December is one of the warmer months of the year in Whangarei, with average highs near 21.9°C and lows around 15.6°C (mean 18.8°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 76 mm of rainfall and 75% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Whangarei. Across 45 years of records, the warmest Decembers in Whangarei were 2021 and 2024 — when the month averaged 20.2°C — while the coldest was 2004 at 16.7°C. Typical December days reach 21.9°C with nights near 15.6°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
December is one of the drier months in Whangarei, averaging 76 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 1996 with 180 mm, while the driest was 2020 at 23 mm.
Relative humidity in Whangarei during December averages 75%. The most humid December was 2022 at 81%, and the least humid was 2009 at 69%.
December receives about 6.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Whangarei. The sunniest December was 2020 at 7.4 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2011 at 5.3.
Average wind speed in Whangarei during December is 5.1 m/s. The windiest December was 2004 at 6.8 m/s, while the calmest was 2022 at 4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 18.5°C | 18.4°C | 18.5°C | 19.0°C | 19.6°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg High | 21.7°C | 21.7°C | 21.6°C | 22.1°C | 22.6°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg Low | 15.4°C | 15.2°C | 15.4°C | 15.9°C | 16.7°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 72 mm | 75 mm | 76 mm | 71 mm | 91 mm | +19 mm |
December temperatures in Whangarei have risen by about 1.2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of 10.6°C (2006) to a record high of 26.9°C (2017).
Rainfall in December is one of the drier months, averaging 76 mm, with a wettest year of 180 mm.
One of the best times to visit Whangarei
December is one of the best times to visit Whangarei. Expect days averaging 21.9°C and nights around 15.6°C (mean 18.8°C) — warmer than Whangarei's yearly average — with moderate rainfall (76 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 | 23.1°C | 20.0°C | 17.0°C | 26.0°C | 15.2°C | 91 mm | 75% | 5.8 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 23.4°C | 20.2°C | 17.0°C | 25.6°C | 14.0°C | 62 mm | 75% | 4.9 m/s | 7 |
| 2023 | 22.3°C | 19.6°C | 16.8°C | 26.2°C | 12.9°C | 112 mm | 80% | 5 m/s | 6 |
| 2022 | 21.7°C | 19.1°C | 16.4°C | 25.0°C | 13.0°C | 124 mm | 81% | 4 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2021 🔥 | 22.8°C | 20.2°C | 17.6°C | 25.6°C | 15.6°C | 133 mm | 79% | 4.8 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2020 | 22.2°C | 18.7°C | 15.3°C | 24.8°C | 12.5°C | 23 mm | 71% | 5 m/s | 7.4 |
| 2019 | 22.7°C | 19.2°C | 15.7°C | 24.6°C | 13.2°C | 45 mm | 74% | 5.2 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2018 | 22.4°C | 19.2°C | 15.9°C | 24.8°C | 13.2°C | 99 mm | 77% | 4.9 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2017 | 22.8°C | 19.8°C | 16.8°C | 26.9°C | 14.9°C | 26 mm | 74% | 4.5 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2016 | 21.8°C | 18.4°C | 15.0°C | 24.3°C | 12.9°C | 28 mm | 72% | 4.8 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2015 | 22.1°C | 18.6°C | 15.1°C | 25.3°C | 12.9°C | 32 mm | 71% | 4.9 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2014 | 21.4°C | 18.6°C | 15.8°C | 24.8°C | 11.0°C | 92 mm | 77% | 4.9 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2013 | 22.1°C | 19.0°C | 15.9°C | 23.9°C | 14.1°C | 110 mm | 73% | 4.6 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2012 | 22.1°C | 19.1°C | 16.0°C | 25.9°C | 11.9°C | 60 mm | 79% | 5.4 m/s | 6 |
| 2011 | 20.3°C | 18.2°C | 16.0°C | 23.0°C | 14.1°C | 144 mm | 80% | 6.5 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2010 | 22.9°C | 19.9°C | 16.9°C | 26.3°C | 13.7°C | 75 mm | 79% | 4.6 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2009 | 22.8°C | 18.9°C | 15.1°C | 25.8°C | 12.0°C | 33 mm | 69% | 4.5 m/s | 7.3 |
| 2008 | 21.4°C | 18.4°C | 15.4°C | 24.7°C | 12.6°C | 105 mm | 75% | 5.4 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2007 | 21.0°C | 18.6°C | 16.1°C | 23.4°C | 13.0°C | 87 mm | 80% | 5.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2006 | 20.4°C | 16.8°C | 13.2°C | 24.3°C | 10.6°C | 39 mm | 69% | 5.2 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2005 | 22.7°C | 19.7°C | 16.7°C | 26.5°C | 13.7°C | 52 mm | 76% | 5.6 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2004 ❄️ | 19.8°C | 16.7°C | 13.5°C | 24.6°C | 11.1°C | 126 mm | 74% | 6.8 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2003 | 22.5°C | 19.3°C | 16.1°C | 25.2°C | 13.0°C | 82 mm | 75% | 4.6 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2002 | 21.4°C | 18.2°C | 15.0°C | 24.6°C | 13.6°C | 48 mm | 72% | 5.2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2001 | 22.0°C | 19.4°C | 16.8°C | 24.4°C | 14.2°C | 111 mm | 79% | 6.2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2000 | 21.9°C | 19.0°C | 16.1°C | 25.6°C | 12.5°C | 74 mm | 75% | 5.4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1999 | 20.5°C | 17.6°C | 14.7°C | 22.9°C | 12.1°C | 68 mm | 74% | 5.5 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1998 | 22.2°C | 19.1°C | 16.1°C | 26.6°C | 13.2°C | 79 mm | 75% | 5.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1997 | 22.7°C | 19.3°C | 15.9°C | 26.6°C | 12.4°C | 91 mm | 73% | 4.6 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1996 🌧️ | 20.7°C | 17.8°C | 14.8°C | 24.6°C | 11.1°C | 180 mm | 77% | 5.7 m/s | 6 |
| 1995 | 22.5°C | 19.6°C | 16.6°C | 25.2°C | 14.0°C | 77 mm | 77% | 5.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1994 | 22.4°C | 18.9°C | 15.4°C | 25.8°C | 13.0°C | 32 mm | 73% | 5 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1993 | 20.9°C | 17.5°C | 14.1°C | 24.8°C | 11.0°C | 51 mm | 73% | 4.5 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1992 | 20.5°C | 17.7°C | 14.9°C | 23.3°C | 11.2°C | 97 mm | 79% | 5.7 m/s | 6 |
| 1991 | 21.1°C | 17.7°C | 14.3°C | 24.7°C | 11.2°C | 44 mm | 73% | 4.6 m/s | 6.7 |
| 1990 | 23.0°C | 19.1°C | 15.3°C | 26.2°C | 13.0°C | 35 mm | 71% | 4.8 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1989 | 21.5°C | 18.3°C | 15.1°C | 23.7°C | 13.0°C | 42 mm | 73% | 5.3 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1988 | 22.0°C | 19.2°C | 16.4°C | 25.1°C | 13.7°C | 73 mm | 75% | 5.1 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1987 | 21.5°C | 18.4°C | 15.3°C | 24.7°C | 13.1°C | 81 mm | 77% | 5.4 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1986 | 21.0°C | 17.9°C | 14.7°C | 23.5°C | 11.8°C | 59 mm | 72% | 4.3 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1985 | 21.3°C | 18.2°C | 15.2°C | 25.5°C | 13.2°C | 114 mm | 77% | 4.5 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1984 | 22.6°C | 19.5°C | 16.4°C | 25.3°C | 13.5°C | 77 mm | 78% | 4.6 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1983 | 20.9°C | 17.7°C | 14.5°C | 23.6°C | 12.1°C | 92 mm | 75% | 5.6 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 22.0°C | 18.3°C | 14.6°C | 24.5°C | 10.8°C | 51 mm | 70% | 4.9 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 22.2°C | 19.4°C | 16.5°C | 24.9°C | 13.1°C | 60 mm | 80% | 4.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 21.9°C with lows near 15.6°C (mean 18.8°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 76 mm of rainfall in Whangarei, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 180 mm in 1996.
The hottest December reached 26.9°C in 2017. The coldest dipped to 10.6°C in 2006.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 1.2°C. Daytime highs moved from 21.8°C to 22.7°C and overnight lows from 15.4°C to 17°C over the same span.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Whangarei and one of the drier months, so plan for around 21.9°C daytime highs and 15.6°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 9th coolest month in Whangarei, averaging 18.8°C.
For December in Whangarei, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 21.9°C and lows of 15.6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 75% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 5.1 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 6.8 m/s (2004).
The wettest December on record was 1996 with 180 mm. On average, December sees 76 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 Whangarei 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.
