December is one of the warmer months of the year in Wanaka, with average highs near 14.9°C and lows around 5.1°C (mean 10°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 158 mm of rainfall and 79% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Wanaka. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Wanaka was 2017 — when the month averaged 13.1°C — while the coldest was 2004 at 6.8°C. Typical December days reach 14.9°C with nights near 5.1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Wanaka, averaging 158 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 1984 with 329 mm, while the driest was 2011 at 58 mm.
Relative humidity in Wanaka during December averages 79%. The most humid December was 1995 at 84%, and the least humid was 2017 at 74%.
December receives about 6.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Wanaka. The sunniest December was 2003 at 7.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2019 and 2021 at 5.7.
Average wind speed in Wanaka during December is 2.8 m/s. The windiest December was 1990 at 3.8 m/s, while the calmest were 2018 and 2022 at 2.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 9.8°C | 9.2°C | 9.6°C | 11.0°C | 10.9°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg High | 14.4°C | 14.1°C | 14.5°C | 16.1°C | 15.8°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg Low | 5.1°C | 4.3°C | 4.7°C | 5.9°C | 6.0°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg Rain | 225 mm | 163 mm | 144 mm | 131 mm | 116 mm | -109 mm |
December temperatures in Wanaka have risen by about 1.6°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -2.6°C (1997) to a record high of 23.8°C (2018).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 158 mm, with a wettest year of 329 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.5°C per decade while lows rose 0.3°C per decade, widening the gap between day and night.
One of the best times to visit Wanaka
December is one of the best times to visit Wanaka. Expect days averaging 14.9°C and nights around 5.1°C (mean 10°C) — warmer than Wanaka's yearly average — with higher rainfall (158 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 | 14.3°C | 9.4°C | 4.6°C | 18.4°C | 0.1°C | 127 mm | 78% | 3 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 16.5°C | 11.6°C | 6.7°C | 21.4°C | 0.0°C | 119 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | 6 |
| 2023 | 17.0°C | 11.9°C | 6.9°C | 21.1°C | 2.0°C | 107 mm | 77% | 2.7 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2022 | 16.1°C | 11.4°C | 6.7°C | 21.3°C | 0.9°C | 78 mm | 81% | 2.1 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2021 | 15.5°C | 10.8°C | 6.2°C | 20.0°C | 1.7°C | 158 mm | 82% | 2.8 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2020 | 15.3°C | 10.0°C | 4.8°C | 20.8°C | -0.3°C | 106 mm | 77% | 2.8 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2019 | 13.8°C | 9.0°C | 4.2°C | 21.8°C | 0.8°C | 202 mm | 80% | 3.3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2018 | 17.3°C | 12.5°C | 7.7°C | 23.8°C | 2.5°C | 71 mm | 75% | 2.1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2017 🔥 | 18.6°C | 13.1°C | 7.6°C | 22.2°C | 1.4°C | 96 mm | 74% | 2.6 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2016 | 14.8°C | 9.5°C | 4.3°C | 19.2°C | 0.5°C | 161 mm | 79% | 3 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2015 | 16.1°C | 10.4°C | 4.6°C | 22.3°C | -0.2°C | 61 mm | 75% | 2.6 m/s | 7.3 |
| 2014 | 16.8°C | 11.7°C | 6.6°C | 22.0°C | -0.5°C | 108 mm | 77% | 2.4 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2013 | 15.4°C | 10.5°C | 5.5°C | 20.6°C | -0.2°C | 164 mm | 79% | 2.4 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2012 | 15.8°C | 10.5°C | 5.2°C | 21.5°C | 1.5°C | 123 mm | 79% | 2.9 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2011 | 16.7°C | 11.8°C | 6.9°C | 19.9°C | 0.2°C | 58 mm | 77% | 2.2 m/s | 7.1 |
| 2010 | 15.8°C | 11.0°C | 6.2°C | 19.9°C | -0.5°C | 264 mm | 79% | 3.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2009 | 13.8°C | 8.8°C | 3.9°C | 18.8°C | -2.2°C | 176 mm | 81% | 3.1 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2008 | 14.0°C | 9.2°C | 4.3°C | 20.3°C | -0.2°C | 193 mm | 81% | 2.6 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2007 | 16.0°C | 10.9°C | 5.8°C | 21.8°C | -0.1°C | 183 mm | 79% | 2.4 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2006 | 12.5°C | 7.5°C | 2.4°C | 17.9°C | -1.3°C | 111 mm | 79% | 2.6 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2005 | 16.8°C | 12.2°C | 7.6°C | 20.1°C | 4.1°C | 130 mm | 80% | 2.5 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2004 ❄️ | 11.8°C | 6.8°C | 1.9°C | 17.7°C | -1.4°C | 128 mm | 79% | 2.9 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2003 | 15.0°C | 9.9°C | 4.8°C | 21.0°C | 1.1°C | 130 mm | 78% | 3.2 m/s | 7.5 |
| 2002 | 14.9°C | 9.9°C | 4.9°C | 20.9°C | -2.2°C | 134 mm | 78% | 3 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2001 | 15.4°C | 10.9°C | 6.4°C | 20.1°C | -0.2°C | 131 mm | 81% | 2.5 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2000 | 15.1°C | 10.2°C | 5.3°C | 20.1°C | -0.2°C | 123 mm | 77% | 3.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1999 | 14.4°C | 9.2°C | 4.1°C | 17.7°C | -0.8°C | 58 mm | 77% | 2.5 m/s | 7 |
| 1998 | 15.5°C | 10.6°C | 5.6°C | 20.6°C | -0.9°C | 104 mm | 79% | 2.6 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1997 | 12.5°C | 7.6°C | 2.6°C | 17.1°C | -2.6°C | 144 mm | 79% | 3.7 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1996 | 13.3°C | 8.5°C | 3.7°C | 20.6°C | -0.1°C | 109 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | 6.7 |
| 1995 | 14.1°C | 9.9°C | 5.7°C | 17.4°C | -0.1°C | 293 mm | 84% | 3.6 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1994 | 14.7°C | 9.5°C | 4.2°C | 20.3°C | -1.7°C | 149 mm | 76% | 2.8 m/s | 7.1 |
| 1993 | 13.8°C | 9.0°C | 4.2°C | 18.1°C | -1.4°C | 261 mm | 82% | 2.4 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1992 | 14.4°C | 9.4°C | 4.3°C | 19.2°C | -0.6°C | 169 mm | 79% | 2.5 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1991 | 14.7°C | 9.6°C | 4.5°C | 19.7°C | -2.0°C | 170 mm | 78% | 2.2 m/s | 7 |
| 1990 | 13.6°C | 8.6°C | 3.6°C | 17.6°C | -1.3°C | 174 mm | 80% | 3.8 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1989 | 14.5°C | 9.6°C | 4.6°C | 19.0°C | -0.3°C | 156 mm | 78% | 3.4 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1988 | 16.3°C | 11.3°C | 6.3°C | 21.5°C | -0.6°C | 166 mm | 78% | 3.1 m/s | 7 |
| 1987 | 13.6°C | 8.9°C | 4.1°C | 18.5°C | 0.2°C | 204 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1986 | 15.9°C | 11.1°C | 6.4°C | 20.3°C | -0.4°C | 159 mm | 77% | 2.7 m/s | 7 |
| 1985 | 14.9°C | 10.5°C | 6.2°C | 18.5°C | 1.7°C | 161 mm | 82% | 2.5 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1984 🌧️ | 14.2°C | 9.8°C | 5.4°C | 21.2°C | 0.3°C | 329 mm | 82% | 2.6 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1983 | 12.8°C | 8.1°C | 3.4°C | 20.8°C | -0.7°C | 284 mm | 81% | 2.9 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 12.3°C | 7.5°C | 2.6°C | 17.4°C | -2.2°C | 249 mm | 80% | 3.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 15.3°C | 11.2°C | 7.0°C | 21.4°C | 1.2°C | 317 mm | 81% | 2.7 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 14.9°C with lows near 5.1°C (mean 10°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 158 mm of rainfall in Wanaka, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 329 mm in 1984.
The hottest December reached 23.8°C in 2018. The coldest dipped to -2.6°C in 1997.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 1.6°C. Daytime highs moved from 13.9°C to 15.9°C and overnight lows from 4.9°C to 6.2°C over the same span.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Wanaka and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 14.9°C daytime highs and 5.1°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 10th coolest month in Wanaka, averaging 10°C.
For December in Wanaka, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 14.9°C and lows of 5.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 79% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 2.8 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 3.8 m/s (1990).
The wettest December on record was 1984 with 329 mm. On average, December sees 158 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 Wanaka 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.
