December is one of the warmer months of the year in Rotorua, with average highs near 20.9°C and lows around 12.7°C (mean 16.8°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 94 mm of rainfall and 75% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Rotorua. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Rotorua was 2021 — when the month averaged 19.1°C — while the coldest was 2004 at 13.7°C. Typical December days reach 20.9°C with nights near 12.7°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
December is about average for rainfall in Rotorua, averaging 94 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 1996 with 224 mm, while the driest was 2015 at 21 mm.
Relative humidity in Rotorua during December averages 75%. The most humid December was 2022 at 82%, and the least humid was 1982 at 67%.
December receives about 6.2 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Rotorua. The sunniest December was 2020 at 7.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2001 at 5.
Average wind speed in Rotorua during December is 1.9 m/s. The windiest December was 2004 at 2.6 m/s, while the calmest were 1986, 2017 and 2022, among others at 1.6 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 16.7°C | 16.2°C | 16.4°C | 17.2°C | 17.9°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg High | 20.8°C | 20.5°C | 20.4°C | 21.3°C | 22.0°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Low | 12.6°C | 12.0°C | 12.5°C | 13.0°C | 13.8°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 94 mm | 84 mm | 94 mm | 98 mm | 99 mm | +4 mm |
December temperatures in Rotorua have risen by about 1.1°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of 4.3°C (1992) to a record high of 27.6°C (2015).
Rainfall in December is about average for rainfall, averaging 94 mm, with a wettest year of 224 mm.
One of the best times to visit Rotorua
December is one of the best times to visit Rotorua. Expect days averaging 20.9°C and nights around 12.7°C (mean 16.8°C) — warmer than Rotorua's yearly average — with higher rainfall (94 mm), so conditions are generally comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor plans.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21.4°C | 17.4°C | 13.5°C | 26.0°C | 9.3°C | 95 mm | 76% | 2 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 23.2°C | 18.5°C | 13.9°C | 27.6°C | 10.0°C | 90 mm | 74% | 1.8 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2023 | 21.5°C | 17.8°C | 14.0°C | 26.1°C | 9.5°C | 105 mm | 80% | 1.8 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2022 | 20.8°C | 17.3°C | 13.9°C | 25.0°C | 9.7°C | 156 mm | 82% | 1.6 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2021 🔥 | 22.8°C | 19.1°C | 15.3°C | 27.6°C | 11.2°C | 118 mm | 77% | 1.8 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2020 | 22.5°C | 17.3°C | 12.1°C | 26.9°C | 6.7°C | 27 mm | 68% | 1.8 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2019 | 22.7°C | 17.9°C | 13.1°C | 25.8°C | 8.2°C | 83 mm | 71% | 1.8 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2018 | 20.8°C | 17.2°C | 13.6°C | 25.4°C | 7.0°C | 219 mm | 81% | 1.7 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2017 | 22.0°C | 17.9°C | 13.8°C | 24.7°C | 9.1°C | 39 mm | 74% | 1.6 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2016 | 20.7°C | 16.2°C | 11.7°C | 24.0°C | 8.7°C | 43 mm | 73% | 1.9 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2015 | 21.8°C | 17.0°C | 12.1°C | 27.6°C | 8.5°C | 21 mm | 69% | 1.9 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2014 | 20.3°C | 16.4°C | 12.4°C | 23.9°C | 5.8°C | 113 mm | 76% | 1.8 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2013 | 21.2°C | 17.1°C | 13.0°C | 25.0°C | 10.1°C | 110 mm | 73% | 1.8 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2012 | 21.9°C | 17.8°C | 13.7°C | 25.4°C | 8.4°C | 67 mm | 76% | 1.8 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2011 | 19.0°C | 16.0°C | 12.9°C | 22.3°C | 8.7°C | 202 mm | 80% | 2 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2010 | 22.1°C | 18.1°C | 14.1°C | 26.6°C | 9.7°C | 87 mm | 77% | 1.9 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2009 | 21.1°C | 16.4°C | 11.7°C | 25.8°C | 7.4°C | 68 mm | 72% | 1.9 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2008 | 21.3°C | 17.1°C | 13.0°C | 24.7°C | 10.0°C | 87 mm | 74% | 1.9 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2007 | 20.8°C | 17.0°C | 13.2°C | 24.9°C | 9.1°C | 82 mm | 76% | 1.8 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2006 | 19.1°C | 14.6°C | 10.1°C | 23.9°C | 5.2°C | 67 mm | 71% | 1.9 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2005 | 20.4°C | 17.0°C | 13.6°C | 24.3°C | 10.0°C | 150 mm | 81% | 1.9 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2004 ❄️ | 17.2°C | 13.7°C | 10.1°C | 23.3°C | 5.9°C | 125 mm | 77% | 2.6 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2003 | 21.5°C | 17.3°C | 13.1°C | 24.8°C | 8.2°C | 107 mm | 76% | 1.7 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2002 | 20.9°C | 16.6°C | 12.3°C | 23.9°C | 9.5°C | 83 mm | 72% | 1.9 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2001 | 20.3°C | 17.2°C | 14.2°C | 23.4°C | 11.1°C | 136 mm | 81% | 2.1 m/s | 5 |
| 2000 | 21.2°C | 17.4°C | 13.6°C | 25.1°C | 10.5°C | 40 mm | 75% | 1.9 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1999 | 20.4°C | 16.1°C | 11.9°C | 24.3°C | 6.9°C | 52 mm | 71% | 1.9 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1998 | 21.8°C | 17.4°C | 13.1°C | 26.7°C | 9.2°C | 85 mm | 72% | 1.9 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1997 | 21.7°C | 17.0°C | 12.4°C | 25.3°C | 8.4°C | 38 mm | 70% | 1.7 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1996 🌧️ | 19.1°C | 15.2°C | 11.3°C | 23.5°C | 7.1°C | 224 mm | 77% | 2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1995 | 21.1°C | 17.3°C | 13.6°C | 25.7°C | 10.2°C | 114 mm | 79% | 2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1994 | 21.5°C | 17.0°C | 12.5°C | 25.3°C | 8.5°C | 27 mm | 70% | 1.9 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1993 | 20.0°C | 15.6°C | 11.1°C | 25.0°C | 7.6°C | 65 mm | 72% | 1.9 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1992 | 18.5°C | 14.9°C | 11.3°C | 21.4°C | 4.3°C | 139 mm | 81% | 1.8 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1991 | 19.5°C | 15.3°C | 11.1°C | 23.7°C | 6.3°C | 68 mm | 76% | 1.8 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1990 | 20.9°C | 16.5°C | 12.1°C | 25.7°C | 8.4°C | 28 mm | 73% | 2.2 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1989 | 20.0°C | 15.7°C | 11.5°C | 24.5°C | 6.1°C | 84 mm | 74% | 2.1 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1988 | 21.6°C | 17.6°C | 13.6°C | 24.9°C | 10.1°C | 137 mm | 74% | 1.9 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1987 | 20.1°C | 16.3°C | 12.5°C | 25.0°C | 8.5°C | 128 mm | 77% | 2.1 m/s | 6 |
| 1986 | 20.3°C | 15.9°C | 11.5°C | 23.7°C | 6.1°C | 57 mm | 72% | 1.6 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1985 | 20.4°C | 16.7°C | 13.1°C | 23.1°C | 9.8°C | 95 mm | 78% | 1.6 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1984 | 22.3°C | 18.3°C | 14.4°C | 25.8°C | 10.8°C | 144 mm | 77% | 1.6 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1983 | 19.6°C | 15.6°C | 11.5°C | 23.7°C | 7.5°C | 75 mm | 74% | 2.2 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 20.9°C | 16.2°C | 11.4°C | 27.3°C | 6.2°C | 33 mm | 67% | 2.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 21.8°C | 17.9°C | 14.1°C | 26.0°C | 10.2°C | 94 mm | 77% | 1.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 20.9°C with lows near 12.7°C (mean 16.8°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 94 mm of rainfall in Rotorua, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 224 mm in 1996.
The hottest December reached 27.6°C in 2015. The coldest dipped to 4.3°C in 1992.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 1.1°C. Daytime highs moved from 21°C to 21.9°C and overnight lows from 12.9°C to 14.1°C over the same span.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Rotorua and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 20.9°C daytime highs and 12.7°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 9th coolest month in Rotorua, averaging 16.8°C.
For December in Rotorua, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 20.9°C and lows of 12.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 75% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in December is 1.9 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 2.6 m/s (2004).
The wettest December on record was 1996 with 224 mm. On average, December sees 94 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 Rotorua 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.
