December is one of the cooler months of the year in Amherst, with average highs near -0.1°C and lows around -6.9°C (mean -3.5°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 84 mm of rainfall and 88% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Amherst. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Amherst was 2010 — when the month averaged 0.2°C — while the coldest was 1989 at -13.2°C. Typical December days reach -0.1°C with nights near -6.9°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.7°C per decade.
December is about average for rainfall in Amherst, averaging 84 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2014 with 158 mm, while the driest was 1986 at 31 mm.
Relative humidity in Amherst during December averages 88%. The most humid December was 1989 at 97%, and the least humid was 2021 at 81%.
December receives about 1.1 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Amherst. The sunniest Decembers were 1989 and 1995 at 1.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1993, 1999 and 2013, among others at 0.9.
Average wind speed in Amherst during December is 1.2 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 2009, 2010 and 2025, among others at 1.4 m/s, while the calmest were 2006 and 2018 at 0.9 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -5.5°C | -3.4°C | -3.6°C | -3.0°C | -1.6°C | +3.9°C |
| Avg High | -1.7°C | 0.0°C | -0.3°C | 0.2°C | 1.7°C | +3.4°C |
| Avg Low | -9.2°C | -6.8°C | -6.8°C | -6.2°C | -4.8°C | +4.4°C |
| Avg Rain | 73 mm | 73 mm | 101 mm | 97 mm | 71 mm | -2 mm |
December temperatures in Amherst have risen by about 2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -28°C (1989) to a record high of 14.3°C (2020).
Rainfall in December is about average for rainfall, averaging 84 mm, with a wettest year of 158 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.5°C per decade while lows rose 0.8°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Amherst
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Amherst. That said, December — with days averaging -0.1°C and nights around -6.9°C (mean -3.5°C) and higher rainfall (84 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 | -1.0°C | -4.5°C | -8.0°C | 12.5°C | -15.4°C | 56 mm | 81% | 1.4 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 1.0°C | -2.1°C | -5.2°C | 13.0°C | -12.4°C | 54 mm | 87% | 1.2 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2023 | 3.1°C | 0.0°C | -3.0°C | 13.7°C | -9.4°C | 57 mm | 86% | 1.2 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2022 | 2.1°C | -0.8°C | -3.8°C | 10.6°C | -11.0°C | 95 mm | 86% | 1 m/s | 1 |
| 2021 | 1.8°C | -1.9°C | -5.5°C | 12.7°C | -14.1°C | 55 mm | 81% | 1 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2020 | 3.0°C | -0.3°C | -3.6°C | 14.3°C | -14.4°C | 110 mm | 88% | 1.1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2019 | 0.2°C | -3.3°C | -6.8°C | 11.4°C | -13.2°C | 69 mm | 85% | 1.1 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2018 | -2.2°C | -5.8°C | -9.3°C | 10.6°C | -16.3°C | 60 mm | 89% | 0.9 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2017 | -2.1°C | -5.5°C | -9.0°C | 10.3°C | -19.4°C | 75 mm | 86% | 1.1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2016 | -1.4°C | -4.9°C | -8.5°C | 9.3°C | -22.6°C | 82 mm | 90% | 1.1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2015 | 2.1°C | -0.5°C | -3.0°C | 9.0°C | -14.0°C | 113 mm | 93% | 1.1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2014 🌧️ | 2.2°C | -1.0°C | -4.2°C | 12.8°C | -15.3°C | 158 mm | 85% | 1.1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2013 | -3.2°C | -6.4°C | -9.7°C | 4.8°C | -18.9°C | 128 mm | 92% | 1.3 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2012 | 1.2°C | -2.0°C | -5.1°C | 8.3°C | -11.9°C | 94 mm | 89% | 1.3 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2011 | 2.8°C | -0.8°C | -4.3°C | 13.8°C | -12.7°C | 83 mm | 86% | 1.2 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2010 🔥 | 2.6°C | 0.2°C | -2.2°C | 12.6°C | -11.3°C | 107 mm | 91% | 1.4 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2009 | -0.5°C | -3.2°C | -5.8°C | 11.4°C | -15.0°C | 103 mm | 92% | 1.4 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2008 | 1.9°C | -2.2°C | -6.4°C | 13.5°C | -15.0°C | 158 mm | 86% | 1.4 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2007 | -2.3°C | -5.9°C | -9.5°C | 8.0°C | -16.3°C | 100 mm | 93% | 1.4 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2006 | 0.2°C | -3.0°C | -6.2°C | 10.5°C | -15.3°C | 86 mm | 88% | 0.9 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2005 | -0.3°C | -2.9°C | -5.6°C | 10.0°C | -11.6°C | 102 mm | 90% | 1.4 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2004 | -0.9°C | -4.8°C | -8.6°C | 9.6°C | -18.7°C | 114 mm | 87% | 1.2 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2003 | 0.6°C | -2.4°C | -5.4°C | 10.2°C | -12.8°C | 113 mm | 86% | 1.3 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2002 | -1.4°C | -4.7°C | -8.0°C | 6.7°C | -17.6°C | 89 mm | 90% | 1.2 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2001 | 1.6°C | -1.0°C | -3.6°C | 10.8°C | -7.6°C | 52 mm | 85% | 1.1 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2000 | -1.6°C | -5.5°C | -9.3°C | 11.3°C | -17.3°C | 97 mm | 88% | 1.3 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1999 | 1.2°C | -2.0°C | -5.2°C | 11.0°C | -14.9°C | 84 mm | 86% | 1.2 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1998 | 0.8°C | -2.8°C | -6.4°C | 10.2°C | -17.8°C | 52 mm | 85% | 1.2 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1997 | -1.1°C | -4.5°C | -7.9°C | 5.0°C | -17.3°C | 61 mm | 91% | 1.2 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1996 | 2.3°C | -0.8°C | -3.9°C | 11.2°C | -19.8°C | 98 mm | 88% | 1.1 m/s | 1 |
| 1995 | -2.3°C | -5.1°C | -8.0°C | 4.2°C | -15.1°C | 64 mm | 87% | 1.2 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1994 | -0.7°C | -4.1°C | -7.4°C | 5.1°C | -14.7°C | 57 mm | 88% | 1.2 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1993 | 0.2°C | -2.9°C | -6.0°C | 12.0°C | -24.7°C | 72 mm | 86% | 1.2 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1992 | -0.3°C | -3.6°C | -6.9°C | 7.9°C | -18.2°C | 53 mm | 87% | 1.2 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1991 | -1.7°C | -5.9°C | -10.0°C | 10.1°C | -20.9°C | 44 mm | 88% | 1.2 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1990 | 1.4°C | -2.5°C | -6.4°C | 12.9°C | -15.4°C | 141 mm | 88% | 1.1 m/s | 1 |
| 1989 ❄️ | -9.0°C | -13.2°C | -17.5°C | 0.2°C | -28.0°C | 46 mm | 97% | 1.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1988 | -2.0°C | -5.7°C | -9.4°C | 6.4°C | -18.6°C | 39 mm | 84% | 1.1 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1987 | -2.6°C | -5.8°C | -9.0°C | 10.8°C | -20.8°C | 105 mm | 95% | 1.1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1986 | -0.5°C | -4.8°C | -9.0°C | 9.2°C | -19.2°C | 31 mm | 85% | 1.2 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1985 | -2.6°C | -7.0°C | -11.3°C | 9.1°C | -21.5°C | 44 mm | 87% | 1.1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1984 | 0.4°C | -3.6°C | -7.6°C | 7.3°C | -23.1°C | 80 mm | 85% | 1.1 m/s | 1 |
| 1983 | -1.2°C | -4.8°C | -8.5°C | 9.5°C | -19.3°C | 122 mm | 86% | 1.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 1.2°C | -2.6°C | -6.3°C | 12.6°C | -19.5°C | 88 mm | 88% | 1.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 1.1°C | -1.6°C | -4.3°C | 9.9°C | -13.3°C | 108 mm | 91% | 1.1 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around -0.1°C with lows near -6.9°C (mean -3.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 84 mm of rainfall in Amherst, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 158 mm in 2014.
The hottest December reached 14.3°C in 2020. The coldest dipped to -28°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°C. Daytime highs moved from -0.2°C to 1.4°C and overnight lows from -7.6°C to -5.1°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Amherst and about average for rainfall, so plan for around -0.1°C daytime highs and -6.9°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 3rd coolest month in Amherst, averaging -3.5°C.
For December in Amherst, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of -0.1°C and lows of -6.9°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 88% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 1.2 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 1.4 m/s (2005).
The wettest December on record was 2014 with 158 mm. On average, December sees 84 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 Amherst 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.
