December is one of the cooler months of the year in Courtenay, with average highs near 3.3°C and lows around -1.1°C (mean 1.1°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 156 mm of rainfall and 95% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Courtenay. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Courtenay was 2023 — when the month averaged 4.1°C — while the coldest was 1983 at -2.5°C. Typical December days reach 3.3°C with nights near -1.1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Courtenay, averaging 156 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 1998 with 277 mm, while the driest was 2013 at 45 mm.
Relative humidity in Courtenay during December averages 95%. The most humid December was 2012 at 98%, and the least humid was 2009 at 88%.
December receives about 0.7 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Courtenay. The sunniest Decembers were 2017, 2021 and 2022, among others at 0.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2006 and 2019 at 0.5.
Average wind speed in Courtenay during December is 0.6 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 2015, 2016 and 2018, among others at 0.7 m/s, while the calmest was 1989 at 0.5 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 0.6°C | 1.0°C | 1.1°C | 1.2°C | 1.9°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg High | 2.8°C | 3.2°C | 3.2°C | 3.3°C | 4.0°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Low | -1.6°C | -1.2°C | -1.1°C | -0.8°C | -0.3°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 151 mm | 193 mm | 162 mm | 139 mm | 121 mm | -30 mm |
December temperatures in Courtenay have risen by about 2.2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -20°C (1996) to a record high of 12.5°C (2025).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 156 mm, with a wettest year of 277 mm.
A quieter season to visit Courtenay
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Courtenay. That said, December — with days averaging 3.3°C and nights around -1.1°C (mean 1.1°C) and higher rainfall (156 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 | 5.0°C | 3.2°C | 1.4°C | 12.5°C | -5.1°C | 135 mm | 97% | 0.6 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 5.6°C | 3.6°C | 1.6°C | 8.7°C | -1.1°C | 129 mm | 97% | 0.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2023 🔥 | 6.1°C | 4.1°C | 2.2°C | 10.0°C | -1.5°C | 133 mm | 98% | 0.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2022 | 2.2°C | -0.4°C | -3.0°C | 8.9°C | -12.2°C | 110 mm | 94% | 0.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2021 | 0.4°C | -2.1°C | -4.6°C | 10.2°C | -15.5°C | 87 mm | 95% | 0.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2020 | 4.8°C | 2.7°C | 0.7°C | 9.0°C | -4.0°C | 130 mm | 96% | 0.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2019 | 4.2°C | 2.6°C | 1.0°C | 10.2°C | -2.5°C | 109 mm | 98% | 0.6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2018 | 4.7°C | 2.2°C | -0.3°C | 8.8°C | -5.3°C | 193 mm | 95% | 0.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2017 | 3.0°C | 0.9°C | -1.3°C | 6.9°C | -5.8°C | 77 mm | 93% | 0.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2016 | 1.4°C | -1.1°C | -3.5°C | 8.0°C | -11.1°C | 91 mm | 94% | 0.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2015 | 3.4°C | 1.3°C | -0.8°C | 9.9°C | -7.2°C | 198 mm | 96% | 0.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2014 | 5.2°C | 2.9°C | 0.6°C | 12.2°C | -5.2°C | 154 mm | 94% | 0.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2013 | 2.4°C | 0.3°C | -1.8°C | 7.1°C | -10.1°C | 45 mm | 91% | 0.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2012 | 2.2°C | 0.7°C | -0.7°C | 6.7°C | -3.5°C | 187 mm | 98% | 0.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2011 | 3.6°C | 1.3°C | -1.0°C | 8.5°C | -5.1°C | 78 mm | 95% | 0.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2010 | 3.2°C | 1.3°C | -0.6°C | 8.1°C | -6.8°C | 258 mm | 96% | 0.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2009 | 2.5°C | 0.0°C | -2.5°C | 6.8°C | -8.6°C | 118 mm | 88% | 0.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2008 | 0.9°C | -1.4°C | -3.8°C | 8.3°C | -14.1°C | 104 mm | 93% | 0.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2007 | 2.2°C | 0.3°C | -1.6°C | 8.9°C | -5.6°C | 191 mm | 97% | 0.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2006 | 3.1°C | 1.3°C | -0.5°C | 8.2°C | -4.7°C | 224 mm | 97% | 0.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2005 | 4.5°C | 2.3°C | 0.1°C | 11.4°C | -5.5°C | 171 mm | 94% | 0.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2004 | 4.6°C | 2.3°C | 0.0°C | 10.4°C | -3.9°C | 151 mm | 97% | 0.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2003 | 3.5°C | 1.4°C | -0.8°C | 7.9°C | -6.4°C | 189 mm | 97% | 0.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2002 | 4.8°C | 2.8°C | 0.7°C | 10.3°C | -5.6°C | 145 mm | 97% | 0.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2001 | 2.9°C | 0.8°C | -1.4°C | 6.7°C | -5.5°C | 185 mm | 96% | 0.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2000 | 3.0°C | 0.9°C | -1.3°C | 7.1°C | -8.6°C | 144 mm | 92% | 0.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1999 | 4.4°C | 2.3°C | 0.3°C | 9.2°C | -1.2°C | 198 mm | 95% | 0.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1998 🌧️ | 3.1°C | 0.9°C | -1.2°C | 10.1°C | -11.8°C | 277 mm | 93% | 0.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1997 | 5.3°C | 2.9°C | 0.5°C | 9.6°C | -2.8°C | 210 mm | 97% | 0.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1996 | 0.5°C | -1.7°C | -4.0°C | 4.3°C | -20.0°C | 208 mm | 96% | 0.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1995 | 3.8°C | 1.7°C | -0.4°C | 7.2°C | -8.0°C | 196 mm | 93% | 0.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1994 | 3.5°C | 1.4°C | -0.6°C | 9.8°C | -6.0°C | 166 mm | 94% | 0.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1993 | 4.3°C | 2.2°C | 0.2°C | 9.7°C | -2.8°C | 216 mm | 94% | 0.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1992 | 1.4°C | -0.9°C | -3.3°C | 6.4°C | -10.7°C | 95 mm | 96% | 0.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1991 | 4.6°C | 2.6°C | 0.6°C | 9.4°C | -2.6°C | 185 mm | 96% | 0.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1990 | 1.2°C | -1.5°C | -4.2°C | 7.2°C | -15.7°C | 181 mm | 91% | 0.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1989 | 5.6°C | 3.5°C | 1.4°C | 10.8°C | -1.4°C | 133 mm | 98% | 0.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1988 | 3.7°C | 1.7°C | -0.3°C | 9.3°C | -7.4°C | 158 mm | 94% | 0.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1987 | 2.7°C | 0.6°C | -1.4°C | 8.5°C | -6.6°C | 174 mm | 96% | 0.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1986 | 4.3°C | 2.2°C | 0.1°C | 8.4°C | -3.5°C | 205 mm | 95% | 0.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1985 | 2.4°C | 0.2°C | -2.0°C | 5.0°C | -14.0°C | 85 mm | 94% | 0.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1984 | 0.9°C | -1.5°C | -3.9°C | 3.6°C | -10.3°C | 99 mm | 94% | 0.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1983 ❄️ | -0.1°C | -2.5°C | -5.0°C | 4.5°C | -14.1°C | 94 mm | 89% | 0.7 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 3.3°C | 1.0°C | -1.2°C | 8.8°C | -5.1°C | 163 mm | 95% | 0.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 2.4°C | 0.3°C | -1.9°C | 6.4°C | -7.7°C | 248 mm | 97% | 0.7 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 3.3°C with lows near -1.1°C (mean 1.1°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 156 mm of rainfall in Courtenay, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 277 mm in 1998.
The hottest December reached 12.5°C in 2025. The coldest dipped to -20°C in 1996.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 2.2°C. Daytime highs moved from 1.8°C to 3.9°C and overnight lows from -2.8°C to -0.5°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Courtenay and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 3.3°C daytime highs and -1.1°C at night.
Yes — December is the coldest month of the year in Courtenay, averaging 1.1°C.
For December in Courtenay, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 3.3°C and lows of -1.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 95% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 0.6 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 0.7 m/s (1981).
The wettest December on record was 1998 with 277 mm. On average, December sees 156 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 Courtenay 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.
