December is one of the cooler months of the year in Fort McMurray, with average highs near -12.9°C and lows around -20.5°C (mean -16.7°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 29 mm of rainfall and 99% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Fort McMurray. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Fort McMurray was 2023 — when the month averaged -8.1°C — while the coldest was 2021 at -24.6°C. Typical December days reach -12.9°C with nights near -20.5°C. The long-term December temperature trend is broadly flat.
December is one of the drier months in Fort McMurray, averaging 29 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2025 with 54 mm, while the driest was 1992 at 12 mm.
Relative humidity in Fort McMurray during December averages 99%. The most humid Decembers were 2017, 2018 and 2023, among others at 100%, and the least humid was 2005 at 93%.
December receives about 0.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Fort McMurray. The sunniest Decembers were 2019, 2020 and 2023, among others at 0.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2021, 2022 and 2024, among others at 0.4.
Average wind speed in Fort McMurray during December is 0.3 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 2000, 2001 and 2009, among others at 0.4 m/s, while the calmest was 1987 at 0.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -17.3°C | -16.6°C | -15.5°C | -16.9°C | -17.6°C | -0.3°C |
| Avg High | -13.4°C | -12.5°C | -11.9°C | -13.2°C | -14.0°C | -0.6°C |
| Avg Low | -21.3°C | -20.6°C | -19.1°C | -20.7°C | -21.1°C | +0.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 27 mm | 24 mm | 23 mm | 33 mm | 43 mm | +16 mm |
December temperatures in Fort McMurray have risen by about 1.3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -44.2°C (1996) to a record high of 1.8°C (1997).
Rainfall in December is one of the drier months, averaging 29 mm, with a wettest year of 54 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0°C per decade while lows rose 0.2°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Fort McMurray
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Fort McMurray. That said, December — with days averaging -12.9°C and nights around -20.5°C (mean -16.7°C) and low rainfall (29 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 🌧️ | -20.3°C | -24.1°C | -27.8°C | -7.4°C | -37.3°C | 54 mm | 99% | 0.3 m/s | — |
| 2024 | -11.0°C | -14.7°C | -18.3°C | 0.0°C | -34.5°C | 41 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2023 🔥 | -4.6°C | -8.1°C | -11.6°C | 0.1°C | -20.0°C | 30 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2022 | -18.3°C | -21.8°C | -25.3°C | -6.0°C | -36.6°C | 50 mm | 99% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2021 ❄️ | -20.7°C | -24.6°C | -28.5°C | -1.5°C | -43.7°C | 42 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2020 | -9.4°C | -12.4°C | -15.4°C | 0.5°C | -32.1°C | 39 mm | 99% | 0.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2019 | -11.1°C | -15.5°C | -19.9°C | -1.3°C | -31.3°C | 18 mm | 97% | 0.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2018 | -11.5°C | -15.0°C | -18.6°C | 0.0°C | -34.6°C | 40 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2017 | -12.5°C | -16.1°C | -19.8°C | 0.0°C | -41.0°C | 43 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2016 | -13.9°C | -18.0°C | -22.1°C | 0.1°C | -35.0°C | 41 mm | 99% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2015 | -10.6°C | -13.5°C | -16.5°C | 0.2°C | -29.6°C | 21 mm | 97% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2014 | -12.7°C | -16.3°C | -19.8°C | 0.1°C | -35.4°C | 30 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2013 | -19.3°C | -23.6°C | -28.0°C | 0.0°C | -38.2°C | 46 mm | 99% | 0.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2012 | -18.7°C | -22.5°C | -26.2°C | -5.0°C | -35.3°C | 26 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2011 | -5.6°C | -9.7°C | -13.9°C | 1.6°C | -21.8°C | 39 mm | 96% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2010 | -15.9°C | -19.0°C | -22.0°C | -6.8°C | -31.5°C | 23 mm | 99% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2009 | -15.7°C | -19.6°C | -23.5°C | -5.5°C | -40.3°C | 13 mm | 95% | 0.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2008 | -19.2°C | -23.2°C | -27.2°C | 0.3°C | -37.3°C | 25 mm | 98% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2007 | -15.1°C | -18.6°C | -22.2°C | -4.4°C | -29.8°C | 31 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2006 | -7.2°C | -11.2°C | -15.2°C | 0.1°C | -37.7°C | 16 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2005 | -6.9°C | -9.4°C | -11.9°C | 0.8°C | -21.5°C | 21 mm | 93% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2004 | -12.7°C | -17.4°C | -22.1°C | 0.1°C | -32.8°C | 52 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2003 | -8.0°C | -10.9°C | -13.8°C | 0.1°C | -21.4°C | 16 mm | 97% | 0.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2002 | -6.6°C | -9.3°C | -12.0°C | 0.3°C | -18.8°C | 15 mm | 97% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2001 | -10.5°C | -14.3°C | -18.1°C | 0.9°C | -26.2°C | 14 mm | 95% | 0.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2000 | -16.8°C | -21.2°C | -25.5°C | 0.2°C | -38.0°C | 30 mm | 97% | 0.4 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1999 | -8.3°C | -12.4°C | -16.5°C | 0.1°C | -35.8°C | 38 mm | 99% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1998 | -13.3°C | -16.9°C | -20.5°C | 0.2°C | -37.6°C | 29 mm | 99% | 0.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1997 | -4.8°C | -8.6°C | -12.3°C | 1.8°C | -22.2°C | 20 mm | 97% | 0.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1996 | -18.1°C | -22.3°C | -26.5°C | -3.5°C | -44.2°C | 17 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1995 | -16.0°C | -19.4°C | -22.9°C | -5.1°C | -41.5°C | 22 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1994 | -11.7°C | -14.8°C | -17.9°C | -0.1°C | -31.3°C | 18 mm | 97% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1993 | -8.9°C | -13.5°C | -18.0°C | -0.4°C | -35.3°C | 27 mm | 99% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1992 | -17.1°C | -21.4°C | -25.7°C | -1.5°C | -44.0°C | 12 mm | 99% | 0.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1991 | -10.2°C | -14.5°C | -18.8°C | 0.1°C | -37.1°C | 28 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1990 | -16.8°C | -22.0°C | -27.3°C | 0.1°C | -43.0°C | 25 mm | 99% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1989 | -12.5°C | -17.4°C | -22.2°C | 0.0°C | -43.7°C | 38 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1988 | -11.9°C | -15.3°C | -18.8°C | 0.1°C | -35.6°C | 19 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1987 | -8.5°C | -12.1°C | -15.7°C | -1.0°C | -29.1°C | 34 mm | 99% | 0.2 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1986 | -7.9°C | -11.5°C | -15.2°C | -0.2°C | -31.5°C | 20 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1985 | -11.0°C | -15.3°C | -19.5°C | 0.1°C | -33.6°C | 33 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1984 | -18.9°C | -23.8°C | -28.7°C | 0.1°C | -41.3°C | 18 mm | 99% | 0.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1983 | -20.4°C | -24.0°C | -27.7°C | -10.5°C | -37.9°C | 12 mm | 97% | 0.4 m/s | — |
| 1982 | -13.7°C | -17.7°C | -21.7°C | -4.2°C | -36.2°C | 28 mm | 99% | 0.3 m/s | — |
| 1981 | -15.5°C | -19.0°C | -22.6°C | -3.6°C | -40.7°C | 40 mm | 99% | 0.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around -12.9°C with lows near -20.5°C (mean -16.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 29 mm of rainfall in Fort McMurray, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 54 mm in 2025.
The hottest December reached 1.8°C in 1997. The coldest dipped to -44.2°C in 1996.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 1.3°C. Daytime highs moved from -15.9°C to -15°C and overnight lows from -24°C to -22.3°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Fort McMurray and one of the drier months, so plan for around -12.9°C daytime highs and -20.5°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 2nd coolest month in Fort McMurray, averaging -16.7°C.
For December in Fort McMurray, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of -12.9°C and lows of -20.5°C.
Relative humidity in December averages 99% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 0.3 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 0.4 m/s (1983).
The wettest December on record was 2025 with 54 mm. On average, December sees 29 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 Fort McMurray 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.
