December is one of the cooler months of the year in Cold Lake, with average highs near -11.7°C and lows around -19.2°C (mean -15.4°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 23 mm of rainfall and 97% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Cold Lake. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Cold Lake was 2023 — when the month averaged -6.8°C — while the coldest was 1983 at -25.3°C. Typical December days reach -11.7°C with nights near -19.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
December is one of the drier months in Cold Lake, averaging 23 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2025 with 66 mm, while the driest was 2023 at 4 mm.
Relative humidity in Cold Lake during December averages 97%. The most humid December was 1986 at 99%, and the least humid was 2016 at 90%.
December receives about 0.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Cold Lake. The sunniest Decembers were 2006, 2017 and 2023, among others at 0.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2015, 2016 and 2024, among others at 0.5.
Average wind speed in Cold Lake during December is 1.4 m/s. The windiest December was 2011 at 1.8 m/s, while the calmest were 2007, 2012 and 2014 at 1.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -16.2°C | -15.7°C | -14.4°C | -15.3°C | -15.8°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg High | -12.3°C | -11.8°C | -10.8°C | -11.6°C | -12.0°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg Low | -20.2°C | -19.7°C | -17.9°C | -18.9°C | -19.5°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg Rain | 23 mm | 22 mm | 21 mm | 19 mm | 31 mm | +8 mm |
December temperatures in Cold Lake have risen by about 2.3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -46.4°C (1989) to a record high of 3.6°C (2004).
Rainfall in December is one of the drier months, averaging 23 mm, with a wettest year of 66 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.2°C per decade while lows rose 0.4°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Cold Lake
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Cold Lake. That said, December — with days averaging -11.7°C and nights around -19.2°C (mean -15.4°C) and low rainfall (23 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 🌧️ | -16.4°C | -21.0°C | -25.6°C | 0.6°C | -38.8°C | 66 mm | 96% | 1.5 m/s | — |
| 2024 | -10.1°C | -13.6°C | -17.1°C | 0.6°C | -32.1°C | 19 mm | 96% | 1.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2023 🔥 | -4.1°C | -6.8°C | -9.4°C | -0.4°C | -13.6°C | 4 mm | 96% | 1.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2022 | -17.0°C | -21.0°C | -25.0°C | -6.7°C | -40.7°C | 39 mm | 97% | 1.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2021 | -17.5°C | -21.8°C | -26.1°C | 0.6°C | -44.5°C | 47 mm | 98% | 1.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2020 | -6.7°C | -10.4°C | -14.1°C | 1.9°C | -25.0°C | 13 mm | 96% | 1.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2019 | -9.6°C | -13.2°C | -16.9°C | 0.8°C | -25.2°C | 16 mm | 96% | 1.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2018 | -9.9°C | -13.9°C | -17.8°C | 0.5°C | -31.8°C | 24 mm | 99% | 1.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2017 | -12.0°C | -15.8°C | -19.7°C | 0.5°C | -41.4°C | 9 mm | 99% | 1.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2016 | -11.7°C | -14.6°C | -17.6°C | -1.1°C | -25.2°C | 15 mm | 90% | 1.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2015 | -9.2°C | -11.9°C | -14.7°C | 0.9°C | -28.2°C | 14 mm | 96% | 1.2 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2014 | -11.6°C | -15.1°C | -18.6°C | 0.9°C | -33.2°C | 18 mm | 99% | 1.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2013 | -16.3°C | -21.0°C | -25.8°C | 0.6°C | -38.1°C | 36 mm | 97% | 1.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2012 | -16.9°C | -20.8°C | -24.7°C | -5.0°C | -33.9°C | 20 mm | 98% | 1.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2011 | -4.4°C | -8.4°C | -12.3°C | 2.4°C | -20.8°C | 15 mm | 92% | 1.8 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2010 | -14.7°C | -17.9°C | -21.2°C | -6.5°C | -33.7°C | 25 mm | 97% | 1.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2009 | -15.3°C | -18.7°C | -22.1°C | -5.1°C | -39.8°C | 21 mm | 93% | 1.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2008 | -17.6°C | -21.8°C | -25.9°C | 2.4°C | -38.4°C | 28 mm | 95% | 1.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2007 | -14.5°C | -17.8°C | -21.0°C | -3.4°C | -31.3°C | 27 mm | 99% | 1.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2006 | -7.3°C | -12.0°C | -16.7°C | 1.1°C | -37.2°C | 27 mm | 99% | 1.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2005 | -6.3°C | -8.7°C | -11.1°C | 2.9°C | -21.3°C | 10 mm | 92% | 1.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2004 | -9.2°C | -13.4°C | -17.6°C | 3.6°C | -28.3°C | 48 mm | 92% | 1.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2003 | -7.4°C | -10.4°C | -13.4°C | 0.7°C | -18.9°C | 10 mm | 97% | 1.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2002 | -5.6°C | -8.3°C | -11.0°C | 0.8°C | -17.9°C | 9 mm | 96% | 1.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2001 | -9.3°C | -12.9°C | -16.5°C | 2.0°C | -23.3°C | 14 mm | 95% | 1.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2000 | -15.6°C | -19.7°C | -23.8°C | 1.0°C | -35.0°C | 18 mm | 94% | 1.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1999 | -5.8°C | -9.7°C | -13.6°C | 0.8°C | -32.5°C | 28 mm | 96% | 1.6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1998 | -12.6°C | -16.6°C | -20.6°C | 0.5°C | -38.4°C | 23 mm | 98% | 1.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1997 | -3.8°C | -6.9°C | -9.9°C | 1.2°C | -16.9°C | 11 mm | 94% | 1.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1996 | -18.1°C | -22.3°C | -26.5°C | -1.6°C | -42.5°C | 20 mm | 99% | 1.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1995 | -15.7°C | -19.4°C | -23.1°C | -4.8°C | -42.2°C | 14 mm | 99% | 1.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1994 | -12.8°C | -16.2°C | -19.5°C | 0.3°C | -34.3°C | 22 mm | 99% | 1.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1993 | -7.6°C | -11.9°C | -16.2°C | -0.1°C | -36.6°C | 28 mm | 98% | 1.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1992 | -16.3°C | -20.7°C | -25.2°C | -1.5°C | -42.3°C | 21 mm | 99% | 1.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1991 | -10.2°C | -14.1°C | -18.0°C | 0.6°C | -30.8°C | 26 mm | 97% | 1.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1990 | -14.7°C | -19.7°C | -24.8°C | 1.7°C | -45.9°C | 26 mm | 96% | 1.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1989 | -11.3°C | -15.8°C | -20.2°C | 1.3°C | -46.4°C | 53 mm | 97% | 1.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1988 | -9.4°C | -12.4°C | -15.4°C | 2.0°C | -26.9°C | 16 mm | 95% | 1.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1987 | -7.0°C | -10.2°C | -13.3°C | 0.0°C | -26.8°C | 20 mm | 97% | 1.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1986 | -8.2°C | -12.4°C | -16.7°C | 0.1°C | -32.7°C | 28 mm | 99% | 1.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1985 | -9.7°C | -13.6°C | -17.5°C | 1.4°C | -30.8°C | 23 mm | 96% | 1.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1984 | -18.6°C | -23.3°C | -28.1°C | 0.7°C | -41.7°C | 15 mm | 97% | 1.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1983 ❄️ | -20.9°C | -25.3°C | -29.6°C | -4.5°C | -43.6°C | 11 mm | 99% | 1.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | -11.4°C | -15.2°C | -19.0°C | -5.2°C | -33.3°C | 17 mm | 97% | 1.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | -14.2°C | -17.9°C | -21.6°C | -0.5°C | -40.2°C | 28 mm | 99% | 1.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around -11.7°C with lows near -19.2°C (mean -15.4°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 23 mm of rainfall in Cold Lake, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 66 mm in 2025.
The hottest December reached 3.6°C in 2004. The coldest dipped to -46.4°C in 1989.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 2.3°C. Daytime highs moved from -15°C to -13°C and overnight lows from -23.2°C to -20.6°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Cold Lake and one of the drier months, so plan for around -11.7°C daytime highs and -19.2°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 2nd coolest month in Cold Lake, averaging -15.4°C.
For December in Cold Lake, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of -11.7°C and lows of -19.2°C.
Relative humidity in December averages 97% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 1.4 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 1.8 m/s (2011).
The wettest December on record was 2025 with 66 mm. On average, December sees 23 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 Cold Lake 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.
