December is one of the cooler months of the year in Iqaluit, with average highs near -19.3°C and lows around -25.8°C (mean -22.5°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 32 mm of rainfall and 98% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Iqaluit. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Iqaluit was 2010 — when the month averaged -12.6°C — while the coldest was 1982 at -29.9°C. Typical December days reach -19.3°C with nights near -25.8°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 1.2°C per decade.
December is one of the drier months in Iqaluit, averaging 32 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2010 with 64 mm, while the driest was 1987 at 10 mm.
Relative humidity in Iqaluit during December averages 98%. The most humid December was 1992 at 100%, and the least humid was 1985 at 97%.
December receives about 0.1 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Iqaluit. The sunniest Decembers were 2022, 2023 and 2024, among others at 0.1 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2022, 2023 and 2024, among others at 0.1.
Average wind speed in Iqaluit during December is 3.3 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 1991 and 2020 at 4.5 m/s, while the calmest was 1995 at 2.6 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -25.1°C | -23.5°C | -21.8°C | -21.9°C | -19.3°C | +5.8°C |
| Avg High | -22.0°C | -20.1°C | -18.8°C | -18.9°C | -15.8°C | +6.2°C |
| Avg Low | -28.3°C | -26.9°C | -24.9°C | -25.1°C | -22.8°C | +5.5°C |
| Avg Rain | 25 mm | 36 mm | 31 mm | 31 mm | 41 mm | +16 mm |
December temperatures in Iqaluit have risen by about 5.1°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -46.1°C (1982) to a record high of 0.8°C (2025).
Rainfall in December is one of the drier months, averaging 32 mm, with a wettest year of 64 mm.
A quieter season to visit Iqaluit
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Iqaluit. That said, December — with days averaging -19.3°C and nights around -25.8°C (mean -22.5°C) and moderate rainfall (32 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 | -15.7°C | -18.8°C | -22.0°C | 0.8°C | -31.7°C | 36 mm | 97% | 3.6 m/s | — |
| 2024 | -18.7°C | -22.8°C | -27.0°C | -9.0°C | -39.8°C | 29 mm | 98% | 3.6 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2023 | -14.4°C | -17.9°C | -21.3°C | -6.1°C | -37.0°C | 46 mm | 99% | 3.1 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2022 | -14.5°C | -17.9°C | -21.3°C | -6.3°C | -35.0°C | 34 mm | 97% | 3.8 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2021 | -16.5°C | -19.5°C | -22.5°C | -3.4°C | -32.7°C | 48 mm | 98% | 3.6 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2020 | -15.0°C | -18.9°C | -22.7°C | -4.5°C | -35.1°C | 51 mm | 98% | 4.5 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2019 | -16.8°C | -20.3°C | -23.9°C | -7.1°C | -36.6°C | 24 mm | 98% | 3.3 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2018 | -19.0°C | -21.7°C | -24.5°C | -10.8°C | -33.2°C | 27 mm | 99% | 2.8 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2017 | -18.6°C | -21.4°C | -24.1°C | -5.7°C | -35.1°C | 32 mm | 98% | 2.9 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2016 | -22.8°C | -25.4°C | -28.0°C | -5.2°C | -39.5°C | 25 mm | 99% | 3.1 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2015 | -22.7°C | -26.2°C | -29.8°C | -6.9°C | -41.1°C | 34 mm | 99% | 3.7 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2014 | -18.8°C | -22.6°C | -26.4°C | -11.9°C | -34.4°C | 42 mm | 98% | 3.9 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2013 | -23.4°C | -26.5°C | -29.7°C | -16.7°C | -39.3°C | 16 mm | 99% | 3 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2012 | -18.9°C | -21.4°C | -23.9°C | -8.4°C | -32.5°C | 16 mm | 97% | 2.9 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2011 | -18.4°C | -21.4°C | -24.5°C | -10.4°C | -33.2°C | 31 mm | 99% | 3.2 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2010 🔥 🌧️ | -9.4°C | -12.6°C | -15.8°C | 0.3°C | -29.0°C | 64 mm | 98% | 3.7 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2009 | -14.5°C | -17.1°C | -19.8°C | -1.2°C | -33.7°C | 36 mm | 97% | 3.4 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2008 | -24.2°C | -26.7°C | -29.2°C | -10.9°C | -40.6°C | 24 mm | 99% | 2.7 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2007 | -23.3°C | -26.5°C | -29.7°C | -13.1°C | -40.6°C | 20 mm | 100% | 3.1 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2006 | -20.1°C | -23.6°C | -27.1°C | -6.7°C | -41.4°C | 20 mm | 99% | 3 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2005 | -21.6°C | -24.2°C | -26.8°C | -5.5°C | -33.2°C | 20 mm | 100% | 2.8 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2004 | -24.4°C | -27.8°C | -31.3°C | -11.5°C | -46.0°C | 19 mm | 99% | 2.9 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2003 | -15.3°C | -19.5°C | -23.8°C | -1.1°C | -31.4°C | 50 mm | 99% | 3.4 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2002 | -17.0°C | -20.0°C | -22.9°C | -8.9°C | -32.6°C | 43 mm | 99% | 3.1 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2001 | -14.3°C | -17.2°C | -20.2°C | -1.0°C | -34.6°C | 33 mm | 98% | 3.3 m/s | 0.1 |
| 2000 | -13.0°C | -15.8°C | -18.6°C | -0.6°C | -34.8°C | 50 mm | 97% | 4 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1999 | -14.9°C | -18.7°C | -22.5°C | -5.1°C | -36.0°C | 53 mm | 99% | 4.1 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1998 | -17.3°C | -20.6°C | -24.0°C | -1.5°C | -34.1°C | 49 mm | 99% | 3.3 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1997 | -17.5°C | -21.5°C | -25.5°C | -3.4°C | -35.5°C | 40 mm | 97% | 4 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1996 | -15.0°C | -18.3°C | -21.5°C | -2.9°C | -32.9°C | 49 mm | 99% | 4.1 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1995 | -21.7°C | -24.5°C | -27.3°C | -9.2°C | -41.4°C | 12 mm | 99% | 2.6 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1994 | -19.7°C | -23.2°C | -26.6°C | -10.6°C | -38.2°C | 28 mm | 99% | 3 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1993 | -23.7°C | -27.0°C | -30.3°C | -8.5°C | -43.9°C | 24 mm | 99% | 2.8 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1992 | -25.0°C | -27.9°C | -30.8°C | -10.5°C | -42.5°C | 19 mm | 100% | 2.9 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1991 | -21.6°C | -25.2°C | -28.8°C | -9.2°C | -38.6°C | 35 mm | 99% | 4.5 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1990 | -24.7°C | -28.3°C | -31.9°C | -4.3°C | -42.2°C | 47 mm | 99% | 3.4 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1989 | -21.6°C | -24.6°C | -27.7°C | -8.6°C | -41.5°C | 27 mm | 99% | 2.7 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1988 | -25.5°C | -28.4°C | -31.2°C | -11.6°C | -41.3°C | 11 mm | 100% | 2.9 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1987 | -20.3°C | -22.7°C | -25.1°C | -9.7°C | -34.1°C | 10 mm | 97% | 2.7 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1986 | -24.0°C | -27.8°C | -31.7°C | -11.9°C | -38.3°C | 29 mm | 99% | 2.9 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1985 | -13.0°C | -15.9°C | -18.8°C | -1.4°C | -27.7°C | 47 mm | 97% | 3.8 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1984 | -24.5°C | -28.2°C | -32.0°C | -11.1°C | -42.0°C | 33 mm | 99% | 3.9 m/s | 0.1 |
| 1983 | -24.9°C | -28.0°C | -31.1°C | -13.9°C | -41.5°C | 18 mm | 99% | 3.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 ❄️ | -26.8°C | -29.9°C | -33.1°C | -13.8°C | -46.1°C | 27 mm | 100% | 3.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | -17.1°C | -20.4°C | -23.7°C | -6.3°C | -34.3°C | 24 mm | 98% | 3.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around -19.3°C with lows near -25.8°C (mean -22.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 32 mm of rainfall in Iqaluit, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 64 mm in 2010.
The hottest December reached 0.8°C in 2025. The coldest dipped to -46.1°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 5.1°C. Daytime highs moved from -21.3°C to -16°C and overnight lows from -27.7°C to -22.8°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Iqaluit and one of the drier months, so plan for around -19.3°C daytime highs and -25.8°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 4th coolest month in Iqaluit, averaging -22.5°C.
For December in Iqaluit, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of -19.3°C and lows of -25.8°C.
Relative humidity in December averages 98% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 3.3 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 4.5 m/s (1991).
The wettest December on record was 2010 with 64 mm. On average, December sees 32 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 Iqaluit 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.
