December is one of the warmer months of the year in Palmerston North, with average highs near 19.9°C and lows around 11.1°C (mean 15.5°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 84 mm of rainfall and 79% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Palmerston North. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Palmerston North was 1984 — when the month averaged 17.5°C — while the coldest was 2006 at 12.3°C. Typical December days reach 19.9°C with nights near 11.1°C. The long-term December temperature trend is broadly flat.
December is about average for rainfall in Palmerston North, averaging 84 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2021 with 238 mm, while the driest was 1988 at 27 mm.
Relative humidity in Palmerston North during December averages 79%. The most humid December was 2021 at 87%, and the least humid was 1997 at 72%.
December receives about 6.3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Palmerston North. The sunniest December was 2017 at 7.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2001 at 5.4.
Average wind speed in Palmerston North during December is 4 m/s. The windiest December was 1989 at 5.2 m/s, while the calmest was 2011 at 2.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 15.7°C | 14.8°C | 15.3°C | 15.9°C | 16.0°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg High | 20.3°C | 19.2°C | 19.6°C | 20.4°C | 20.0°C | -0.3°C |
| Avg Low | 11.2°C | 10.5°C | 11.0°C | 11.3°C | 11.9°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg Rain | 84 mm | 69 mm | 81 mm | 79 mm | 125 mm | +42 mm |
December temperatures in Palmerston North have risen by about 0.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of 2.8°C (1992) to a record high of 29.6°C (2012).
Rainfall in December is about average for rainfall, averaging 84 mm, with a wettest year of 238 mm.
One of the best times to visit Palmerston North
December is one of the best times to visit Palmerston North. Expect days averaging 19.9°C and nights around 11.1°C (mean 15.5°C) — warmer than Palmerston North's yearly average — with higher rainfall (84 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 | 20.3°C | 15.9°C | 11.5°C | 25.2°C | 7.2°C | 131 mm | 80% | 4.5 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 20.3°C | 16.3°C | 12.3°C | 24.2°C | 8.2°C | 90 mm | 84% | 4.4 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2023 | 20.3°C | 16.2°C | 12.1°C | 24.1°C | 6.6°C | 82 mm | 84% | 4 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2022 | 19.8°C | 15.7°C | 11.7°C | 24.3°C | 6.6°C | 122 mm | 85% | 3.1 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2021 🌧️ | 20.5°C | 17.1°C | 13.6°C | 23.9°C | 10.3°C | 238 mm | 87% | 4 m/s | 6 |
| 2020 | 18.8°C | 14.6°C | 10.4°C | 23.3°C | 4.6°C | 87 mm | 82% | 4.4 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2019 | 20.4°C | 15.8°C | 11.3°C | 23.9°C | 6.0°C | 99 mm | 77% | 4.4 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2018 | 20.6°C | 16.4°C | 12.2°C | 24.2°C | 6.6°C | 111 mm | 82% | 3.4 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2017 | 22.1°C | 17.1°C | 12.0°C | 26.5°C | 7.5°C | 45 mm | 76% | 3.6 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2016 | 19.1°C | 14.7°C | 10.3°C | 23.9°C | 6.7°C | 53 mm | 80% | 3.9 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2015 | 18.9°C | 14.5°C | 10.2°C | 24.6°C | 6.8°C | 44 mm | 79% | 3.9 m/s | 7 |
| 2014 | 19.7°C | 15.1°C | 10.6°C | 24.3°C | 3.3°C | 98 mm | 80% | 3.6 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2013 | 20.4°C | 16.0°C | 11.6°C | 24.1°C | 6.6°C | 53 mm | 78% | 3.8 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2012 | 21.7°C | 16.9°C | 12.1°C | 29.6°C | 5.9°C | 93 mm | 77% | 4.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2011 | 20.2°C | 15.5°C | 10.7°C | 24.5°C | 7.0°C | 125 mm | 79% | 2.4 m/s | 6 |
| 2010 | 21.0°C | 16.6°C | 12.2°C | 24.1°C | 5.2°C | 67 mm | 79% | 4.1 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2009 | 18.3°C | 14.0°C | 9.7°C | 22.2°C | 5.4°C | 90 mm | 81% | 4.4 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2008 | 20.7°C | 15.9°C | 11.0°C | 26.0°C | 5.1°C | 81 mm | 77% | 3.9 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2007 | 21.0°C | 16.2°C | 11.5°C | 25.9°C | 6.1°C | 67 mm | 75% | 3.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2006 ❄️ | 16.3°C | 12.3°C | 8.4°C | 20.2°C | 4.8°C | 64 mm | 82% | 4.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2005 | 21.5°C | 17.4°C | 13.2°C | 25.0°C | 8.0°C | 63 mm | 77% | 4.1 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2004 | 16.8°C | 13.0°C | 9.3°C | 23.6°C | 3.8°C | 137 mm | 80% | 4.5 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2003 | 19.7°C | 15.4°C | 11.1°C | 23.7°C | 5.5°C | 66 mm | 80% | 4.7 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2002 | 19.2°C | 15.1°C | 10.9°C | 24.2°C | 5.7°C | 86 mm | 78% | 4.6 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2001 | 20.3°C | 16.6°C | 12.9°C | 25.4°C | 8.6°C | 109 mm | 82% | 4.1 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2000 | 22.0°C | 17.2°C | 12.3°C | 26.3°C | 7.7°C | 43 mm | 74% | 4.3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1999 | 19.6°C | 14.7°C | 9.9°C | 23.0°C | 5.0°C | 40 mm | 75% | 3.7 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1998 | 20.7°C | 16.1°C | 11.6°C | 26.2°C | 7.4°C | 34 mm | 75% | 4.3 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1997 | 19.9°C | 15.1°C | 10.4°C | 24.0°C | 5.0°C | 38 mm | 72% | 4.7 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1996 | 18.4°C | 14.3°C | 10.1°C | 24.0°C | 6.1°C | 85 mm | 81% | 4.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1995 | 20.5°C | 16.2°C | 11.9°C | 26.1°C | 7.1°C | 80 mm | 80% | 4.1 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1994 | 19.0°C | 14.5°C | 10.0°C | 23.4°C | 5.1°C | 39 mm | 80% | 3.9 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1993 | 18.0°C | 13.9°C | 9.8°C | 23.9°C | 5.6°C | 95 mm | 80% | 4 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1992 | 17.5°C | 13.5°C | 9.5°C | 21.3°C | 2.8°C | 141 mm | 83% | 3.4 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1991 | 18.4°C | 14.3°C | 10.2°C | 23.1°C | 5.2°C | 89 mm | 81% | 3.5 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1990 | 19.5°C | 15.3°C | 11.1°C | 25.0°C | 6.6°C | 49 mm | 77% | 4.8 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1989 | 19.2°C | 14.8°C | 10.4°C | 23.2°C | 5.2°C | 60 mm | 74% | 5.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1988 | 22.3°C | 16.9°C | 11.6°C | 27.9°C | 7.1°C | 27 mm | 74% | 3.4 m/s | 7 |
| 1987 | 19.7°C | 15.5°C | 11.2°C | 24.2°C | 7.9°C | 97 mm | 78% | 4.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1986 | 20.1°C | 15.4°C | 10.6°C | 23.9°C | 5.8°C | 30 mm | 74% | 3.9 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1985 | 20.9°C | 16.3°C | 11.8°C | 24.4°C | 6.8°C | 164 mm | 78% | 3.5 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1984 🔥 | 22.6°C | 17.5°C | 12.4°C | 27.6°C | 9.0°C | 74 mm | 75% | 3.6 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1983 | 19.2°C | 14.7°C | 10.3°C | 27.9°C | 5.6°C | 102 mm | 76% | 4.2 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 17.2°C | 13.3°C | 9.5°C | 21.3°C | 2.9°C | 130 mm | 81% | 5 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 21.3°C | 17.1°C | 12.9°C | 26.4°C | 9.1°C | 69 mm | 79% | 4.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 19.9°C with lows near 11.1°C (mean 15.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 84 mm of rainfall in Palmerston North, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 238 mm in 2021.
The hottest December reached 29.6°C in 2012. The coldest dipped to 2.8°C in 1992.
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 20.2°C to 20.2°C and overnight lows from 11.4°C to 12.2°C over the same span.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Palmerston North and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 19.9°C daytime highs and 11.1°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 9th coolest month in Palmerston North, averaging 15.5°C.
For December in Palmerston North, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 19.9°C and lows of 11.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 79% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 4 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 5.2 m/s (1989).
The wettest December on record was 2021 with 238 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 Palmerston North 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.
