December is one of the cooler months of the year in Shimla, with average highs near 23.5°C and lows around 4.1°C (mean 13.8°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 12 mm of rainfall and 41% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Shimla. Across 45 years of records, the warmest Decembers in Shimla were 1998 and 2016 — when the month averaged 16°C — while the coldest was 2018 at 10.9°C. Typical December days reach 23.5°C with nights near 4.1°C. The long-term December temperature trend is broadly flat.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 13.8°C | 13.5°C | 14.2°C | 13.7°C | 13.8°C | 0°C |
| Avg High | 23.6°C | 23.2°C | 24.0°C | 23.5°C | 23.4°C | -0.2°C |
| Avg Low | 4.1°C | 3.9°C | 4.4°C | 4.0°C | 4.3°C | +0.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 17 mm | 7 mm | 7 mm | 18 mm | 12 mm | -5 mm |
December temperatures in Shimla have risen by about 0.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -0.1°C (2019) to a record high of 26.3°C (1998).
Rainfall in December is one of the drier months, averaging 12 mm, with a wettest year of 79 mm.
A good time to visit Shimla
December is a good time to visit Shimla, with days averaging 23.5°C and nights around 4.1°C (mean 13.8°C, cooler than Shimla's yearly average) and low rainfall. October and April are marginally more temperate, but December still suits most travellers.
| Year | High | Low | Avg | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22.5°C | 6.2°C | 14.3°C | 0 mm | 53% | 1.4 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 22.9°C | 3.8°C | 13.3°C | 41 mm | 48% | 1.6 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2023 | 23.0°C | 5.9°C | 14.5°C | 4 mm | 54% | 1.5 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2022 | 23.2°C | 4.9°C | 14.0°C | 2 mm | 56% | 1.5 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2021 | 23.7°C | 2.2°C | 13.0°C | 10 mm | 52% | 1.4 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2020 | 24.9°C | 2.7°C | 13.8°C | 17 mm | 42% | 1.5 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2019 | 22.1°C | -0.1°C | 11.0°C | 34 mm | 51% | 1.4 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2018 ❄️ | 20.0°C | 1.7°C | 10.9°C | 10 mm | 54% | 1.5 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2017 | 25.2°C | 5.9°C | 15.5°C | 21 mm | 43% | 1.6 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2016 | 25.0°C | 7.1°C | 16.0°C | 6 mm | 31% | 1.6 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2015 | 24.5°C | 2.9°C | 13.7°C | 18 mm | 43% | 1.7 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2014 | 24.4°C | 4.5°C | 14.4°C | 25 mm | 40% | 1.6 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2013 | 24.5°C | 3.4°C | 14.0°C | 7 mm | 47% | 1.6 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2012 | 24.1°C | 5.1°C | 14.6°C | 20 mm | 44% | 1.7 m/s | 3 |
| 2011 | 23.5°C | 5.0°C | 14.2°C | 7 mm | 42% | 1.5 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2010 | 21.7°C | 4.1°C | 12.9°C | 31 mm | 52% | 1.5 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2009 | 23.2°C | 4.0°C | 13.6°C | 0 mm | 37% | 1.5 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2008 | 24.1°C | 5.6°C | 14.8°C | 2 mm | 47% | 1.5 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2007 | 24.9°C | 3.8°C | 14.4°C | 4 mm | 36% | 1.6 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2006 | 24.0°C | 5.0°C | 14.5°C | 16 mm | 45% | 1.7 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2005 | 22.8°C | 4.3°C | 13.5°C | 0 mm | 32% | 1.6 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2004 | 24.2°C | 3.2°C | 13.7°C | 9 mm | 40% | 1.8 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2003 | 24.3°C | 3.0°C | 13.6°C | 17 mm | 48% | 1.7 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2002 | 24.0°C | 4.3°C | 14.1°C | 7 mm | 38% | 1.6 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2001 | 24.8°C | 5.6°C | 15.2°C | 10 mm | 33% | 1.7 m/s | 3 |
| 2000 | 23.7°C | 4.9°C | 14.3°C | 3 mm | 25% | 1.7 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1999 | 24.0°C | 5.5°C | 14.8°C | 0 mm | 21% | 1.6 m/s | 3.7 |
| 1998 🔥 | 26.3°C | 5.8°C | 16.0°C | 0 mm | 31% | 1.5 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1997 | 21.0°C | 3.3°C | 12.1°C | 32 mm | 55% | 1.4 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1996 | 21.9°C | 3.2°C | 12.5°C | 1 mm | 33% | 1.6 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1995 | 21.5°C | 5.9°C | 13.7°C | 4 mm | 42% | 1.6 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1994 | 22.1°C | 2.0°C | 12.1°C | 7 mm | 41% | 1.7 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1993 | 25.8°C | 4.8°C | 15.3°C | 0 mm | 25% | 1.6 m/s | 3.6 |
| 1992 | 22.7°C | 5.4°C | 14.0°C | 1 mm | 39% | 1.7 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1991 | 23.7°C | 2.0°C | 12.9°C | 26 mm | 45% | 1.6 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1990 | 22.5°C | 0.6°C | 11.6°C | 1 mm | 40% | 1.9 m/s | 3 |
| 1989 🌧️ | 23.5°C | 3.8°C | 13.7°C | 79 mm | 41% | 1.6 m/s | 3 |
| 1988 | 23.7°C | 5.5°C | 14.6°C | 28 mm | 44% | 1.7 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1987 | 25.4°C | 6.0°C | 15.7°C | 4 mm | 18% | 1.6 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1986 | 23.3°C | 3.5°C | 13.4°C | 8 mm | 38% | 1.8 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1985 | 24.1°C | 3.9°C | 14.0°C | 20 mm | 46% | 1.8 m/s | 3 |
| 1984 | 23.7°C | 3.6°C | 13.7°C | 2 mm | 35% | 1.8 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1983 | 23.5°C | 2.8°C | 13.1°C | 2 mm | 32% | 1.6 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 23.5°C | 3.3°C | 13.4°C | 9 mm | 38% | 1.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 21.7°C | 4.2°C | 13.0°C | 2 mm | 41% | 1.5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 23.5°C with lows near 4.1°C (mean 13.8°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 12 mm of rainfall in Shimla, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 79 mm in 1989.
The hottest December reached 26.3°C in 1998. The coldest dipped to -0.1°C in 2019.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 0.4°C. Daytime highs moved from 23.3°C to 23.1°C and overnight lows from 3.6°C to 4.6°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Shimla and one of the drier months, so plan for around 23.5°C daytime highs and 4.1°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 2nd coolest month in Shimla, averaging 13.8°C.
For December in Shimla, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 23.5°C and lows of 4.1°C.
Relative humidity in December averages 41% — relatively dry.
Average wind speed in December is 1.6 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 1.9 m/s (1990).
The wettest December on record was 1989 with 79 mm. On average, December sees 12 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 Shimla 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.
