December is one of the cooler months of the year in Quebec City, with average highs near -5.9°C and lows around -14.5°C (mean -10.2°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 92 mm of rainfall and 96% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Quebec City. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Quebec City was 2015 — when the month averaged -4.6°C — while the coldest was 1989 at -19.6°C. Typical December days reach -5.9°C with nights near -14.5°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.7°C per decade.
December is about average for rainfall in Quebec City, averaging 92 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 1983 with 169 mm, while the driest was 2001 at 38 mm.
Relative humidity in Quebec City during December averages 96%. The most humid December was 1983 at 99%, and the least humid were 1992 and 2001 at 91%.
December receives about 1 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Quebec City. The sunniest December was 1989 at 1.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1984, 2010 and 2015 at 0.8.
Average wind speed in Quebec City during December is 1.4 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 1983 and 2005 at 1.7 m/s, while the calmest were 1987, 1997 and 2018 at 1.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -12.2°C | -10.0°C | -10.1°C | -9.8°C | -8.3°C | +3.9°C |
| Avg High | -7.6°C | -5.6°C | -6.0°C | -5.7°C | -4.3°C | +3.3°C |
| Avg Low | -16.8°C | -14.3°C | -14.3°C | -13.9°C | -12.4°C | +4.4°C |
| Avg Rain | 90 mm | 79 mm | 97 mm | 94 mm | 106 mm | +17 mm |
December temperatures in Quebec City have risen by about 2.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -37.7°C (1993) to a record high of 9.2°C (2020).
Rainfall in December is about average for rainfall, averaging 92 mm, with a wettest year of 169 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 Quebec City
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Quebec City. That said, December — with days averaging -5.9°C and nights around -14.5°C (mean -10.2°C) and higher rainfall (92 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 | -8.1°C | -12.6°C | -17.2°C | 1.4°C | -28.6°C | 71 mm | 97% | 1.6 m/s | — |
| 2024 | -4.9°C | -8.8°C | -12.7°C | 2.7°C | -23.9°C | 100 mm | 95% | 1.4 m/s | 1 |
| 2023 | -2.2°C | -6.1°C | -10.1°C | 7.8°C | -19.9°C | 96 mm | 93% | 1.3 m/s | 1 |
| 2022 | -3.7°C | -7.1°C | -10.4°C | 2.2°C | -18.9°C | 136 mm | 96% | 1.6 m/s | 1 |
| 2021 | -4.2°C | -8.7°C | -13.2°C | 3.9°C | -21.8°C | 101 mm | 93% | 1.5 m/s | 1 |
| 2020 | -2.6°C | -6.5°C | -10.5°C | 9.2°C | -26.5°C | 133 mm | 93% | 1.5 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2019 | -5.0°C | -9.1°C | -13.2°C | 2.5°C | -19.7°C | 70 mm | 95% | 1.5 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2018 | -6.9°C | -11.9°C | -17.0°C | 1.3°C | -27.7°C | 90 mm | 97% | 1.1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2017 | -10.2°C | -14.1°C | -18.0°C | 1.2°C | -30.7°C | 80 mm | 97% | 1.6 m/s | 1 |
| 2016 | -6.5°C | -11.2°C | -16.0°C | 0.1°C | -29.9°C | 111 mm | 98% | 1.4 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2015 🔥 | -1.6°C | -4.6°C | -7.6°C | 4.2°C | -18.3°C | 122 mm | 96% | 1.4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2014 | -4.3°C | -8.0°C | -11.7°C | 1.5°C | -24.8°C | 81 mm | 94% | 1.5 m/s | 1 |
| 2013 | -9.1°C | -13.4°C | -17.7°C | 0.8°C | -30.2°C | 70 mm | 98% | 1.4 m/s | 1 |
| 2012 | -4.7°C | -8.9°C | -13.0°C | 2.7°C | -22.3°C | 108 mm | 95% | 1.5 m/s | 1 |
| 2011 | -3.8°C | -7.9°C | -12.1°C | 2.9°C | -27.0°C | 87 mm | 94% | 1.4 m/s | 1 |
| 2010 | -5.3°C | -9.2°C | -13.1°C | 1.5°C | -22.2°C | 118 mm | 97% | 1.4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2009 | -6.4°C | -10.1°C | -13.8°C | 1.6°C | -25.1°C | 102 mm | 97% | 1.5 m/s | 1 |
| 2008 | -7.1°C | -12.3°C | -17.5°C | 1.0°C | -25.4°C | 130 mm | 97% | 1.6 m/s | 1 |
| 2007 | -7.7°C | -11.7°C | -15.6°C | 0.8°C | -24.7°C | 92 mm | 98% | 1.6 m/s | 1 |
| 2006 | -3.4°C | -7.5°C | -11.6°C | 1.6°C | -23.3°C | 66 mm | 96% | 1.4 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2005 | -5.7°C | -9.4°C | -13.1°C | 3.3°C | -28.0°C | 66 mm | 94% | 1.7 m/s | 1 |
| 2004 | -7.4°C | -12.7°C | -18.1°C | 1.0°C | -29.9°C | 116 mm | 98% | 1.5 m/s | 1 |
| 2003 | -4.9°C | -8.8°C | -12.7°C | 0.9°C | -23.8°C | 167 mm | 94% | 1.4 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2002 | -5.9°C | -10.3°C | -14.6°C | 0.5°C | -28.0°C | 44 mm | 97% | 1.4 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2001 | -1.8°C | -4.7°C | -7.7°C | 7.4°C | -16.2°C | 38 mm | 91% | 1.3 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2000 | -9.3°C | -13.8°C | -18.2°C | 1.7°C | -29.6°C | 150 mm | 97% | 1.6 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1999 | -4.8°C | -8.8°C | -12.8°C | 4.5°C | -31.2°C | 80 mm | 96% | 1.3 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1998 | -3.7°C | -8.3°C | -12.8°C | 4.0°C | -33.0°C | 91 mm | 94% | 1.4 m/s | 1 |
| 1997 | -6.5°C | -11.4°C | -16.3°C | -0.1°C | -29.4°C | 48 mm | 98% | 1.1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1996 | -3.3°C | -6.8°C | -10.4°C | 3.4°C | -32.2°C | 144 mm | 98% | 1.3 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1995 | -8.9°C | -13.2°C | -17.5°C | -0.8°C | -25.2°C | 78 mm | 98% | 1.3 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1994 | -4.5°C | -8.7°C | -12.9°C | 1.8°C | -23.2°C | 53 mm | 97% | 1.2 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1993 | -6.2°C | -10.8°C | -15.3°C | 1.2°C | -37.7°C | 75 mm | 97% | 1.3 m/s | 1 |
| 1992 | -4.5°C | -8.4°C | -12.4°C | 2.3°C | -26.7°C | 43 mm | 91% | 1.5 m/s | 1 |
| 1991 | -8.2°C | -12.6°C | -17.0°C | 2.8°C | -26.7°C | 68 mm | 93% | 1.5 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1990 | -5.6°C | -10.6°C | -15.7°C | 1.8°C | -30.1°C | 112 mm | 97% | 1.4 m/s | 1 |
| 1989 ❄️ | -14.7°C | -19.6°C | -24.4°C | -1.0°C | -34.4°C | 45 mm | 99% | 1.4 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1988 | -7.4°C | -12.3°C | -17.2°C | 1.5°C | -28.3°C | 65 mm | 94% | 1.5 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1987 | -6.5°C | -10.6°C | -14.6°C | 0.7°C | -27.8°C | 73 mm | 98% | 1.1 m/s | 1 |
| 1986 | -6.6°C | -11.7°C | -16.8°C | 0.5°C | -29.3°C | 81 mm | 98% | 1.4 m/s | 1 |
| 1985 | -7.8°C | -12.6°C | -17.5°C | 1.3°C | -33.8°C | 75 mm | 95% | 1.4 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1984 | -5.4°C | -10.3°C | -15.1°C | 0.8°C | -35.2°C | 100 mm | 96% | 1.4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1983 🌧️ | -9.3°C | -14.4°C | -19.6°C | -0.8°C | -36.0°C | 169 mm | 99% | 1.7 m/s | — |
| 1982 | -4.9°C | -9.1°C | -13.2°C | 7.6°C | -27.0°C | 130 mm | 93% | 1.5 m/s | — |
| 1981 | -5.7°C | -9.4°C | -13.2°C | 0.4°C | -22.9°C | 69 mm | 98% | 1.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around -5.9°C with lows near -14.5°C (mean -10.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 92 mm of rainfall in Quebec City, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 169 mm in 1983.
The hottest December reached 9.2°C in 2020. The coldest dipped to -37.7°C in 1993.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 2.5°C. Daytime highs moved from -6.6°C to -4.6°C and overnight lows from -15.7°C to -12.7°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Quebec City and about average for rainfall, so plan for around -5.9°C daytime highs and -14.5°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 3rd coolest month in Quebec City, averaging -10.2°C.
For December in Quebec City, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of -5.9°C and lows of -14.5°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 96% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 1.4 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 1.7 m/s (1983).
The wettest December on record was 1983 with 169 mm. On average, December sees 92 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 Quebec City 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.
