December is one of the warmer months of the year in Taupo, with average highs near 20.4°C and lows around 10.8°C (mean 15.6°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 86 mm of rainfall and 74% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Taupo. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Taupo was 2021 — when the month averaged 17.9°C — while the coldest was 2004 at 12.2°C. Typical December days reach 20.4°C with nights near 10.8°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
December is about average for rainfall in Taupo, averaging 86 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2018 with 169 mm, while the driest was 2015 at 22 mm.
Relative humidity in Taupo during December averages 74%. The most humid December was 2022 at 83%, and the least humid was 2015 at 66%.
December receives about 6.2 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Taupo. The sunniest December was 2020 at 7.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2001 at 5.
Average wind speed in Taupo during December is 0.6 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 1982 and 2004 at 0.8 m/s, while the calmest were 2017, 2018 and 2022, among others at 0.5 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 15.6°C | 14.8°C | 15.2°C | 16.2°C | 16.6°C | +1°C |
| Avg High | 20.4°C | 19.6°C | 19.8°C | 21.2°C | 21.3°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg Low | 10.7°C | 10.0°C | 10.6°C | 11.1°C | 11.9°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 81 mm | 79 mm | 92 mm | 83 mm | 101 mm | +21 mm |
December temperatures in Taupo have risen by about 0.8°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of 1°C (1992) to a record high of 28.2°C (2015).
Rainfall in December is about average for rainfall, averaging 86 mm, with a wettest year of 169 mm.
One of the best times to visit Taupo
December is one of the best times to visit Taupo. Expect days averaging 20.4°C and nights around 10.8°C (mean 15.6°C) — warmer than Taupo's yearly average — with higher rainfall (86 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 | 20.5°C | 15.9°C | 11.3°C | 25.2°C | 6.3°C | 107 mm | 75% | 0.7 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 22.6°C | 17.4°C | 12.1°C | 28.2°C | 7.8°C | 98 mm | 74% | 0.6 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2023 | 21.0°C | 16.6°C | 12.3°C | 24.9°C | 6.9°C | 111 mm | 80% | 0.6 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2022 | 19.7°C | 15.8°C | 11.9°C | 23.6°C | 7.3°C | 145 mm | 83% | 0.5 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2021 🔥 | 22.3°C | 17.9°C | 13.5°C | 27.3°C | 8.1°C | 118 mm | 77% | 0.6 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2020 | 21.8°C | 16.0°C | 10.1°C | 28.1°C | 4.7°C | 29 mm | 68% | 0.7 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2019 | 22.1°C | 16.6°C | 11.0°C | 27.3°C | 5.4°C | 90 mm | 70% | 0.7 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2018 🌧️ | 20.5°C | 16.1°C | 11.8°C | 25.6°C | 4.4°C | 169 mm | 80% | 0.5 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2017 | 21.8°C | 16.8°C | 11.8°C | 25.4°C | 5.8°C | 48 mm | 72% | 0.5 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2016 | 20.7°C | 15.3°C | 9.9°C | 25.6°C | 6.1°C | 45 mm | 70% | 0.6 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2015 | 21.7°C | 15.8°C | 10.0°C | 28.2°C | 5.5°C | 22 mm | 66% | 0.6 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2014 | 20.6°C | 15.6°C | 10.7°C | 24.2°C | 3.7°C | 86 mm | 73% | 0.6 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2013 | 20.8°C | 15.9°C | 10.9°C | 25.1°C | 6.9°C | 78 mm | 71% | 0.6 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2012 | 22.2°C | 17.1°C | 12.1°C | 28.0°C | 4.6°C | 61 mm | 73% | 0.6 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2011 | 19.4°C | 15.2°C | 10.9°C | 23.1°C | 6.1°C | 163 mm | 78% | 0.6 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2010 | 22.2°C | 17.2°C | 12.2°C | 27.3°C | 7.8°C | 71 mm | 74% | 0.6 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2009 | 20.4°C | 15.2°C | 10.0°C | 25.5°C | 5.9°C | 56 mm | 71% | 0.7 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2008 | 21.2°C | 16.1°C | 11.1°C | 24.7°C | 8.1°C | 84 mm | 72% | 0.6 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2007 | 21.1°C | 16.3°C | 11.5°C | 25.4°C | 6.5°C | 86 mm | 73% | 0.6 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2006 | 17.9°C | 12.9°C | 7.9°C | 23.1°C | 3.2°C | 73 mm | 73% | 0.6 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2005 | 19.5°C | 15.6°C | 11.7°C | 23.9°C | 7.3°C | 147 mm | 81% | 0.7 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2004 ❄️ | 16.1°C | 12.2°C | 8.3°C | 22.5°C | 2.9°C | 112 mm | 78% | 0.8 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2003 | 20.4°C | 15.8°C | 11.1°C | 24.4°C | 4.9°C | 117 mm | 77% | 0.6 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2002 | 20.2°C | 15.3°C | 10.3°C | 25.0°C | 7.1°C | 87 mm | 72% | 0.7 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2001 | 20.1°C | 16.2°C | 12.4°C | 23.2°C | 9.6°C | 109 mm | 79% | 0.7 m/s | 5 |
| 2000 | 21.3°C | 16.5°C | 11.7°C | 25.3°C | 8.4°C | 46 mm | 73% | 0.6 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1999 | 20.0°C | 15.0°C | 9.9°C | 24.0°C | 4.2°C | 47 mm | 70% | 0.6 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1998 | 21.5°C | 16.2°C | 10.9°C | 26.5°C | 6.6°C | 72 mm | 70% | 0.6 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1997 | 21.2°C | 15.8°C | 10.4°C | 25.3°C | 6.6°C | 36 mm | 67% | 0.6 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1996 | 18.2°C | 13.8°C | 9.4°C | 23.0°C | 5.2°C | 167 mm | 77% | 0.6 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1995 | 20.5°C | 16.2°C | 12.0°C | 25.6°C | 7.8°C | 115 mm | 78% | 0.7 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1994 | 20.7°C | 15.6°C | 10.5°C | 24.9°C | 6.2°C | 32 mm | 70% | 0.6 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1993 | 18.5°C | 13.7°C | 8.9°C | 23.8°C | 5.4°C | 87 mm | 75% | 0.6 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1992 | 17.1°C | 13.2°C | 9.2°C | 20.8°C | 1.0°C | 124 mm | 82% | 0.6 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1991 | 18.2°C | 13.6°C | 9.1°C | 23.2°C | 3.2°C | 85 mm | 78% | 0.6 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1990 | 19.6°C | 14.8°C | 10.1°C | 24.3°C | 5.6°C | 29 mm | 74% | 0.7 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1989 | 18.8°C | 14.1°C | 9.4°C | 24.2°C | 3.1°C | 90 mm | 75% | 0.7 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1988 | 22.0°C | 16.9°C | 11.8°C | 26.1°C | 7.9°C | 94 mm | 71% | 0.6 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1987 | 19.8°C | 15.1°C | 10.5°C | 25.4°C | 6.1°C | 98 mm | 75% | 0.7 m/s | 6 |
| 1986 | 19.6°C | 14.6°C | 9.6°C | 23.2°C | 3.1°C | 48 mm | 72% | 0.6 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1985 | 20.0°C | 15.7°C | 11.4°C | 24.0°C | 7.7°C | 94 mm | 77% | 0.5 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1984 | 22.6°C | 17.7°C | 12.8°C | 27.4°C | 8.8°C | 113 mm | 73% | 0.6 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1983 | 19.1°C | 14.3°C | 9.5°C | 22.7°C | 5.1°C | 64 mm | 72% | 0.7 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 20.0°C | 14.6°C | 9.1°C | 27.5°C | 2.4°C | 35 mm | 67% | 0.8 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 21.8°C | 17.2°C | 12.5°C | 26.8°C | 8.0°C | 91 mm | 75% | 0.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 20.4°C with lows near 10.8°C (mean 15.6°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 86 mm of rainfall in Taupo, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 169 mm in 2018.
The hottest December reached 28.2°C in 2015. The coldest dipped to 1°C in 1992.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 0.8°C. Daytime highs moved from 20.7°C to 21.2°C and overnight lows from 11.1°C to 12.2°C over the same span.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Taupo and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 20.4°C daytime highs and 10.8°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 9th coolest month in Taupo, averaging 15.6°C.
For December in Taupo, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 20.4°C and lows of 10.8°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 74% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in December is 0.6 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 0.8 m/s (1982).
The wettest December on record was 2018 with 169 mm. On average, December sees 86 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 Taupo 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.
