at 27.9°C. Typical December days reach 30.9°C with nights near 28.1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Darwin, averaging 284 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 1998 with 561 mm, while the driest was 1991 at 68 mm.
Relative humidity in Darwin during December averages 77%. The most humid December was 1998 at 84%, and the least humid was 2019 at 70%.
December receives about 5.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Darwin. The sunniest December was 1991 at 7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1988, 2015 and 2020 at 4.7.
Average wind speed in Darwin during December is 3.4 m/s. The windiest December was 2000 at 5.2 m/s, while the calmest was 2012 at 2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 29.3°C | 29.1°C | 29.6°C | 29.9°C | 29.8°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg High | 30.7°C | 30.5°C | 31.0°C | 31.4°C | 31.2°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg Low | 27.9°C | 27.7°C | 28.1°C | 28.4°C | 28.4°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg Rain | 217 mm | 321 mm | 328 mm | 241 mm | 320 mm | +104 mm |
December temperatures in Darwin have risen by about 0.6°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of 25.2°C (2022) to a record high of 35.4°C (2016).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 284 mm, with a wettest year of 561 mm.
A quieter season to visit Darwin
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of June and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Darwin. That said, December — with days averaging 30.9°C and nights around 28.1°C (mean 29.5°C) and higher rainfall (284 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the warmth, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30.6°C | 29.3°C | 28.0°C | 33.4°C | 26.4°C | 322 mm | 78% | 2.9 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 31.4°C | 30.0°C | 28.6°C | 32.6°C | 27.7°C | 318 mm | 80% | 3.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2023 | 32.0°C | 30.6°C | 29.2°C | 34.2°C | 28.2°C | 188 mm | 76% | 2.9 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2022 | 31.3°C | 29.7°C | 28.1°C | 34.3°C | 25.2°C | 411 mm | 75% | 3.8 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2021 | 31.4°C | 30.0°C | 28.6°C | 34.2°C | 26.7°C | 307 mm | 75% | 3.3 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2020 | 30.3°C | 29.2°C | 28.0°C | 33.6°C | 27.1°C | 374 mm | 80% | 3.5 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2019 🔥 | 32.8°C | 31.1°C | 29.4°C | 34.9°C | 27.7°C | 102 mm | 70% | 3 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2018 | 31.7°C | 30.2°C | 28.8°C | 33.4°C | 26.8°C | 177 mm | 77% | 4 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2017 | 32.3°C | 30.5°C | 28.7°C | 34.9°C | 27.3°C | 109 mm | 72% | 3.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2016 | 31.3°C | 30.0°C | 28.7°C | 35.4°C | 27.7°C | 263 mm | 75% | 3.5 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2015 | 30.9°C | 29.6°C | 28.3°C | 33.8°C | 27.1°C | 360 mm | 77% | 4.6 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2014 | 31.0°C | 29.8°C | 28.6°C | 32.0°C | 27.7°C | 205 mm | 77% | 2.7 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2013 | 30.5°C | 29.1°C | 27.7°C | 32.9°C | 26.7°C | 294 mm | 78% | 2.3 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2012 | 32.0°C | 30.3°C | 28.6°C | 33.9°C | 27.2°C | 192 mm | 72% | 2 m/s | 6 |
| 2011 | 30.9°C | 29.5°C | 28.0°C | 32.2°C | 26.4°C | 274 mm | 78% | 2.9 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2010 | 30.2°C | 28.9°C | 27.6°C | 33.3°C | 25.9°C | 435 mm | 79% | 3.6 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2009 | 30.8°C | 29.3°C | 27.9°C | 35.0°C | 26.5°C | 479 mm | 78% | 3 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2008 | 30.3°C | 29.0°C | 27.7°C | 33.0°C | 25.5°C | 478 mm | 80% | 3.4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2007 | 31.0°C | 29.6°C | 28.2°C | 32.8°C | 26.8°C | 374 mm | 76% | 2.8 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2006 | 31.9°C | 30.0°C | 28.1°C | 33.9°C | 26.2°C | 258 mm | 72% | 2.9 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2005 | 31.1°C | 29.8°C | 28.4°C | 33.1°C | 26.8°C | 265 mm | 76% | 2.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2004 | 31.2°C | 29.7°C | 28.3°C | 33.2°C | 27.2°C | 309 mm | 76% | 3.7 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2003 | 30.6°C | 29.4°C | 28.2°C | 32.8°C | 27.3°C | 549 mm | 79% | 3.5 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2002 | 32.4°C | 30.7°C | 29.0°C | 35.1°C | 27.6°C | 127 mm | 71% | 2.5 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2001 | 30.5°C | 29.1°C | 27.6°C | 33.2°C | 26.6°C | 191 mm | 78% | 3.7 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2000 | 30.3°C | 28.9°C | 27.4°C | 32.7°C | 26.3°C | 251 mm | 80% | 5.2 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1999 | 30.4°C | 28.8°C | 27.1°C | 33.2°C | 25.7°C | 302 mm | 80% | 3.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1998 🌧️ | 29.6°C | 28.3°C | 27.0°C | 32.7°C | 25.9°C | 561 mm | 84% | 4.5 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1997 | 31.2°C | 29.8°C | 28.3°C | 33.2°C | 26.8°C | 353 mm | 76% | 3.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1996 | 29.9°C | 28.8°C | 27.7°C | 32.9°C | 26.5°C | 483 mm | 81% | 3.7 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1995 | 29.7°C | 28.6°C | 27.4°C | 32.1°C | 26.5°C | 281 mm | 81% | 3.6 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1994 | 30.6°C | 29.1°C | 27.7°C | 32.4°C | 26.8°C | 254 mm | 75% | 2.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1993 | 30.6°C | 29.0°C | 27.5°C | 34.3°C | 25.3°C | 417 mm | 79% | 3.7 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1992 | 30.8°C | 29.5°C | 28.2°C | 32.2°C | 27.7°C | 192 mm | 77% | 3.5 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1991 | 32.0°C | 30.0°C | 28.1°C | 34.2°C | 27.5°C | 68 mm | 72% | 4.1 m/s | 7 |
| 1990 | 30.2°C | 28.9°C | 27.7°C | 32.2°C | 26.5°C | 296 mm | 80% | 3.8 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1989 | 31.7°C | 30.0°C | 28.2°C | 35.2°C | 27.4°C | 150 mm | 71% | 3.1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1988 ❄️ | 28.9°C | 27.9°C | 27.0°C | 30.4°C | 26.1°C | 411 mm | 84% | 4.3 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1987 | 30.5°C | 29.2°C | 28.0°C | 33.0°C | 26.3°C | 421 mm | 78% | 4.1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1986 | 31.9°C | 30.1°C | 28.4°C | 34.4°C | 27.7°C | 112 mm | 72% | 3.3 m/s | 6.7 |
| 1985 | 30.6°C | 29.3°C | 27.9°C | 32.9°C | 27.2°C | 130 mm | 76% | 3.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1984 | 30.3°C | 29.0°C | 27.7°C | 33.3°C | 26.1°C | 199 mm | 77% | 4.1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1983 | 30.8°C | 29.3°C | 27.7°C | 33.0°C | 26.5°C | 141 mm | 75% | 2.9 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 31.3°C | 29.7°C | 28.1°C | 33.1°C | 26.5°C | 131 mm | 72% | 2.9 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 30.5°C | 29.1°C | 27.7°C | 32.3°C | 26.9°C | 254 mm | 78% | 3.5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 30.9°C with lows near 28.1°C (mean 29.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 284 mm of rainfall in Darwin, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 561 mm in 1998.
The hottest December reached 35.4°C in 2016. The coldest dipped to 25.2°C in 2022.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 0.6°C. Daytime highs moved from 30.7°C to 31.3°C and overnight lows from 27.8°C to 28.5°C over the same span.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Darwin and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 30.9°C daytime highs and 28.1°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 10th coolest month in Darwin, averaging 29.5°C.
For December in Darwin, pack light, breathable clothing and sun protection, with typical highs of 30.9°C and lows of 28.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 77% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 3.4 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 5.2 m/s (2000).
The wettest December on record was 1998 with 561 mm. On average, December sees 284 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 Darwin 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.
